Ba Be Lake

Ba Be Lake is a place with some of the most wonderful sceneries in Vietnam . The lake is in Ba Be National Park, which is about 250km north of Hanoi . It is near Bo Lu and Pac Ngoi villages, the home of Tay ethnic people.

Ba Be itself is actually three smaller lakes joined together - Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng. The climate is cool with an average temperature of 22oC. The best time to visit the area is during the dry season, which is during winter and spring.

Ba Be Lake is on a limestone mountain, at a height of 150m above sea level - Being dubbed a "precious jade of Vietnam" and one of 500 lakes recognized as worthy of attention. Ba Be Lakes area has a lot to offer, including waterfalls, rivers, valleys, lakes, and caves all set amidst picturesque landscapes in a water surface area of 500ha. The area was established as a national preserved forest and tourist center in 1978.

Two outstanding features of Ba Be Lake are its original scenery and geological conditions. It is one of the few lakes in the world on a limestone mountain. Studies show that the region of karts has been in existence for 450 million years. After millions of years, the limestone has been transformed into unique scenery for the lake.  

Around the lakes are primeval forests and mountain peaks with the height of more than 1,000m. Moreover, they are surrounded by many ancient trees, from which several varieties of precious wood are obtained. Up to 30 animal species such as wild pigs, bears, panthers, monkeys, and birds inhabit the area.
The surface of the lake was tranquil - a beauty spot if ever there was one, in this land of so much beauty. Seen from above, the lake shrinks in the middle and looks like a corridor between cliffs. In the center of the lake, there are islets with many species of orchids and birds. The lake has an abundant source of freshwater aquatic animals, with precious kinds of fish such as giant carp.

Once being there, travelers will have an unforgettable stay in the mountains by the lakes, enjoying lovely sightseeing boat trips on the lake or visit nearby tourist places in the national park such as Tien Pond, Po Gia Mai Island, Puong Cave and Dau Dang Waterfall. If visiting Ba Be at the time of Long Tong Festival on the 10th and 11th days of the first lunar month, you can see traditional games, performances of martial arts, and the horn dance of Tay , Dao, Mong, Nung and Kinh tribal groups.

In 1995, at the world freshwater lake conference in the United States , Ba Be Lake was recognized as one of 20 special freshwater lakes in the world that should be protected. In September, 2005, the Vietnamese Government had its officials apply for world natural heritage site recognition for the lake