Historic and heavenly Viet Bac program

The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Bac Kan Province on Tuesday held a press conference to introduce a tourism program called ‘Through Viet Bac’s heritage regions 2011’ with the participation of Cao Bang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang provinces.
The program, which opens from November 6 to 11, is aimed at promoting landscapes, tourism potential, people and tourism projects to develop tourism in Viet Bac, a region of Vietnam north of Hanoi.
The program will feature many activities such as ethnic sports contests, exhibition on landscapes and people in Viet Bac, Bac Kan tourism and trade fair and arts performances.
With breathtaking scenery of mountains, waterfall, forests and cultural and historical relics of ethnic people, Viet Bac is always recommended as an ideal destination for tourists.
Ha Giang is the most popular itinerary in tours to the north. Situated 300 kilometers from Hanoi, it is famous for its Dong Van Plateau which is situated 1,025 meters above sea level and is inhabited by the Tay and H’Mong ethnic groups. Many people used to be bewitched by beautiful terraced rice fields, the fragrance and attraction of plums and peaches when they come to harvest season or giant and ancient tea trees. Dong Van has a lot to offer with magnificent mountains, forests, hidden grottos and mysterious caves.
Visiting Dong Van, one can see Pho Bang, also called Pho Bang Street, which was built a long time ago and features multi-storey houses made of clay bricks and tile roofs. Visiting Dong Van on Sundays, tourists shouldn’t miss out on shopping in a market where all kinds of goods and multicolored clothes can be purchased.
Thai Nguyen Province is famous for its green tea farms and mountains. But its gem is Nui Coc Lake which boasts splendid scenery in its 89 islets; some are covered with trees, some with birds, and others with storks or mountain goats. Next to the lake, Coc Mountain stands imposingly in the middle of the blue sky, the bright sunshine glinting over every blade of grass and twig, all making for stunning scenery.
Another must-see site is Phuong Hoang Cave, one of the largest caves in Vietnam, located 40 km from Thai Nguyen City. The cave has four chambers where stalagmite and stalactite formations are seen. Two of the caves are lit by sunlight when the direction of the rays is at the right angle.
Meanwhile, Bac Kan’s fame is closely involved with not only stunning landscapes but also national history. Mentioning Bac Kan, people will rightly think of Ba Be National Park, a complete and complicated system of primitive forest on stone mountains and rock cave, which are surrounded by tranquil lakes.
‘An Toan Khu’ (ATK), meaning ‘safe zone’ was constructed during the revolution against the French. ATK is a complex of underground tunnels and rooms emboldened by a missile defense system in Cho Don (Bac Kan). This unique and invincible complex was one of the most important locations for the Vietnamese Army from 1946 to 1954, where President Ho Chi Minh and many other leaders gathered, discussed and made vital decisions involving the destiny of the nation.
Coming to ATK in particular and Cho Don in general, tourists can not only visit many historical sites but also learn more about the lives of the local inhabitants, discovering their most beautiful cultural essences which can only be found there.