Ban Gioc Waterfall: An Illustrated Guide

Chinese travellers, Ban Gioc FallsBan Gioc Waterfall is one of Vietnam’s most impressive natural sights. Located in the northeastern province of Cao Bang, the falls are 30 metres high and 300 metres across, making Ban Gioc the widest – but not the highest – waterfall in the country. The falls occur on the Quay Son River, a beautiful jade-blue body of water, flowing through a pastoral landscape of rice fields and bamboo groves, surrounded by limestone pinnacles. At Ban Gioc, the Quay Son River forms the border between Vietnam and China; consequently the falls are half in Vietnam and half in China. Both countries have bamboo rafts that punt visitors around the base of the falls for better views of the cascade; you can literally shake hands with Chinese tourists on the other rafts. Ban Gioc Waterfall is 350km from Hanoi. It’s reached via a good national highway to Cao Bang City, and then several recently upgraded provincial roads, leading through fantastic countryside to the falls. It’s now easier than ever to visit Ban Gioc, but still very few people – especially foreign travellers – make it here. A perfect destination if you’re on a motorbike road trip around northern Vietnam, or an independent traveller looking to get off the beaten track, this waterfall is a favourite destination of mine. Below is my illustrated guide to Ban Gioc Waterfall and my map of the area. Travel North Vietnam

Before reaching Ban Gioc Falls, the Quay Son River ambles through a sumptuous valley, studded with limestone karsts. I warm to this gentle landscape, and it’s been one of my favourite corners of the country ever since I first visited the area in 2009.

Quay Son River Valley, Cao Bang Province

The best time to visit the falls is from September to October, when the summer rains that feed the waterfall are less frequent and harvest is in full swing. Farming techniques can’t have changed much here in centuries; save for some mechanized rice threshers, most of the work is done by hand. One piece of ‘technology’ you’ll see along the banks of the river is the bamboo water wheel. This attractive, medieval-looking device scoops up water from the river, carries it up to the level of the fields, and drops it into earth gutters, which channel the water into the fields to irrigate the crops. It’s a hypnotic, peaceful and timeless sight. Vietnam Mekong river cruise

Bamboo water wheel on the Quay Son River

The serenity of this valley is dramatically broken when the Quay Son River reaches a 300 metre-wide limestone ledge, and drops sharply down several terraces, creating Ban Gioc Waterfall. Some brave (or foolhardy) fishermen stand in precarious positions, casting their lines into the cascade.

The cascade, Ban Gioc Waterfall

Because the falls are located right on the Chinese border, foreign travellers used to require a special permit to visit the area. But today (2014) you can just turn up and buy a ticket (20,000vnđ [$1]) at the kiosk without any documents at all, before walking down a gravel path to the waterfall. The path threads through rice fields, over wooden bridges above gurgling creeks, and onto an exposed grassy bank at the bottom of the falls. The wide, white cascade is fringed with foliage and framed by sharp tooth-like limestone mountains, which are partly obscured by drifting clouds of vapour from all the spray generated by the waterfall. Halong Paradise Cruise

Ban Gioc Waterfall: An Illustrated Guide

Ban Gioc Falls from the ticket kiosk

On the Chinese side of the river there’s a hotel on the hill, but the Vietnamese side has yet to see any significant development. A resort, run by Saigon Tourist, is under construction by the ticket entrance, but won’t be completed for some time. For now, the only tourist infrastructure here are a few unattractive wooden shacks covered by blue tarpaulins, selling snacks and trinkets. Almost all visitors to Ban Gioc stay in one of the dozens of good-value hotels in Cao Bang City, 90km west of the falls. However, there are two local guest houses (nhà nghỉ in Vietnamese) on either side of the road, about two kilometres before reaching the falls. Dinh Van II Hotel (Tel: 0263 602 789) and Nha Nghi Tung Duong (Tel: 0915 660 688) both offer basic but clean and inexpensive accommodation for a night at around 200-300.000vnđ ($10-15). There are also a couple of nhà nghỉ in Trung Khanh, the nearest town to Ban Gioc Falls, 25km to the west. This is a good option for intrepid travellers as Trung Khanh is a dusty, rustic border town with a wild west edge. There are several crumbling pastel-coloured shophouses and an interesting daily market with various imported goods from China. You’re guaranteed to be the only foreign traveller in town. Quang Uyen, a town halfway between Cao Bang and Ban Gioc Falls, also has a good guest house, called Duy Huong Hotel on Hoa Trung Street (Tel: 0266 266 888) for around 250,000vnđ ($12) a night. (For more about nhà nghỉ click HERE).

