Ba Vi National Park is located in the Ba Vi mountain range, 15 km away from Son Tay town and about 50 km from the center of Hanoi from the west. Since the beginning of the 20th century, Ba Vi has been a famous place thanks to its diversity of ecosystems, beautiful landscapes, and cool climate. This national park is located in a high mountain range running along the northeast-southwest direction with the King peak 1,296 m high, Tan Vien peak 1,227 m high, Ngoc Hoa peak 1,131 m high. This area usually attracts the most visitors at the end of the year. At this time, the number of tourists flocking to Ba Vi National Park tourism is often quite crowded to take photos of wildflowers.
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Ba Vi National Park
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Ba Vi has been a famous place thanks to its diversity of ecosystems, beautiful landscapes, and cool climate. Ba Vi National Park has 1,209 species of flora, of which 21 species of rare plants are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam such as Bach Xanh, Honey Sick, Three-Nose Hazel, White-striped Pine, Fairy Flower,… The fauna has 63 species of mammals, 115 species of birds, 61 species of reptiles, and 27 species of amphibians, with many rare species such as Palm civet, Big loris, White pheasant, Earth dragon, White-tailed dragon butterfly,…
Ba Vi Mountain is said to be the incarnation of the Holy Ghost Tan Vien Son Tinh, who is the top saint of the Four Immortals in the minds of Vietnamese people. To commemorate the merits of the Holy Ghost Tan Vien, people set up his Temple on top of Tan Vien, customarily called Thuong Temple. In addition to historical values, visitors will have the opportunity to learn more about the culture of the 18th Hung King dynasty and have the opportunity to feel more deeply about the love between Son Tinh and princess Ngoc Hoa.
At the height of 600m, it is a historical revolutionary relic that marked the fierce battle between the Vietnamese army and the French colonialists in the Hoa Binh campaign, called the 600 Ba Vi base cluster. This cluster of strongholds was built by the French in 1951 on the basis of the old villa area of the French official Mooc Dang. This location is connected to the bases of My Khe, Ba Trai, Da Chong, and Thu Phap which is a very beneficial position.
Ba Vi is the most famous in the tourism community because there are vast wildflowers, bright yellow flowers that attract many people every year-end, especially young people who come here to have some beautiful pictures.
Other interesting tour: Bai Dinh – Trang An – Mua Cave Tour from Hanoi
When should you travel to Ba Vi?
The rainy season starts in April and ends in October with an average temperature of 23ºC. While June and July have the highest average temperature of 28.6ºC. The dry season starts in November and ends in March with a temperature of approximately 20ºC, January has the lowest temperature of only about 15.8ºC. Based on this information, you can arrange your trip to Ba Vì to suit your own personal conditions, there are also a few suggestions for you about when to travel to Ba Vì such as:
- In the summer (from June to August), the weather in Hanoi is quite hot. In contrast, Ba Vi’s temperature is slightly lower depending on the altitude. This is the time when you might experience a trip from the noisy capital center to Ba Vi.
- Mid-November and early December is the time when wildflowers bloom in Ba Vi. This is a good time for you to come to Ba Vi if you want to have photos with these beautiful flowers.
Guide to Ba Vi
Discover Ba Vi by private vehicles (motorbikes and cars)
From the center of Hanoi, you can choose the Thang Long Avenue route or route 32 to go to Ba Vi National Park. If you start in the direction of Thang Long Avenue, your car can go to the main road, and for motorbikes, please use the side road. After going through Thang Long Avenue, you can turn right onto 21A, go to the 105 intersections, then turn left until there is a signpost. Please choose to go this way if you want to visit Duong Lam Ancient Village first and then go to Ba Vi.
Another way is at the end of Thang Long Avenue, you just go straight to the signpost through the Village of ethnic cultures in Dong Mo. At the end of this route, you also turn left and then go until there is a signpost to enter the Ba Vi National Park.
The route in the National Park is relatively small, there are only enough for 2 cars. From the foot of the mountain to the top is relatively steep and many dangerous turns. Therefore, you need to remember to slow down when traveling and use the whistle at the corners to signal the vehicle in the opposite direction.
Discover Ba Vi by Public vehicles
If you do not want to use private transport, you can use the bus to get to Ba Vi. However, depending on the starting position, you may have to change up to 3 bus stops to get here.
From Hanoi, you should move to My Dinh bus station. There are 2 available bus routes: 74 My Dinh – Xuan Khanh line route and 71 My Dinh – Son Tay bus station. At the end of Xuan Khanh or Son Tay bus station, you get off and transfer to bus route 110 Son Tay bus station – Ba Vi National Park. This 110 line route will stop dropping off at the entrance ticket counter. From here you can rent a taxi to get to the next destination.
