Trekking Ta Nang Phan Dung - the legendary route

“At dawn, sitting in front of Da Loan market waiting for the shuttle bus to take me to the edge of the forest, I realized clearly that I had left the hustle and bustle of the city and was here, preparing for a 2-day trekking journey to conquer Ta Nang Phan Dung, the most beautiful route in the South”. Tan Truong (24 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) chose Ta Nang Phan Dung, a route that everyone wants to try once, for their first trekking trip. Like first love, the first time is always a memorable memory. “In addition to my personal luggage, I brought a lot of excitement and anticipation. And luckily for this meeting, Ta Nang Phan Dung left a beautiful impression in my heart”, Tan Truong shared.

Pack your bags and leave the hustle and bustle behind

Sitting on the windy window of the car, looking out into the distance at the vast forest in the early morning mist, the dawn of the highlands shines the first rays of sunlight to welcome the guests who cannot hide the excitement and curiosity on their faces. At about 7:45 am, the car stops at the edge of the forest after a bumpy red dirt road, the whole group begins their journey.

Passing through the dense forests, you will clearly feel that summer has come by the chirping of cicadas echoing throughout the forest. When crossing the wet stream, the tour guide advised the group to go quickly because of the possibility of leeches. An interesting challenge awaits on the Ta Nang - Phan Dung journey, these guests are ready to experience it.

The Ta Nang - Phan Dung trekking route connects three provinces: Lam Dong - Ninh Thuan - Binh Thuan. With a distance as far as the crow flies of about 18km. But in reality, this distance is about 60km long. The wild but equally majestic and poetic scenery of the great forest is like a gift for the souls of many travelers conquering this place. Although it is known as a dangerous route, the peaceful life of ethnic minorities such as Co Ho, Churu and Gia Rai is still covered on the Ta Nang - Phan Dung route.

The shade of the brilliant green pine forests, weaving throughout the journey, the lush grasslands spread out on the plateau. In the distance, the immense tea and corn fields stretched out like a giant, beautiful carpet in the middle of the wild land. The golden sunlight spread across the space from the windy plateau down to the Central coast. "All of this created an extremely vivid natural picture that every now and then, the whole group had to "wow" because it was so beautiful. Forget about all deadlines and don't have to think about anything, I just enjoy the scenery that this place brings," Tan Truong said.

What season is for Ta Nang - Phan Dung?

Anh Tu, trekking tour guide of Trekkers Club, said that Ta Nang - Phan Dung belongs to two different provinces, so the climate will also be different. In Ta Nang, the climate is a bit cold like Da Lat, and towards Phan Dung, the climate is hotter and drier because it is close to Phan Thiet. Ta Nang - Phan Dung attracts tourists because this place is divided into two seasons, rainy season and dry season, or as trekkers often tell each other, it is the green grass season and the burnt grass season.

The green grass season will be more beautiful from August to February of the following year, in this season the air is fresh and clean. However, due to heavy rain, the weather can change suddenly, sometimes sunny in the morning and rainy in the afternoon. When choosing to trek in this season, be prepared with protective items such as umbrellas and raincoats to prevent sudden rain.

The season of burnt grass here is completely different from the freshness of the green grass season. This season starts from March to June every year. The scorching sunlight makes the hills covered with dry grass turn into a burnt yellow. Although it looks a bit sad, the romantic feeling at sunset will make you unforgettable.

Experiences only for the "brave"

That was a joke when Tan Truong and the whole group sat together at night on Phan Dung peak, looking up at the starry sky that is hard to find in the city.

The specialty of Ta Nang - Phan Dung is the continuous hills, creating an exciting journey of conquest. Each hill is a new journey, with beautiful, unique, unrepeatable landscapes. The exciting feeling fills the heart when reaching the top, looking at the vast space, looking back at the journey they have overcome. "Just one word, satisfied!", a member of the group shared. That moment was filled with emotions for many people, making each step on the road a new and meaningful victory.

For Tan Truong, exploring the flora is also a new experience besides conquering himself on the trekking journey. Looking at wild plants, listening to the guide tell stories, the interesting experience increases many times. During the honey making season, many bees fly around the group but do not sting. Every now and then, a few bees suck nectar from strange flowers, making the travelers excited to see them with their own eyes.

"Courage" here means you have the courage, the willingness to leave your comfortable bed, your usual comforts, or your weekend get-togethers with friends, to experience trekking through forests and wading through streams, where there is no electricity, no water, no wifi, no phone signal, and no hustle and bustle of the city.

"I was a little worried at the beginning, but the experience was too good for a young person like me...", Tan Truong recalled. Sleeping under the starry sky, the sound of the wind whistling in my ears is not always possible. Early the next morning, waking up to see the red sun just rising, the whole group called each other to eat noodles, drink coffee and watch the sunrise in the cold morning mist. The scenery makes people more poetic, and the experience turns ordinary food into delicacies in the mountains and forests? Because when sharing with Travellive reporter, Tan Truong emphasized: "That was the best cup of noodles I've ever eaten. Not only that, during the 2 days of trekking, every dish was so special and made me remember it forever. Grilled bamboo rice with pork, crispy fried stream fish with tamarind sauce, sour stream fish soup, and also sitting and eating in the cool air of the forest, which you can't buy in the city with any amount of money".

Things to note when trekking the Ta Nang - Phan Dung route:

- Do not go by yourself to ensure safety. Currently, many tour operators have appeared, helping to ensure safety, providing tents, food, drinks and travel insurance.

- Before going, do physical exercise such as jogging, climbing stairs,... for at least 1 week to have good health.

- Always stay with teammates, do not separate from the group to ensure safety and avoid getting lost.

- You should not go trekking at night.

- Wear trekking shoes and a backpack with a support belt to walk comfortably and avoid injury.

Ha Mai Trinh