If you have had the opportunity to visit Cao Bang and explore famous tourist attractions such as Khuoi Ky village, Ban Gioc waterfall, Mat Than mountain… then Thang Hen lake is a place that you cannot ignore. It is not natural that this place is quickly becoming an eco-tourism destination that attracts so many people, let’s 2Beauty decipher this picturesque lake.

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Ho Thang Hen – Photo: ktrippa

Where is Thang Hen Lake?

Thang Hen Lake is located in Quoc Toan Commune, Tra Linh District, Cao Bang Province. With an altitude of about 1500 to 1700m above sea level, Thang Hen Lake has become one of the most beautiful natural freshwater lakes in Vietnam.

Photo: @filmk15.

Thang Hen lake complex consists of 36 natural lakes located from a few tens of meters to several hundred meters apart. These freshwater lakes are separated separately, but still connected through a system of underground caves. These lakes are often named after local names such as Na Ma, Thang Vat, Thang Loong … in which Thang Hen is the largest lake with a length of about 2000m and a width of up to 500m.

The origin of the name Thang Hen

In Tay language, Thang Hen means “bee tail”. Looking down from above, this freshwater lake is shaped like a bee’s tail, so the locals took it from Thang Hen to name the lake.

Thang Hen Lake is shaped like a bee’s tail. – Photo: benz.mind

The Legend of Thang Hen Lake

According to the people here, in the past, Cao Bang had a young man named Sung, he passed the exam to be a mandarin and was given 7 days by the king to return to his honor. When he returned, he married Booc and forgot the date of returning to the capital. On the 7th night, when he remembered, he immediately bid farewell to his wife and family to return to the capital. But in the dark night, he ran 36 steps, then fell and died. The 36 steps Mr. Sung walked through became 36 large and small lakes today, and where he lay down is the current Thang Hen lake.

Photo: @thiennguyen1012.

The illusory beauty of Thang Hen Lake

It will not be an exaggeration to say that Thang Hen Lake has a beauty like in the pictures of green landscapes. The emerald-green lake water is embellished with pristine forests and majestic mountains. Especially when the sun gradually screams out through the surrounding high mountains, you will see white clouds floating across the mountainside and shining down on the water surface, Thang Hen lake appears like a giant mirror with colorful colors. Magical jade green, dreamy.

Photo: anhvuthikim

Photo: @_lk.9x.

Currently, Thang Hen Lake eco-tourism area is being invested and developed with a system of houses on stilts with many convenient services such as restaurants, accommodation, playgrounds… When you come here, you can also rent a small boat and was taken by the boat crew to visit the lake. Besides, this place also has many attractive local dishes that you must definitely enjoy such as fried fish with chili peppers, braised mountain shrimp with tamarind, roasted pork, wild chicken…