What to play in Ba Vi National Park
Camping
The climate is quite cool and has many large and flat areas, so Ba Vi National Park is very suitable for camping or team building activities. You can prepare your own tents and camping equipment or rent a camp here. Particularly for food and drinks, you need to actively prepare at home because it is difficult to buy more once you reach the campsite.
The Cactus garden
From the main gate up about 1km, you will reach the Cactus Garden. In fact, this is a project to collect cacti trees from many places. But now this project is no longer maintained. Therefore, The cactus garden is almost closed and only discovered again by young people who love to travel recently.
Next to the cactus garden is a pine hill, there is a private organization to organize camping activities here. If you need to find a place to organize team-building activities for your kids, this might be a place parents should pay attention to.
Ngoc Hoa Cave
Located under a steep cliff near the foot of Ba Vi mountain for thousands of years. Due to the slide of geology, it unintentionally formed an interesting landscape with a huge rock and created a natural cave. For many years, the local people have built and embellished this place to become a shrine of Ngoc Hoa princess.
Pine forest
The pine forest in Ba Vi is located behind the cactus garden and about 400m from the Ba Vi Resort area. This is a great place to take pictures and set up a camping tent. Especially if you set up camp in the evening, you will hear the interesting sound of pine trees.
Wildflowers forest
Wildflowers have been planted by the French on Ba Vi mountain since the 30s of the last century. Currently, wildflowers are distributed naturally among the green forest patches of Ba Vi National Park. The wildflowers season starts from early November to mid-December each year.
You can enjoy the wildflowers right from the entrance and stretch scattered on the way up to 400m. The area of wildflowers forest was concentrated 400m behind the pine forest. Through the 400-foot pine forest, you can park your car and then turn left about 300m to reach the wildflowers forest, which has an area of over 10 hectares, including 05 zones.
Old French Church
At the height of 600-800m, there are still many ruins of magnificent architectural works. In which, the underground mansion of a French colonel is still quite intact. Looking away from the mansion as a giant bunker protruding from the ground about 2m. But inside is a unique architectural complex with many rooms, paths, emergency doors,…
At an altitude of about 800m (above sea level), when you turn right, cross a steep slope, and right around the corner are a church and beautiful resort villas. The old church in Ba Vi is only a frame with walls covered with a green moss of trees.
Ngoc Hoa Peak
This is one of 3 peaks of Ba Vi mountain which are located at an altitude of 1,131m. In order to reach the top of Ngoc Hoa, you will have to park and trek a long distance.
Tieu Dong Peak – Bach Xanh Complex
Bach Xanh is a rare tree species, the scientific name is Calocedrus macrolepis of the family Hoang Dan Cupressaceous. This plant is distributed naturally in many provinces across the country. In particular, Ba Vi National Park preserves a primeval forest located at the height of 1000m, of which Bach Xanh is the dominant tree species.
Thuong Temple
Thuong Temple is also known as the main palace, is the place to worship the Holy Ghost Tan Vien Son. Located on the top of Ba Vi mountain at an altitude of 1227m. According to legend, Thuong Temple was built in the An Duong Vuong period. After that, in the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, the Thuong temple was built on a large scale and the worship of Thanh Tan Vien spread throughout the Northern Delta. According to the legend left, to build Thuong Temple, the feudal state had to mobilize huge human resources on the two sides of the Da River. People joined hands to transfer materials from the Da River to the top of Tan mountain to build the temple.
Over time, the ancient temple disappeared. Until 1993, the temple was restored to a small temple leaning against a cliff. In 2010, the Hanoi capital started to restore the temple with a fairly complete-scale including the main shrine, the ceremony house,…
The temple is not wide but mysterious and has a deep spirituality. In the center of Tam Bao Thorne is the dwelling statue of Duc Thanh Tran. On the left side is to worship Duc Thanh Tran (Hung Dao Dai Vuong) and on the right side is the worshiping committee of the Tam Thanh Mau (the mother of Thuong thousand).
Through the main temple courtyard, when climbing more than a hundred more stone steps, visitors will reach the highest point of Tan Vien’s peak. Here, the statue is to worship Mau Cuu Trung Thien, Mau Dia, and Bat Tien.
Uncle Ho Temple
Uncle Ho Temple is located at an altitude of 1,296 meters which is the highest peak in the Ba Vi range. The old story is that when Uncle Ho was born, he wanted his ashes to be placed in three places when he died, including one in Ba Vi mountain. Therefore, the idea of building Uncle Ho temple according to his will.
