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Where the legendary road begins
From Cao Bang city, I traveled nearly 60 km further north to reach Truong Ha commune, Ha Quang district. The road leading to Pac Bo relic site is narrow and winding between the dense forests, sometimes following the mountain slopes, sometimes following deep valleys covered with forest trees. The sky was clear and the sun was gentle, each ray of light scattered through the canopy of leaves, making the scene seem to light up in the middle of the great forest.
Stopping at the beginning of the route, I came across the Ho Chi Minh Trail milestone 0 - the starting point of the legendary route running along the country. The gray stone pillar rose high against the clear sky, the words "Km 0" stood out like a dot marking the beginning of the S-shaped strip of land. At the foot of the pillar, a smooth green grass carpet spread out, red flags fluttered gently in the wind, and rows of old pine trees stood silently on the mountainside. In the quiet space of the mountains and forests, that milestone appeared towering and enduring, like living proof of the two words "beginning" - where all great journeys originate from here.
Km0 - starting point of the Ho Chi Minh trail at Pac Bo, Cao Bang
From here, I continued to go deeper into the relic site. The car could only stop at the parking lot, the rest was a two-kilometer walk along the stream. I bought a ticket for the relic site’s tram. On both sides of the road, young bamboo bushes rustled, and the shadows of ancient moss-covered trees appeared. The sound of the stream water mixed with the birdsong created a clear melody.
On the banks of Lenin stream, where Uncle Ho wrote poetry
When I reached the banks of Lenin Stream, I was momentarily stunned. The water, which was once famous for its emerald green color, had now turned ivory, swirling with mud from upstream after many days of rain. But it was the color of the water that made the scene more real, intimate, and lively. Amidst the deep forest, the sound of the stream still echoed evenly, soft as silk thread flowing through the rocky mountains.
At the source of Lenin stream, I saw the rock in the middle of the stream where Uncle Ho sat to write poetry in 1961. Right next to the entrance of the cave, a stone stele covered with the color of time nestled among the vines and green moss. On the stele, the golden letters engraved with President Ho Chi Minh's poem written on February 20, 1961 are still clear:
“Twenty years ago in this cave, the Party outlined the path to fight the Japanese and the French. Leading the entire people to fight, the beautiful country we have today.”
The rock where Uncle Ho wrote poetry at the source of Lenin stream
The poem Uncle Ho composed in 1961 at Pac Bo is engraved on a stone stele.
The simple yet heroic verses, written right where he lived and worked, serve as a reminder of the beginning of the long march for independence. Under the dim light filtering through the forest canopy, the golden words shine, making the entire space around the cave seem to be filled with reverence.
At noon, the sky was lightly sunny. The light filtered through the tree canopy and shone on the water, reflecting like a shimmering silk ribbon. I sat on a rock by the stream, listening to the sound of the water flowing around my feet. A few white butterflies fluttered and landed on a floating leaf. The simple scene made one feel strangely calm.
On the way to Pac Bo cave, there are some stone benches for visitors to rest.
Locals say that in the dry season, the stream water is so clear that fish can be seen swimming, and the bottom of the stream is a jade color. In the rainy season, the water is rich in alluvium, stronger and more violent.
Pac Bo Cave: where Uncle Ho returned to the mountains and forests
Following the stream and passing through the dark green layers of the old forest, I arrived at Pac Bo Cave - a small cave nestled at the foot of Cac Mac Mountain. On the cliff, the words "Coc Bo Cave" had faded over time, hidden among the green moss and gray rocks. The cave entrance was narrow, requiring one to bend down to pass through. Inside, the space was quiet, the weak light from outside shone in, making the cliff appear blurry, cold and dry as if it had retained the breath of the mountain from many years ago.
Inside the cave, light shines through the entrance, illuminating each block of stone covered in the color of time. The space is cool and narrow, but every detail evokes the traces of an important moment in history. In the inner corner, there is a natural stone block that people call “The Statue of Karl Marx” because its shape and lines evoke the face of the philosopher that Uncle Ho respected.
It was here that he lived and worked in the early days of his return to the Fatherland. A small wooden table was restored in its original location, next to it was an aluminum kettle and a stone stove. The simple objects recreated the hard but steadfast life in the Pac Bo mountains and forests. The cave is not deep, only a few dozen meters, but its quietness and coolness make those standing in front of it feel as if they are touching the breath of history that is still present here.
The wooden table Uncle Ho used to sit at to work was restored and placed in a cave, the table legs were made of stacked stones.
After visiting Pac Bo cave, I went in the opposite direction, climbing the stone steps up the slope, visiting Mr. Ly Quoc Sung's house - the stilt house where Uncle Ho used to stay in the first days of returning to the country. The house was simple, with dark old wooden floors, a roof thatched with palm leaves, and an ash stove with traces of the old fire. The guide said that Mr. Ly Quoc Sung was a Nung ethnic, who had sheltered and helped Uncle Ho during his early days of working in Pac Bo. That story made me understand more about the bond between Uncle Ho and the highland people - a simple but strong love.
The relic of Mr. Ly Quoc Sung's house, a revolutionary base where Uncle Ho worked right after returning to Vietnam during the revolution.
Temple and vivid memories of Uncle Ho
Leaving Lenin stream and Pac Bo cave, I followed the small path leading to Uncle Ho’s temple on Tieng Chay hill. The temple is simple in the style of a Cao Bang stilt house but still solemn, each step feels like I am closer to history. Looking at the statue of Uncle Ho peacefully in the sunlight shining through the roof, I feel both close and sacred.
Next to it, the exhibition house opens up images and artifacts about the time Uncle Ho lived and did revolutionary activities in Cao Bang. I browsed through each photo and each souvenir, imagining the days Uncle Ho traveled through these mountains and forests, and saw that journey resurrected in the very path I was walking.
Uncle Ho Temple in Pac Bo relic complex
In the afternoon, I left the relic site as the sun was setting. Lenin Stream gradually disappeared behind me, leaving only the faint sound of flowing water. I knew I would return in another season, perhaps the dry season when the stream water was as clear as a mirror, or when the bamboo had turned yellow in the autumn sun. But no matter what season, Pac Bo will always be a place to return to, to find peace amidst the hustle and bustle of life, to remember that every inch of land, every stream, every mountain here reminds me of the heroic history of the nation.
