Picturesque scenery in Phong Hoa Commune, Tuyen Hoa District, Quang Binh Province.

A land of poetic rivers and mountain

The Nay River flows straight southwest from the beginning of Phuc Lam village, then at the end of Dam Thuy village it turns southwest, winding twice before joining the Gianh River. Phuc Lam is a vast flat field, with Phuc Son Mountain, also named Tien Gioi (The land of fairies) by locals, towering from the riverbank to the village centre.

The legend of Phuc Son Mountain tells of a young man who encountered a group of celestial maidens playing in the crystal-clear water. Enchanted by their magnificent beauty, he stole the brightest pair of wings and hid them in the bushes.

At dusk, the maidens had to fly back to the sky. However, one of them couldn’t find her wings, so she started crying by the cliff's edge. Fate brought her and the young man together as husband and wife. After their deaths, they were transformed into Phuc Son Mountain.

Phuc Son rises high into the sky, its rocks forming natural walls with countless shapes, enclosing a vast space that gradually reveals layers as one moves along. Looking up from the river, the rocky peak slowly disappears, then a human-shaped rock juts out from the cliff.

Another stunning natural wonder in Tuyen Hoa District is Tien Cave in Cao Quang Commune. The cave is associated with the legend of fairies who were so enthusiastic in admiring the earth’s beauty that they forgot their way back to the heavens.

On the way to Tien cave, visitors will pass through a “bottomless” lake. The lake's jade-green water sparkles and shifts under the sunlight. Although it is small, the lake's depth is difficult to measure because it connects to an underground cave within the mountain. The water is crystal clear and cool, never changing color or drying up.

Continuing the journey, visitors will reach a primeval forest with rich vegetation, where ancient trees stretch and curve in rhythm with the forest, linking two branches: Tien Cave 1 and Tien Cave 2. Tien Cave 2's entrance is a narrow crevice, approximately 3 meters high and 1.5 meters wide.

Experts note that this cave has an extremely impressive structure, with ceilings ranging from 30 to 100 metres high; some parts slip like a pitched roof, others tier like terraced fields. Countless stone veins display diverse colors and strange shapes.

Heading towards Thuan Hoa Commune, visitors are overwhelmed by the spectacle of towering rock mountains stretching towards the river like gigantic roofs covering the poetic landscape.

Visitors can explore the tranquil Rao Tro branch by boat or ferry, traveling upstream from the Gianh River. On both riverbanks, layers of mountains stretch endlessly, breathtakingly beautiful.

Sailing upstream, the journey stops at Ngu Hoa hot spring, where visitors experience a completely different sensation. For a long time, locals in Ngu Hoa have utilised this hot spring to improve daily life and health care.

Tourists explore Tien Cave 

Awakening of potential of the fairy land

Although Tuyen Hoa District possesses abundant potential for tourism development, its available advantages have yet to be effectively exploited.

The majestic natural landscapes, rich legends, and the beauty of the land and people have not truly been awakened to develop tourism.

According to several travel agencies, Tuyen Hoa needs comprehensive and creative solutions that combine natural conservation with tourism potential exploitation.

First, tourism infrastructure should be improved by upgrading transportation systems, especially roads leading to key attractions such as Phuc Son Mountain and Tien Cave, alongside investment in accommodation and service facilities.

Le Nam Giang, Chairman of Tuyen Hoa District People's Committee, stresed that the locality still has many unknown scenic spots. Scientists from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand have surveyed the area and uncovered several pristine caves

Among them, five caves in Lam Hoa Commune, Tuyen Hoa district, stretch about 3.3 km. Notably, there is also a cave with a relatively long underground stream that has yet to be fully explored. Thus, Tuyen Hoa has great potential to develop vibrant cave tourism.

Located in a primeval forest, the Ngu Hoa hot spring, with temperatures reaching 80-90°C, has undergone mineral content analysis, revealing promising benefits for relaxation and healing. However, proper investment has not yet poured into the mineral spring to develop tourist products and services there.

Tuyen Hoa district also boasts distinctive traditional culture expressed through the boat racing festival on the Gianh River, Phong Chau and Kieu folk singing.

It is necessary to create distinctive tourism products such as ecotourism, exploration, cultural and spiritual tourism combining nature discovery with local cultural experiences. Communication and promotion of Tuyen Hoa’s image need improvement, along with the addition of special cultural events and festivals.

Lu Mai  - Translated by NDO