Experience the magic of T'Nung lake, a true Vietnamese treasure

Package Vietnam Tours - On the journey from Pleiku to Kon Tum, most tourist groups stop at T'Nung Lake. This is a splendid landscape and is even more charming when you arrive early in the morning, when the sun has not yet risen high. In the typical cold of the plateau, the silvery lake surface, the morning sunlight reflecting down makes you feel like you are lost in a peaceful, quiet place.

T'Nung Lake (T'Nung, in the local language means "sea on the mountain"), also known as Ia Nueng Lake, is located in the North of Gia Lai province, about 7 km from the center of Pleiku city, in Bien Ho commune, Pleiku city. People often call it Bien Ho because of its large area - up to 230 hectares, surrounded by pine forests and mountains. In the rainy season, the water surface can spread to more than 400 hectares, making exploring the lake extremely interesting.

The depth of the lake is equally fascinating - in some places up to 30 meters. Legend has it that there is an underground stream flowing into the East Sea. It may take many days to travel across the lake. On November 16, 1988, Bien Ho was ranked as a National Landscape by the Ministry of Culture and Information. However, until now, this place still retains its pristine beauty, not yet exploited for tourism - which makes the lake even more attractive to those who love wild beauty.

The name of the lake originates from the ancient village of T'Nung. Legend has it that, in ancient times, there was a village named T'Nung, where the boys and girls were all beautiful, living in harmony and happiness. One day, the earth and sky changed, a fierce storm arose, and then a fire broke out from the ground, burning down the entire village. When the fire died down, there was only a deep hole left. The survivors of the village stood around the hole and cried, and their tears gradually filled up, turning into today's T'Nung Lake.

The road leading to T'Nung Lake is dotted with two rows of three-leaf pine trees that provide shade all year round. The road is sloping, winding, fragrant with pine resin, cool even when the sun is up. On the cape jutting out into the lake, there is a solid house for visitors. Before stepping into the house, you can stop below, among the lush green grass and trees to take a few photos or quietly watch the lake shimmering in the sunlight. Forest after forest, the clear water reflecting the clouds and sky, giving people an indescribable feeling.

From that tall house, looking far away, you can see the whole lake from many different angles - spacious, open and filled with light.

However, a quick glance only gives you a sense of the surface beauty. The adventurous journeys of discovery will give you a truly different experience. You can get on a dugout canoe (a type of boat made from ancient tree trunks) to follow the lake surface, weaving through the majestic mountains and forests. Along the way, you will see many species of wild birds living naturally: Sin Sitt, Cuckoo, Le Le, wild geese... They fly around the boat without any fear of humans.

In the corners of the lake, lotus and water lilies bloom, adding pink and purple to the space.

Just bring a fishing rod, you can leisurely drop bait into the water. The lake has many types of fish: carp, silver carp, grass carp... and sometimes you will see turtles, soft-shell turtles that live for hundreds of years occasionally rising to the surface of the water, curiously watching people.

Going deeper into the lake, you will encounter villages of the Ba Na, Gia Rai… They live on the resources of T'Nung Lake and are always hospitable. If you want, you can stay overnight, light a campfire, grill freshly caught fish and sip rice wine - to fully experience the soul of the Central Highlands mountains and forests.

Otherwise, just follow the steps leading to the solid house for tourists, you can still take in the vast beauty of T'Nung Lake in the full sunlight. From here, each small boat glides gently on the water surface, flocks of birds fly by, all creating a scene that is both majestic and poetic - making it difficult for anyone who has come here to forget.

Source: https://packagevietnamtours.com/blog/unveiling-the-splendor-of-tnung-lake-in-gia-lai.asp

Cam Thanh listed among world's most beautiful villages

Vietnam day trips - Cam Thanh village in Hoi An Dong ward, Da Nang city has just been honored by Forbes magazine (USA) as one of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world in 2025. This is the only village in Vietnam to make it onto this prestigious list, marking an important step forward in the journey of developing local eco-tourism, community and sustainability.

Nestled along a peaceful river, Cam Thanh impresses visitors with the idyllic beauty of the Bay Mau coconut forest ecosystem spanning nearly 100 hectares. This is one of the prominent destinations with tourist experiences imbued with the identity of the river countryside such as rowing a basket boat through the coconut forest, learning to make handicrafts from coconut leaves and bamboo, experiencing traditional fishing, participating in cultural performances and local cuisine.

Cam Thanh village is located in a special position, where the three rivers Thu Bon, Truong Giang and Lo Canh Giang converge before flowing into the East Sea. This is the buffer zone of the Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An World Biosphere Reserve, possessing a unique brackish water ecosystem, rich in resources and acting as the "green lung" of the entire region.

Almost everyone in the village makes a living from the coconut forest. Those who work in tourism, those who exploit seafood, those who process coconut products… The coconut forest is not only a landscape but also an economic foundation for the whole community.

While participating in the bamboo handicraft making experience with his friends in Cam Thanh village, Nadav Dadush from Israel said that he had spent about a month traveling in Vietnam and had visited famous tourist destinations in Vietnam such as Hanoi, Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Sapa. Hoi An was an option on the trip to the South.

Nadav Dadush searched for information about Hoi An and Cam Thanh village and visited and experienced the activities there. Wandering through the coconut forest and making handicrafts from bamboo was an unforgettable experience during his trip to Vietnam. Nadav Dadush really liked Hoi An because of its natural beauty and people.

Along with being honored on the world tourism map, the green tourism development model and the community in Cam Thanh have recorded many positive results, the green tourism model in Cam Thanh is currently being implemented on the basis of linking "three houses" (businessmen - farmers - scientists). When coming here, tourists not only visit but also directly participate in environmental protection activities such as recycling garbage, planting trees, using organic products...

Currently, tourism activities in Cam Thanh such as experiencing basket boats, learning to cook, staying at homestays... attract more than 1 million domestic and foreign visitors each year. This model creates stable jobs for about 1,500 local workers, with an average income of 7 million VND/month.

Not only outstanding for its natural landscape and ecological values, Cam Thanh coconut forest is also a red address in the history of revolution. During the American war, this place was a safe base for revolutionary forces. In 2007, Bay Mau coconut forest was recognized as a provincial historical and cultural relic.

In 2009, UNESCO recognized Cu Lao Cham - Hoi An as a World Biosphere Reserve, which includes the Cam Thanh mangrove ecosystem in the lower Thu Bon River.

In 2023, the Bay Mau Coconut Forest relic site was honored by UNESCO as a "Typical Asia-Pacific tourist destination" at the Vietnam - India Cultural and Economic Exchange Forum.

In 2024, the basket boat experience at Cam Thanh coconut forest continues to be named in the Top 25 most attractive boat tourism activities in the world.

The fact that Cam Thanh village was honored by Forbes as one of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world is not only the pride of the local people but also affirms the increasingly high position of Da Nang tourism in the international arena. This is an opportunity to continue promoting local values, building the brand of "green - heritage - sustainable destination", contributing to promoting the image of Vietnam closer to international visitors.

Source: https://vietnamexcursions.com/vietnam-travel-news/discover-cam-thanh-the-vietnamese-village-that-captivates-the-world/