Nguyen Nguyet Anh (29 years old, Hanoi) is also known as the author of the blog Moon in Loonie Land, currently living and working in Vancouver, Canada. Seven years ago, during a chance conversation with her close Brazilian friend, Nguyet Anh learned about Banff, but at that time she was still a student and did not have enough money to make a long trip. However, her love for the town of Banff urged her to definitely come here to experience it once in her life.
Talking to Travellive readers, Ms. Nguyet Anh confided: “Nath and I had talked about Banff since the summer 7 years ago. At that time, Nath showed me a photo of Moraine Lake, right when we were about to finish our internship in Canada. Then, Nath left, and I stayed home to write my thesis in time to return to Vietnam to graduate from university. Later, Nath still told me a lot about Banff, about the majestic natural beauty of that special small town, about the trip that made her feel how much more there is to discover in this life.”
Blogger Moon in Loonie Land has always wanted to visit and experience Banff.
Banff is a town in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. More than a century ago, the town of Banff consisted of just one street called Banff Avenue. With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, Banff began to develop into the picturesque mountain town it is today. In 1985, the United Nations declared Banff National Park, one of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a World Heritage Site.
Banff is a town in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
The town of Banff is considered one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations. Known for its majestic mountains and hot springs, it is a popular destination for outdoor sports, hiking, biking, racing and skiing in the area.
Coming to Banff, visitors will be conquered by the wild and majestic beauty of nature combined with the peaceful, untroubled life of the people here. In the summer, you can row a boat on Lake Louise, watching the reflection of the eternal snow-capped hills next to the green pine forest. When winter comes, you can leisurely stroll under the fairy-tale lights emanating from the shops along the road and watch the majestic snow-capped mountains standing out at the end of the horizon. At any time of the year, as soon as you say goodbye to this pretty little fairy-tale town, Banff will immediately make travel enthusiasts feel more nostalgic right after leaving.
The emerald green Bow River flows through the town.
On the wooden bridge over the Bow River in town.
Some notable destinations in Banff
Banff Town Centre
Start your day in Banff with a hot cup of aromatic coffee, before strolling through the narrow streets of the town centre, filled with souvenir shops and bustling eateries.
“I learned about the origin of Banff and learned that from the very beginning, Banff was created with the vision of becoming a world-famous tourist town. Standing on the main street of the town, people can see the Cascade Mountains and turn back and forth, still amazed by its majestic beauty,” the blogger recounted.
Another corner of Banff, busy streets amidst majestic mountains and forests.
Lake Louise
Known as the green pearl of Canada, Lake Louise is surrounded by high mountains and formed from the melting of glaciers.
Lake Louise is a wonderful symphony of Canadian nature because looking at the turquoise water in any season, you can see its beauty. It is known that the clear blue color of the lake is formed from the rock flour on the snowy mountains and the ice flowing down from the Victoria Glacier. The water of Lake Louise is formed from the melting icebergs millions of years ago. With just a few rays of sunlight, the scenery here becomes sparkling, incredibly beautiful.
At different times of the day, the lake's surface will change color to light blue, dark blue, and turquoise depending on the brightness of the sunlight and cloud cover.
At this time, after climbing a short distance, Ms. Nguyet Anh was busy taking pictures of Lake Louise.
Moraine Lake
Moraine Lake is one of the most beautiful natural lakes in the world and is considered a “bright gem”. Thanks to the favor of Mother Nature, the landscape at Moraine has a gentle green color that soothes the soul. This place is impressively arranged by nature with shimmering rocky mountains on one side with peaks covered in pure white ice, the other side is a vast green pine hill, along with a clear blue sky, all clearly reflected on the calm lake in the center.
According to Ms. Nguyet Anh, when coming to Moraine Lake, you should take a walk around to breathe the fresh air. Walking on the small, winding path between the pine trees will bring a more relaxing and comfortable feeling. Each gentle step on the gravel, on both sides of the road are large and small streams babbling, making you feel like you are lost in a fairy tale world.
The lake's color is only this jade green from about the end of June to September every year, thanks to the rock powder melted in the water from the glaciers pouring into the lake, reflecting a stunningly beautiful jade green color.
July, but the wind in the valley is quite strong so the weather is a bit chilly.
The feeling of sipping a cup of coffee by the lake will probably be one of the most memorable moments in life.
“When I stood on the cliff overlooking Moraine Lake, before my eyes was a majestic million-year-old mountain range with white snow still clinging to it, feeding Moraine Lake, reflecting an unbelievable turquoise color,” said Ms. Nguyet Anh.
National Historic Site of Caves and Basins
This is a special place for Indigenous peoples, marking the birth of Canada’s national park system. Today, it is a gathering place to share stories of conservation and connection. Visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits, short films, seasonal activities and stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
The place marked the birth of the national park system in Canada.
Some tips when traveling to Banff
Time
If you want to see the lakes with their characteristic blue color, you should go in the summer - the best time to see the lakes is from July to September. However, Banff is famous for its beauty all year round, so if you want to save money, you can consider the low tourist seasons to visit Banff such as Fall or Spring.
Just in time for Canada Day there was a red boat and a bear sitting there waving to everyone visiting the lake.
Move
According to Ms. Nguyet Anh, there are two forms of transportation: driving yourself and using public transportation. If you want to enjoy the feeling of going on a “road trip” in Canada, you can rent a car or drive yourself to Banff.
In particular, the blogger encourages everyone to learn about public transportation. “The buses here are very convenient and are specifically designed to serve tourists visiting Banff. If you know how to arrange your travel schedule by public transportation, you can save a lot of money, enjoy the scenery without worrying about driving, safety and finding parking. Currently, Moraine Lake has completely banned private vehicles from entering and exiting, so traveling by bus is a smart choice,” Ms. Nguyet Anh shared.
The buses in Banff are lovely, they don’t honk but ring their bells. The drivers occasionally point out deer, sheep, and goats along the forest edge.
Cuisine
Cuisine in Banff is very rich due to the cultural diversity of a country like Canada. Ms. Nguyet Anh encourages everyone to try famous dishes in Canada if they have never tried them before, for example, Poutine. Or you can find cuisines from many countries in the world in Banff such as Japan, Korea, India, France and Italy...
The cuisine in Banff is very rich due to the cultural diversity of a country like Canada.
Some notes
- Learn about Banff and what makes it special: Decide which points you are most interested in learning about and plan accordingly.
- Prioritize public transportation: Do your research to avoid disappointment if you decide to drive to Banff.
- Plan early: The demand to go to Banff is quite high, planning early will be proactive and help you have many choices about accommodation and transportation without having to pay too much.
- Flexible time and finances: If you visit Banff, you should not spend too little time, you should go for 4-5 days or more to enjoy the beauty here and have time to rest.
Forest next to the rocky mountain.
Detailed itinerary of 4 days traveling to Banff town by blogger Moon in Loonie Land:
Day 1:Travel from Vancouver to Banff, explore downtown Banff and visit some of the beautiful lakes nearby, then rest and recharge for the next few days.
Day 2:Explore the most famous beautiful lakes - Louise and Moraine, go hiking at the lakes to enjoy and experience these places.
Day 3:Learn about history and nature in Banff, visit Caves and Basins National Historic Site, visit the neighboring town of Canmore, and explore local cuisine.
Day 4:Travel to Calgary city, explore Calgary before returning to Vancouver.
