Pine ridges

A pine forest in Ngọc Khê Commune, Trùng Khánh District in the mountainous northern province of Cao Bằng. — Photo nongnghiep.vn CAO BẰNG — Forestation has been seen as an effective way for people in the northern province of Cao Bằng to increase income as well as helping to protect local forests. Hoàng Thị Nga, a grower in Bản Mới Hamlet, Khâm Thanh Commune in the province’s Trùng Khánh District said that her family grew pine trees on an area of nearly 3ha. “I have just sold pine timber grown on about 2 hectares for more than VNĐ 80million” Nga said, adding that forestation now helps her generate quite stable income. She said that her family started planting trees in 1998 when the Government allocated nearly 2ha of forest land for them to take care of. Nông Văn Quỳnh, another farmer in a border commune of Ngọc Khê said 20 years ago, his family started growing more than 5,000sq.m of pine trees. His family has also harvested pine timber. Quỳnh said he planned to grow about one hectare of acacia as the tree’s growth time was shorter and would generate wood quicker. Hoàng Thị Hằng, vice chairwoman of Ngọc Khê Commune People’s Committee said the commune had about 1,000ha of forest land including nearly 700ha of natural forest. For the last few years, local authorities called on households to take part in forestation projects. “When the forest is grown along border area under the care of the local households, the forest is better cared for and border security is better ensured,” she said. About 400ha of forest were grown during the years, notably in hamlets of Ta Nay, Pác Peo, Pác Thay, Đoỏng Dọa and An Hỷ, Hằng said. There are more than 35,000ha of forest land in Trùng Khánh District, of which, natural forest areas cover over 33,000ha, accounting for 50.9 per cent of total the district's area. According to the district’s Forest Protection Division, sloped mountains and a dense network of creeks make it difficult to plant, …

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While Lam Dong Province is best known for Da Lat City, 110km to the south of Da Lat is the town of Bao Loc, a town far quieter but with its own charm and sights to discover. Those who know Bao Loc City often think of the majestic Dambri Waterfall, immense tea plantations and winding hills filled with the aroma of dried tea. Together with its forests and regional flora and fauna, Lam Dong offers distinctive scenery with many picturesque lakes, waterfalls, hills and pine forests. Tourists also highly appreciate its temperate climate, beautiful sights and the abundance of highland flowers and vegetables. Bao Loc is an ideal location for a trip to immerse oneself in pristine nature, without being overcrowded by tourists. Farmers picking leaves on Tam Chau Tea Hill on a beautiful day. Photo abay.vn The meandering tea leaf hills are made all the more beautiful by the early morning fog. Bao Loc's beautiful climate makes it ideal for growing tea. There’s even an annual Bao Loc tea and mulberry festival just to celebrate the local products. Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda is a must-visit destination when visiting Bao Loc. Endearingly called ‘Heaven’s Gate', the beautiful sight will make visitors feel as if they are lost in paradise. The pagoda site is a blend of Vietnamese and Japanese architecture with Japanese torii gates on each side, with the backdrop of forest, tea plantations, misty mountains and clouds at high altitude. During sunrise, it has a magical vibe with a layer of dense fog covering the mountain range. Linh Quy Phap An's incredible view. Photo happydaytravel.com Dambri Waterfalls are the highest waterfalls in the Central Highlands at 57m in height. The stream amazes tourists at first sight with the pure and cool water squeezing through thousands of rocks in diverse sizes and shapes. The site is totally primitive with dense, wild trees lining its banks. Less known but equally worth a visit is the seasonal pink algae lake …

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Traveler's Guide An alternative way to Bao Loc By Khang Le Friday,  Feb 12, 2021,18:24 (GMT+7) An alternative way to Bao Loc By Khang Le Beautiful sunrise seen in Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda - PHOTOS: KHANG LE Visiting spectacular landscapes sometimes requires travelers to follow routes rarely known or hard to reach. This time, we took a long way to Bao Loc City in Lam Dong Province. On this route, we did not have to cross Bao Loc Pass while at the same time gaining great first-hand experiences. Bao Loc has kept its original beauty embellished by wonderful terrain with almost zero urbanization and human footprint. The location is characterized by poetic scenery hidden in fog and the cool climate all year round. This time, we traveled on DT 725 Road en route to Bao Loc. Going on motorbike allowed us to be able to reach further destinations—such as tea hills stretching from hillsides to sapphire-blue lakes, passes embraced by vast pine forests and charming valleys and cascades. Da Teh Valley and Bao Lam District From HCMC, we traveled to Da Huoai District of Lam Dong Province. Instead of crossing Bao Loc Pass, we turned left and traveled 15 kilometers more to Da Teh, a valley adjacent to Cat Tien National Park. Along the DT 725 Road were streams and bamboo bushes. We had to put on two or three layers of warm clothes to resist the cold weather on the way. The DT 725 Road was quite peaceful with wonderful views. In the next morning, we climbed to the top of a hill where we could admire the sea of clouds with a village underneath. As the sun had not yet reached its height, the peaceful village below was blanketed with white clouds. Afterward, we continued our trip to the next stop, Bao Lam District on B’Lao Plateau, moving on zigzag passes. We took a rest when reaching the highest point where we could contemplate a panoramic view of Bao Loc Town whose houses with red roofs hidden in pine forests could …

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