Shophouse in Trung Khanh town

There are lots of beautiful spots around the base of the falls on which to sit and take in the spectacle. Find a place on a pebbly beach or grassy bank, perch on a boulder in a stream or lay in the curving trunk of a tropical tree, and gaze in awe at one of Vietnam’s most romantic sights.

Taking in it

Bamboo rafts (50,000vnđ [$2.50] per person) punt visitors closer to the cascade for better views. The ‘ride’ lasts about 10 minutes and you’ll definitely get wet. In some areas signs in Vietnamese read ‘No Swimming!’ But it’s difficult to resist taking a plunge in one of the blue pools of water, especially around the smaller falls to the left of the central waterfall. There’s no one there to stop you bathing, and I’ve never encountered any resistance. But, of course, you should be very careful; stick to the placid rock pools and stay well away from the main cascade.

Punting on bamboo rafts

There’s a treacherous path leading up through jungle to the first and second tiers of the falls. Not for the faint-hearted – or for those without proper footwear – this track climbs steeply among vines and roots to several gorgeous pools of blue running water. Tread carefully because the rocks are slippery and soon you’ll reach the edge of a ledge, from where the water drops straight down into a giant limestone bowl below.

View from the 'treacherous path'

It’s possible to wander further and higher up the side of the falls for even more spectacular views of the deluge from above. It’s an ‘awesome’ sight – in the true sense of the word – but be extremely careful, and don’t even think about attempting it if it’s been raining. There are no handrails so if you slip there’s nothing to hold onto except exposed roots. You can find the start of the path behind the milestone marking the Vietnamese border, which is located over a rickety wooden bridge.

View from the top of the path

Considering the waterfall’s proximity to China – and the frosty ancient and recent history between the two countries – the atmosphere at Ban Gioc is very relaxed. Official presence on either side of the falls is minimal and, as seen in the photo below, Vietnamese floating vendors often approach Chinese rafts to sell their wares to Chinese tourists.

A Vietnamese floating vendor approaches a raft of Chinese tourists

It’s easy to forget that this province was one of several points along the Vietnamese border where, in February 1979, Chinese forces entered Vietnam under the orders of Deng Xiaoping. There were many reasons for the invasion, but ultimately it was an extension of tensions between the Soviet Union and China (Vietnam having signed a treaty with the USSR in 1978). Thousands of Vietnamese and Chinese were killed and, when the Chinese army departed (or retreated, depending on whose version of events you believe), they laid waste to the land they had briefly occupied. Along the road that follows the border just beyond the falls, there are memorial shrines dedicated to local Vietnamese who died during the 1979 war. Border disputes continued into the 1980s, and included the historic Nam Quan Gate, an ancient gateway between the two countries, which ultimately ended up on the Chinese side. The photo below shows a border marker on the Vietnamese side of the Quay Son River; just 20 metres away, across the river, is China. At some points along this road, the distance between the two countries is as little as 5 metres.

Traditional sport activities in sapa

Recently, visitors travel to Sa Pa more and more. It is true to said that, Sa Pa‘s natural beauty has attracted them. They want to have adventures on Hoang Lien Son, they want to reach the Fanxipan peach , and they want to discover the life of ethnic minority here.Traditional sport activities in sapa
Attending in many local and traditional festival is really nice experiences. At this time, the local administration have a new kind of tour , that is very exciting, that is a combination between  SaPa tour service and the local sport activities. Coming here, visitors will be attracted by many local festivals, and they can take part in many traditional games and sport of ethnic minorities here such as tug of war, shutting with cross-bow wrestling, so on. Vietnam travel private
Traditional sport activities in sapa
These games and sport have the own characteristics of the local people here, maybe this is one of new reason that makes the visitors come here more and more.
The fact that local administration here has had many attempts to make Sapa has a considerable position in the eyes of the global visitors. Do you know the Fanxipan climbing competition or horse race competition in SaPa? If you ask anyone who had taken part in, he will say that it is so exciting and fun. Alova Gold Cruise Halong bay

