Ba Be National Park

Ba Bể National Park was founded by a decision of the Prime Minister on November 10, 1992. It covers 10,048 hectares. It is a special-use forest, set aside to protect nature, biodiversity and scenery, and also to receive visitors and support ecotourism.

At the heart of the park lies Ba Bể Lake. It covers about 650 hectares and runs more than 8 kilometers long. On average it is 20 to 25 meters deep. The lake has three connected arms, and their names come from the Tày language. The Tày are one of the peoples of northern Vietnam. Two of the arms are Pé Lầm and Pé Lù. The third is Pé Lèng.

The lake formed in limestone country, where the ground sank as underground water hollowed out the mountain from within. The result is a karst landscape of lake and mountains, and it is very rare in the world.

Ba Bể is valued for more than its beauty. International conservation titles show it too. On December 18, 2003, Ba Bể was recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park. On February 2, 2011, it became Ramsar site number 1,938 in the world, with 10,048 hectares designated. Ramsar is an international convention for protecting wetlands.

The Ramsar listing records Ba Bể as one of the most important wetlands in Vietnam's system of protected areas. The reason is a natural lake in a mountain karst ecosystem. It shelters species threatened worldwide, among them the white-cheeked black voọc, the big-headed turtle and the Vietnamese salamander.

In 2012, the scenic landscape of Ba Bể Lake was ranked a Special National Monument.

A boat trip across the lake can reach many places. Ao Tiên is a small pond within the lake area. The people of the area regard it as sacred, and it is so quiet that the water seems never to ripple.

Puông Cave is a through cave in the Lũng Nham range. The Năng River flows right through the limestone mountain here. The cave is almost 300 meters long, with a ceiling more than 20 meters high, and many species of bats live in it. Inside, stalactites and stone columns stand in layers in the dark.

Đầu Đẳng Waterfall lies on the Năng River. Boulders large and small block the current there and make a waterfall about 2 kilometers long, broken into many stretches between mountain and forest.

Hua Mạ Cave lies south of the lake, beside the Lèng River. It is more than 700 meters long. Inside the mountain, many stone curtains and columns 10 to 15 meters high stand in rows.

The stop with the most cultural meaning is Pác Ngòi, a Tày village on the shore. It still keeps its traditional stilt houses, its farming along river and lake, and its fishing. Visitors can also hear Then singing and the đàn Tính, and taste local food. Then is a ritual practice in the spiritual life of the Tày. In the evening, the sound of the đàn Tính drifts from a stilt house out over the lake, and it is hard to forget.

At Ba Bể, nature, culture and the history of conservation come together as one whole. The lake, the forest, the caves, the rivers, the villages and the life of the Tày along the shore are all parts of one story. These are the reasons international conservation bodies chose Ba Bể as a place to keep safe.

Early in the morning, mist still lies over Pé Lù Lake. A dugout canoe glides past the cliffs, and their reflections fall into the green water.