The temple has a traditional architectural style with 8 curved blade roofs on four sides and built on round pillars on the base of the rock,… The temple was built in a stable and majestic structure. The main hall is an open space with no doors. On the stone altar, there is a bronze statue of Uncle Ho cast in a sitting position. Above is a mural with the famous words: “There is nothing more precious than independence and freedom”. Above is the Fatherland flag grafted with red marble. In addition, there are many other work items that create a harmonious, delicate but still very simple space.
Bao Thien Tower
Thien Bao Tower was built near Uncle Ho temple on top of King Ba Vi mountain and completed in 2010 on the occasion of the 1000 year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi. The tower consists of 13 floors, 26.9m high, at the top is a large bronze Wine gourd. Around the tower, there are 88 large and small statues and 8 Diamond deities facing 8 directions. The work was built to serve the beliefs of the local people.
Where to stay in Ba Vi
Because it is quite close to Hanoi, most people only go to Ba Vi National Park to visit and then return during the day. If you want to stay overnight on Ba Vi mountain, you can choose one of the following 2 options:
Resort
In the Ba Vi National Park, there are currently 2 resorts: Ba Vi Resort at 400 meters and Melia Retreat at 600 meters. These are the only 2 resorts where you can book to stay. In these 2 resorts, Melia Ba Vi Mountain Retreat is more beautiful and luxurious, but quite expensive and isolated in a separate area. Ba Vi resort is quite affordable (about 400-2000k depending on the time and day of the week) and is located right at 400m, more convenient for outings.
Camp
In Ba Vi National Park, there are a few areas where you can camp overnight such as the cactus garden area, the Ngoc Hoa cave area, and the 400m base area. All 3 areas you need to pay to be allowed to set up camp. If you go in the summer and the weather is dry, you just need a tent and a sleeping bag. You can completely set up a comfortable overnight camp.
Prices of services in Ba Vi National Park
You can refer to this cost for the trip. In addition to the mandatory entrance fee, the remaining costs for most private garden services that you will need to pay if you use them.
- The admission fee is 60,000 VND for adults, with a student card with a discount of 20,000 VND
- Car tickets are based on an hourly basis, but a maximum of VND 45,000 / 1 visit (including overnight mail)
- Day tickets for motorbikes 5,000 VND
- Overnight motorbike parking tickets 8,000 VND
- Tickets to visit the cactus garden 10,000 VND
- Tickets to visit Ngoc Hoa cave 10,000 VND
- Some costs related to camping at the 400m core area (collected by Ba Vi Resort)
- Tent rental 100,000 – 200,000 VND
- Rent a grill 100,000 VND
- Charcoal 50,000 VND / 2kg
- The camping fee is 10,000 VND / person during the day and 50,000 VND / person overnight
- Food cost
- Have breakfast at Xa Huong restaurant (of Ba Vi resort) 50,000 VND
- Lunch over 1100m is about 350,000 VND / 2 people. If traveling in groups, the price ranges from 1,000,000 VND / 5 people with a full range of dishes.
Please note that you can prepare your own takeaway food from home if you intend to organize your own food and drink. Because when entering the National Park, it is almost impossible to buy anything more. In addition, if you want, you can rent tents, speakers, hand speakers, and grills all at the door of the National Park, where many households operate these services.
What to eat in Ba Vi National Park
Bamboo-tube rice
If you are camping, you should buy some bamboo-tube rice at the gate of the garden. Eating bamboo-tube rice with sesame salt and grilled chicken is wonderful.
Chicken hill
The chickens are raised in the Ba Vi mountain area, so the meat is delicious and fragrant. You can buy raw chicken that is cleaned before entering the garden or order it at Xa Huong restaurant.
Forest pork
Wild boar is considered a specialty and is very popular with people. Because wild boar is toned through constant exercise and is absorbed with nutrients from natural plants’ food sources. So the wild pork is lean but very soft, very little fat, the skin is thick but very crunchy, not as hard as domestic pork. Like chickens, pigs in Ba Vi are also raised based on natural advantages, so they are quite delicious, you should not miss them.
Ba Vi dairy products
Ba Vi with the advantages of nature from freshwater to fresh climate and the hard work of the people has created immense green grass fields. Help to nurture healthy dairy herds and provide a rich source of milk with a delicious taste.
Some cautions when traveling to Ba Vi
The road to Ba Vi is quite high and steep. On cold days, in the evening, there is fog so you should pay attention. Especially the section from 400m to 1100m.
Some important contacts in case you need assistance:
- Forest Protection Station: 0987165113 – 0913301038.
- Center for Environmental Education and Service: 0966173119 – 0963871996.
If you set up camping tents and barbecue, absolutely be careful with the fire, especially in the hot summer and dry weather. Only put the grill on the edge of the forest, do not place the fire in the middle of the pine forest. If you are not careful, it is easy to start a fire.
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