Traditional sport activities in sapa

With two kinds of these sport activities, Lao cai is more famous in the eyes of the foreign visitors, and this province  also gained many experiences to operate other sport activities in the following time. Coming here, in the next time, you will have a lot of chances  to take part in these traditional  sport activities as well as understand more about the mental life of people here. Mekong Amalotus cruise
In order to take this advantages, Lao Cai local administration also tends to celebrate the sport activities on a larger scale, and invest more in building infrastructures for it. It means that if you coming here, you can enjoy the wonderful sceneries, enjoy a lot of delicious traditional foods, and live with the real life of the ethnic minorities here ( including their works and there entertainments).

Mui Ne Sand & Water

A friend of mine once commented, “So you live on a houseboat?” “Yeah, kinda… It’s an ocean of sand under us. It’s a sand dune beach.”

When you live in Mui Ne, you become more and more aware of living in a sea of change. Development, politics, tourism… but especially the environment. Everyone talks about the “microclimate” here, but we all keep trying to figure out what that really means. In Muine, we live on sand. Wet sand, dry sand, clean sand… dusty sand. We buy and sell it. We shovel it. We suck it up and spit it out with machines. We love it so much and when it goes, we miss it. Like an old and endearing friend, it always comes back. South Vietnam tours

Fifty kilometers inland sand seems to tip out of the mountains and in a sluice between the rocky points of the Cham towers to the southwest, and the peninsula that holds the town of Muine to the east and north, this sand pours into the south China Sea (called The East Sea in Vietnam). Wind picks up sand, grains at a time, and takes them up towards the mountains again. From the mountains to the sea, it’s a big sluice. We live on a fifty kilometer deep beach. Dragon Pearl Junk Halong

The sand gets hot and creates a “heat draught” that pulls air off the ocean and makes Muine one of the best and most predictable wind sport spots in the world. Even as sand inland gets hot, the wind from the sea keeps the temperature near perfect along the coast. If the temperature drops for some reason, the warm air over the sand dunes seems to fall back towards the sea keeping it perfect. The heat creates a bubble and a lot of the stormy weather that comes to the south of Vietnam just seems to wrap around us. We often sit in the sun during the rainy season watching dramatic storms over the ocean. Often when we drive to Phan Thiet, a line of water on the highway shows where the rain begins and motorcycles are pulled over to put on their raincoats. Overall, we have the dryest and best weather in Vietnam. BASSAC CRUISE

Mui Ne Sand & Water

The sand under us swirls and stretches and flows. There are days each year when a person sitting on a deck chair at Joe’s Café will be looking eye to eye with someone walking on the beach while at another time the beach will have disappeared completely and the ocean laps or crashes our patios and walls. The beach sometimes will go for a couple hundred meters out at low tide, at others it is gone completely. When you enter the sea, you might be able to walk through the shallow seas for a couple hundred meters or you might find yourself over your head in just a few meters. Where’s the beach? You’re on top of it. Nature thinks it just put it here and will pick it up later. We’re squaters to nature. We’re not going anywhere! Let the great contest and cooperation continue!

White sand dominates and what we call the “White Sand Dunes” is a special place and ecosystem. People stop at the “Red Sand Dunes” as well and the hike up the “Fairy Stream” is a must as a mixture of sands is cut by flowing water Grand Canyon style. Red sand we associate with iron ore. Black sand is heavier than white sand and is associated with titanium and titanium mining. Black sand stays out of sight until you walk on the white beaches, your feet sink in and a bit sticks to your feet.

One of the other great benefits to our microclimate is the currents that for most of the year keep all trash away and our beach pristine and water clear. There is no rip current here to take you out making our beach safer than many, but you might get a couple resorts further than you thought in a hurry as it takes you down the beach.

