Dong Cao has no high mountain peaks to conquer. Instead, visitors just leisurely go through cliffs, sit and rest among the hillsides to enjoy the sunrise and light a campfire and listen to the sound of pine needles in the wind.
Camping on Dong Cao plateau is an interesting experience. (Photo: NDO)
Also following the spiritual path of Tay Yen Tu, but in a different turn, Dong Cao brings travellers to a new experience, when coming to the Son Dong highland district of Bac Giang Province. A small plateau with its back resting on limestone mountains, facing the valleys in the shape of a basin, has become a camping spot for locals or travellers from nearby localities, during weekends over several years.
Completely separate from the city, a few houses of the Dao ethnic group at the foot of the mountain, set among the grass and rocks of the Dong Cao plateau, are the "owners" who welcome strangers. In the early morning, just opening the door of the tent, to let the morning dew rush in, campers can see the sun like a ball floating right in front of their eyes, signalling dawn. In the afternoon, visitors can climb to the top of the hill to watch the sunset. The rocks scattered throughout the plateau have become beautiful places for visitors to leisurely lean back and enjoy the moments when the sun disappears behind the green forest canopy.
With many mountain slopes clinging to each other, visitors can choose flat lands to set up their camping tents and fly kites. From inside the tents, the small doorway is where visitors can catch the chilly winds while sipping cups of coffee in the early morning and leisurely looking to the east to catch the sunrise.
In addition to its peace and fresh atmosphere, Dong Cao is also a space that connects people with nature and travellers alike, through the nights of campfires and singing. A vast mountainous area with only flickering fire and the fragrant rustic dishes, with the smell of charcoal under the starry night sky, make the stories more attractive.
Spring and autumn are two suitable seasons for camping in Dong Cao. Especially, in the spring, the roads through the villages of the Dao, Cao Lan and Kinh ethnic people, are full of flowers. The most prominent are the lychee hillsides in full bloom or the pomelo and orange gardens, bringing special experiences for the campers’ journey back to nature.
Nguyen Le - Translated by NDO