(Vietnam Tourism Review) - A borderline mountainous district in the northeast of Quang Ninh, just 120km away from Ha Long City, Binh Lieu shares 43km borders with China. Binh Lieu is home to 5 ethnicities, including Tay, Dao, San Chi, Chinese and Kinh, and greatly endowed by nature with moderate climate and cool weather and fresh air all year round.
Binh Lieu is a fascinating destination because of its lush green mountains, scents of cinnamon and anises, fluttering streams, colors of flamboyant ethnic costumes at the marketplace, friendliness of the genuine natives of ethnic minorities and fascinating cuisine in relation to its customs and festivals of these ethnicities, such as chưng cake, five colored sticky rice, dipped phở, ngải cakes, vermicelli, stream fish or “nodding cake”…
The place coined the “dinosaur backbone” of Quang Ninh is so captivating in late autumn and early winter thanks to white reeds in full bloom, creating reed lined paths that meander around undulating mountains. Vast, verdant reed fields under the sun mingle beautifully with rice terraces in gold harvest and little hamletswrapped in nostalgic smoke… Looked from up high, the entire hills are draped in pure white reeds that rise up in our eyes, and dance and wave gracefully with the winds when they strike through the area.
The western border guard path in Binh Lieu stretches to Lang Son and is also a delightful destination in this district. This route is located at the height of 700m from the sea level and enshrouded in tranquil lawns and beautiful sceneries that can win any mortal hearts.
Travelling to Binh Lieu, beside its white reed heaven, visitors can also stop by some peculiar natural and cultural attractions, including Luc Na Titular Temple, rice terraces stretching to infinity in Binh Lieu, Khe Tien Waterfall, Khe Van Waterfall, Mooc River Waterfall, magnificent Ba Lanh Mountain and its legend of the magic rapid or Cao Xiem Titular Temple… Binh Lieu is beautiful in any season, and visitors are also regaled with then singing tunes, tính lutes (Tay people), Sóong Cọ singing (San Chi people), Dao singing, herbal bath or Dao community tourism (Mooc River), etc. All are blended with the rich cultural life of the locals, creating a harmonious picture of reality in Binh Lieu that can enchant and entice many travelers with its mysteries awaiting ahead.
Springtime is the time for Luc Na Titular Temple Festival (Lunar January 16 to 18), Sóong Cọ mating singing contest (Lunar March 16) or “Wind Taboo Day” (Lunar April 4) that are characteristic of a highland market. Binh Lieu is also proud of its Na Lang plum blossom season and red betel flowers that breathtakingly redden the earth in late March or early April. Summer and autumn in Binh Lieu are dedicated to rising waterfalls, green rice terraces turning yellow in the harvest in the midst of flamboyant wild flowers and blooming white reeds… Autumn and winter are characterized by pure and ethereal sở flowers in full bloom, in the run-up to Binh Lieu Sở Flower Festival in December… |
Hoa Trang