Phan Thiet beach and sanddune

It’s so confusing because even as the beach, the actual sand, will go up or down a couple meters in an hour, it’s hard to remember what it was like. People brag or lament. We hear about global warming, changes in rainfall, cutting down the mangroves in the Mekong, development… greening of the sanddunes with farms and golfcourses… we hear about the factories and watch long peirs, jetties or holding walls go out into the sea to control sand. We debate the designs of our seawalls and watch some fail. We think of the sand going up and down the coast and sometimes in and out of the sea, but of course it’s moving vertically as well as we build and change the ground water table.

I often think of a glass of water stirred and dropping a little blue ink in to watch it swirl up and down and around. I think the sand is doing that below us and around us. But of course that isn’t perfect either… sand when dry is solid or dusty, sand wet is even harder until it gets wet enough, and then it liquifies.

One thing is for sure, we love our microclimate. We love the heavily touristed winter months when wind and weather are perfect and people choose us instead of chilly Natrang and Danang. We love the rainy seasons when it rains- but rarely and we love how the air still has that after rain freshness. We love our beach and pine for it when it is gone. We live in constant change.

khang duoc va sam alipas thành phần “vàng” của thiên nhiên

Công thức kết hợp 3 thành phần trên lần đầu tiên xuất hiện ở khang duoc va sam alipas phát huy tối đa hiệu quả về sinh lý với Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo kết hợp Sâm Ngọc Linh  tác dụng mạnh vào sinh lực và giúp Bá Bệnh 

Công thức kết hợp Bá Bệnh,  Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo, Sâm Ngọc Linh 

Công thức “vàng” giúp khang dược tăng cường sinh lực và sinh lý phái mạnh.

Ba thành phần từ thiên nhiên này Không chỉ có tác dụng tăng chức năng sinh lý nam giới còn nổi tiếng tăng cường sinh lực toàn diện cho phái mạnh về khả năng bổ sung năng lượng.

Lần đầu tiên xuất hiện TPCN Khang Dược Sâm vượt trội trong dòng sản phẩm sinh lý nam, tăng sinh lực. với công thức kết hợp 3 thành phần trên ở TPCN khang duoc sâm. Tác dụng hiệp đồng của 3 thành phần này là công thức vàng, giúp 

suy giảm khiến quý ông sụt giảm phong độ cả về khả năng tình dục, ngoại hình, sinh lực. sâm ngọc linh kết hợp đông trùng hạ thảo tác dụng mạnh vào sinh lực và giúp Bá Bệnh phát huy tối đa hiệu quả về sinh lý nội tiết tố nam testosterone theo thời gian thần dược Trên thế giới và tại Việt Nam nhiều nghiên cứu khoa học đã khẳng định ba vị thuốc từ thiên nhiên dưới đây được coi là “thần dược” giúp trả lại phong độ cho quý ông luôn sung mãn. 

Bá Bệnh

Bá Bệnh giúp nam giới tăng cường chức năng sinh lý và sức khoẻ tình dục, bổ sung năng lượng cho cơ thể, giúp giảm stress, mệt mỏi, tăng cường miễn dịch, ngăn ngừa khối u và phòng chống lão hoá. cây Bách bệnh được biết đến như nhân sâm Malaysia với tên gọi nổi tiếng là Tongkatali, được sử dụng rộng rãi tại nhiều nước Đông Nam Á như Indonesia, Brunei, Thái Lan, Campuchia

Tuy nhiên kích thích cơ thể tăng tiết hormon giới tính nam (testosterone) một cách tự nhiên, chính là chìa khóa duy trì sự hưng phấn và phong độ tình dục ở nam giới, tác dụng độc đáo và nổi trội nhất của cây Bá Bệnh đã được chứng nhận và công bố rộng rãi với nhiều đề tài nghiên cứu khoa học trên thế giới là khả năng tăng cường sức khoẻ tình dục cho nam giới,. 

