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Arriving in Thuong Lam, Lam Binh, Tuyen Quang one late afternoon, I visited Hoang Tuan Homestay – an extremely beautiful homestay in the Tuyen Quang region.
In the evening, after a delicious meal featuring Tay ethnic dishes such as steamed bamboo shoots with ant eggs, stir-fried wild vegetables with ant eggs, whole boiled pumpkin, and ant egg cakes, I and the group of tourists at the homestay enjoyed Tay ethnic cultural performances.
Here, Tay girls in their all-black attire played the Tinh instrument and sang Then songs that captivated my heart. After the Then songs, there were dances with conical hats and trays. They sang with great enthusiasm and danced beautifully. The performance concluded with a bamboo pole dance by the warm fire. The group of visitors held hands and sang songs loudly in the darkness.
With its affordable accommodation price of only 70,000 VND per person, along with a meal featuring many traditional dishes, Hoang Tuan Homestay has truly become a wonderful resting place for tourists visiting the Mekong Delta.
Meal at the homestay
In the morning, after enjoying the Tày people's ant egg sticky rice, I joined Mr. Tọng, the owner of Hoàng Tuấn Homestay, on a boat trip, drifting on the water. Typically, the average boat fare here is only 1,200,000 VND per trip, carrying 20-40 people. The journey starts from Thủy Thượng Lâm pier, goes to Cọc Vài Phạ, Khu Lâm Thủy Cọc Vài, Nặm Me Waterfall, Khuổi Súng, Khuổi Nhi, and then returns to the homestay.
From Hoang Tuan Homestay, we traveled another 1km to reach the boat dock for Na Hang Lake. Many other homestays' boats were also moored there. We boarded a boat and began our journey to explore the lake.
The water in Na Hang Lake is crystal clear, and every so often I see small islands. In front of me is "Cọc Vài Phạ," which in the Tay language means "Stake for tying the heavenly buffalo," associated with the legend of the giant Tài Ngao.
The boat glided gently across the water; a recent rain shower had made the scenery even more enchanting. The air here was fresh and crisp, and I took a deep breath as I looked up at the mountain peaks, where fluffy clouds drifted by, a breathtaking sight.
The scenery at Na Hang Lake in Tuyen Quang is truly poetic, so the further I went, the more I transformed into a dreamer, captivated by the scenery and the atmosphere without even realizing it. Then our boat docked at Khuoi Nhi Waterfall - an extremely beautiful waterfall upstream of Na Hang Lake.
The path to Khuoi Nhi waterfall is incredibly winding and difficult. After a rain, the trail became even more slippery. I stepped over steep rocks, open spaces, and then crossed small streams. The deeper I went, the more I felt lost. It took a long time before I finally saw the waterfall.
The Khuoi Nhi waterfall stretches 3km from the mountaintop down to the lake. From a distance, the waterfall resembles the long hair of a young woman, cascading down in a continuous stream of white water. The crystal-clear water of Khuoi Nhi waterfall overwhelms visitors, leaving them speechless with awe at the beauty bestowed by nature.
Upon arriving at Khuoi Nhi Waterfall, I enjoyed the feeling of placing my feet in the water, watching the fish slowly perch on my feet and begin to nibble. Even more enjoyable was the sensation of submerging myself in the clear blue water. Immersing myself in Khuoi Nhi Waterfall was truly one of the most delightful experiences on my journey exploring Na Hang Lake.
Our boat bid farewell to Khuoi Nhi Waterfall and continued its journey past numerous islands, both large and small. We docked at a grassy island. Because it was a grassy island, it was completely bare, covered only in grass and soil. The water around the island was crystal clear, and the small islands reflected their images on the surface of the lake. From the grassy island, you could easily see the islands' reflections shimmering beneath the water's surface.
Further in the distance were small stilt houses belonging to the Tay people. They often build their homes there so that tourists can fish and enjoy meals right on the lake. At noon, our boat drifted across the lake, and we began to enjoy the dishes that had been cooked on the island.
In the afternoon, I took my bicycle from the homestay and cycled slowly to explore the Tay villages within Na Tong hamlet. I passed many ancient Tay houses over 100 years old, then through gentle rice paddies, vast cornfields, and finally saw the towering mountain ranges of Na Tong hamlet. I took a deep breath and felt the colorful life unfolding in this peaceful land.
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