|
Nui Mot was a small lake nestling in a valley of the An Truong
Mountains until the late 1970s, when a dam was built downstream to create a
1,200-hectare irrigation reservoir that snakes its way back through the high
country.
Still called Nui Mot, the largest and prettiest freshwater lake in the central
region is the most popular tourist attraction in An Nhon, an inland district of
Binh Dinh Province on the central coast.
We were lucky enough to be shown this jewel of the mountains.
From Quy Nhon, the capital of Binh Dinh, we took National Road 19 to An Truong
Village in Nhon Tan Commune, An Nhon, where we turned left at the sign showing
the way to the lake. From the turnoff, it was eight kilometers of sealed road to
the Nui Mot.
The distance from Quy Nhon is only 30 kilometers but the road is narrow so the
trip took us about an hour by motorcycle.
We continued on our bikes to the top of the dam wall 700 meters high. The cool
air was invigorating and made the scorching sun of the summer dissipate before a
breathtaking vista of blue water winding its way through green mountains.
It was just as picturesque around the pier on the lake, with big trees and huge
rocks smoothed and arranged by Mother Nature in an amazing way.
From a construction site where a monument to the revolutionaries of yesteryear
was being built, we walked up several hundred meters to Ong Dai Cave. This large
and beautiful cavern sheltered communist soldiers in the war and was used to
store food.
Back at the pier, we embarked on a tourist boat and began a 45-minute trip to
explore Nui Mot. It felt so peaceful and relaxing as we floated in the middle of
the vast reservoir. The forest and mountains on both sides were as pretty as a
picture.
Our first stop of the lake cruise was Do Falls, which resembled a strip of silk
floating in mid-air when viewed from below.
We made our way up the forest path to the waterfall, accompanied by the sounds
of a bubbling brook, bird calls and leaves rustling in the breeze.
It took us 15 minutes to reach the splashing, silvery water that drops 40 meters
to create Do Falls which is then joined by other creeks before emptying into the
lake.
Taking a small path, I continued to climb to the top of the waterfall. My effort
was rewarded. From my high perch I could see the whole of nature before me.
Around the waterfall were flat rocks and long grass under shady trees, making it
an ideal place to enjoy some specialty dishes of fish raised in the lake and sip
a strong local brew made and stored in ceramic pots.
After lunch, some of us put our feet up in the shade while the others went
swimming in the cool water or took out the fishing rods they had brought along
for a spot of angling. It was idyllic.
|
Source:
By Phuong Mai, Thanh Nien News (The story can be found in
the October 21st issue of our print edition, Thanh Nien Weekly) |
|