Sâm Ngọc Linh

trong khi sâm Triều Tiên chỉ có 25 hợp chất saponin và là loại sâm quý hiếm nhất thế giới được tìm thấy lần đầu tiên tại dãy núi Ngọc Linh ở Việt Nam ở độ cao 1800m so với mực nước biển vào năm 1973. Nhiều viện hàn lâm khoa học trên thế giới đã chứng minh rằng Sâm Ngọc Linh có tác dụng chữa bệnh rất đa dạng đứng trên cả Sâm Triều Tiên, Sâm Trung Quốc. Sâm Ngọc Linh chứa tới 52 hợp chất saponin

Tại Việt Nam, nghiên cứu về dược lý lâm sàng của Sâm Ngọc Linh đã được thực hiện tại nhiều Viện khác nhau: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh (do Giáo sư Đỗ Đình Luận làm chủ đề tài), Viện điều dưỡng TP Hồ Chí Minh. Viện nghiên cứu sức khỏe người cao tuổi (do Giáo sư Phạm Khuê làm chủ đề tài), Viện Quân y 175 Các nghiên cứu đã chứng minh loại sâm này có tác dụng giúp sức bền ở nam giới, giảm căng thẳng mệt mỏi, tăng cường miễn dịch, phòng chống ung thư, tăng tuần hoàn máu, phòng ngừa xơ vữa mạch, chống lão hóa tăng cường sinh lực, 

Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo

Các nghiên cứu của y học hiện đại đã chứng minh tác dụng Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo đóng vai trò quan trọng trong hệ thống miễn dịch, tăng khả năng tổng hợp protein, kích thích các tế bào để tăng cường hệ miễn dịch, giúp chống lại bệnh tật. Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo là loại thuốc bổ quý giá giúp bồi bổ và tăng cường sức khỏe, tăng cường sinh lý, giảm lão hoa kéo dài tuổi thọ và Phân tích hóa học cho thấy Đông Trùng Hạ Thảo có chữa 17 loại acid amin, là thành phần đạm thực vật quý hiếm, nhiều loại vitamin: A, B1, B2, B12, C, D, E, K... nguyên tố vi lượng: Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, đặc biệt là Selen.

Vietnam safe country travel statistics must knows

Yes. In General, Vietnam is a friendly and safe country to travel both alone and with your family and friends. By using common sense and awareness you will minimize your chances of encountering any troubles in your travels.

Crime Rate
Like many countries in South East Asia, Vietnam has a high crime rate. But, the majority of crime in Vietnam relates to petty theft such a bag and jewellery snatching, pick pocketing, theft of items such as cell phones, wallets and unattended motorbikes. Caution needs to be taken when visiting heavily populated tourist areas such as Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Hoi An or any crowded areas where thieves can easily snatch your belongings and run. Many unsuspecting tourists have lost their belongings to the swift actions of a thief and an accomplice on the back of a motorbike. These thefts usually take place whilst the victim is located roadside. PANDAW CRUISE

Comparative Crime Rates By Country:

The table above compares the rate of homicide in 6 different countries around the world. As documented, Vietnam has a relatively low homicide rate of just 1.6 per 100,000 of the population. This is comparable to developed countries such as Australia (1.0)  and France (1.1). According UNODC source the United States Of America Homicide Data recorded (4.7) Homicides per 100,000 in 2012. Alova Gold Cruise

Violent Crime

Vietnam safe country travel statistics must knows

Violent crime against tourists in Vietnam is quite rare and should only be considered as a moderate risk factor whilst traveling through most regions of Vietnam. But like anywhere in the world, we suggest that you should travel with caution. To minimise your probability of encountering troubles, we highly recommend you keep valuables such as jewellery, watches, cell phones, wallets, purse or money out of sight. Splendours of Vietnam and Cambodia (17 days,16 nights)

What To Do If You Are A Victim Of Crime In Vietnam?

Vietnam is now a very popular tourist destination with millions of new visitors every year. Overall you will find traveling in Vietnam safe and non threatening. If you do happen to be a victim of crime or theft, the best thing to do is contact your hotel/hostel manager who can put you in contact with the local Police or hospital if needed. We suggest you remain cautious and vigilant, but don’t let this stop you from enjoying the adventure and beauty Vietnam has to offer.