Pu Luong: Exploring Vietnam's Captivating Limestone Landscapes and Cultural Traditions
Approximately 160 km from Hanoi, the Pu Luong Nature Reserve is home to Thai and Muong ethnic minority communities. In the Thai language, Pu Luong means "the highest peak of the village". Pu Luong is located in the northwest of Thanh Hoa province, covering an area of 17,662 hectares, comprising dense forests, large and small waterfalls, caves, and mountains interspersed with peaceful villages and lush, verdant terraced rice fields every summer.
This nature reserve is located in the districts of Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa, Thanh Hoa province. Pu Luong is about a 4-hour drive from Hanoi by road. The northern and northeastern parts of Pu Luong border the districts of Mai Chau, Tan Lac, and Lac Son in Hoa Binh province. Visitors can reach Pu Luong by motorbike, self-driving car, or bus.
How to get to Pu Luong?
This nature reserve is located in the districts of Ba Thuoc and Quan Hoa, Thanh Hoa province. Pu Luong is about a 4-hour drive from Hanoi by road. The northern and northeastern parts of Pu Luong border the districts of Mai Chau, Tan Lac, and Lac Son in Hoa Binh province. Visitors can reach Pu Luong by motorbike, self-driving car, or bus.
From Hanoi, follow National Highway 6 through Mai Chau and Hoa Binh, then take National Highway 15C to Co Luong and Dong Dien to reach Pu Luong. Alternatively, you can take the Ho Chi Minh Highway, passing through Cuc Phuong and Cam Thuy, and then follow the direction of the Na Meo international border gate. Visitors from Thanh Hoa city can also take the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Where to stay in Pu Luong Nature Reserve
For nature lovers and those interested in exploring local culture, visitors can choose to stay in local houses, stilt-house homestays in villages like Kho Muong, Kit, and Hieu, with rates starting from VND 100,000 (4$) per night.
In addition to the basic homestay options, visitors who prefer a more luxurious accommodation can choose from a variety of resorts in Pu Luong, such as Pu Luong Retreat, Pu Luong Eco Garden, Pu Luong Natura, Ciel del Puluong, Pu Luong Tree House, and Pu Luong Hillside Lodge. These resorts offer rates ranging from VND 300,000 (12$) to over VND 1,000,000 (40$) per night.
These resort accommodations feature spacious rooms, infinity pools, beautiful landscaping, and stunning views overlooking the rice fields. Despite being eco-tourism focused, the rooms are typically clean, airy, and equipped with basic amenities, even if they may lack features like TVs and air conditioning.
What to do in Pu Luong?
Located along the route from Mai Chau to Pu Luong, Son Ba Muoi is a cluster of 3 high-altitude villages in Lung Cao commune, Ba Thuoc district, with a mild climate of 18-22 degrees Celsius. This area is quite secluded, so it has been able to preserve many of the traditional customs of the Thai ethnic group, including their distinctive stilt-house architecture.
After navigating the steep and winding roads, visitors who stop in Son Ba Muoi will be able to experience the peaceful pace of life amidst the grand natural scenery.
Venturing deeper into the core zone of the Pu Luong nature reserve, the village of Hieu is known for its Hieu Waterfall, which has a clear and powerful flow that cascades in multiple tiers, attracting visitors to swim in the cool, natural pools at its base. These "natural baths" offer refreshing, cold waters in the summer and warm waters in the winter. In addition to swimming at the waterfall, visitors can also explore the stands of coconut trees, terraced rice fields, and pristine forests in the area.
About 11km from Hieu Waterfall is the Tom Village or Cham Spring area, where there are giant natural pools and visitors can experience floating down the river on bamboo rafts. The raft tour takes about 1 hour, with each raft able to carry 8-14 people/
In addition to the raft trip, visitors should not miss the opportunity to hike through the terraced rice fields, go cycling, or simply relax and read a book while breathing in the fresh, clean air.
These activities allow visitors to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty and tranquility of the Pu Luong region, beyond just viewing the waterfalls and landscapes. The chance to directly interact with the river and countryside provides a more authentic and memorable experience.
Pù Luông Peak is approximately 1,700 meters high, and is one of the mountain peaks that trekking enthusiasts love to conquer, as the path up the mountain is quite steep with many treacherous and winding sections. It takes around 6 hours in good weather conditions to reach the top of Pù Luông. Standing at the peak of Pù Luông, you can admire the picturesque scenery of the mountains, forests, fields, and valleys at the foot of the mountain.
Tourists can set up camp at the peak to eat, drink, and stay overnight, or bring a packed lunch and return to stay overnight in Đôn Village in the evening. When climbing the mountain, one should wear long pants, a hat, hiking boots, insect repellent, a flashlight, drinking water, and food... For those without much mountain climbing experience, the lodges also provide day trips or 2-day 1-night tours.
Đôn Village is where a large number of Thai people live. Over the past 2-3 years, domestic and international tourists have been visiting Đôn Village in increasing numbers. The village has a peaceful atmosphere and unspoiled natural scenery, with many appealing local specialties such as forest bamboo shoots, duck, wild boar, hill chicken, pumpkin greens, and young bitter gourd leaves.
Kho Mường Village and Bat Cave are the most attractive destinations in Pù Luông that tourists should not miss. The path to Kho Mường is difficult to travel, as it is steep and winding along the mountainside, with deep ravines on the side, but once you reach the destination, everyone is amazed by the hidden beauty of this place. Just looking from afar, you can see the stilt houses, rice fields, and corn fields stretching out endlessly, surrounded by the rolling mountains.
Walking from the beginning of the village through the large rice fields to near the end of the trail leads to the Bat Cave or the Kho Mường Cave. These limestone karst formations were formed about 250 million years ago, creating this cave system. It is also a habitat for many species of bats. The deeper you go into the cave, the more visitors will see a vast space covered by strange-shaped stalactites.
The Phố Đòn Market takes place every Thursday and Sunday. By coming here, you not only experience a typical highland market, but also have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs, local products, and enjoy specialty dishes. The distinctive feature is that the market still operates based on a barter system, with little bargaining or haggling.
Eating in Pu Luong
When it comes to the specialties of Pù Luông, the Cổ Lũng duck is a must-mention. The meat of this duck is lean, firm, and aromatic, grilled over charcoal. A whole roasted Cổ Lũng duck, is enough for 3-4 people to enjoy.
In addition to the Cổ Lũng duck, visitors can also order other local dishes from the homestay hosts, such as:
- Ốc đá (stream snails)
- Gà đồi (wild chicken)
- Vịt suối nướng (grilled stream duck)
- Lợn rừng quay (roasted wild boar)
- Măng chua (pickled bamboo shoots)
- Măng đắng (bitter bamboo shoots)
- Canh rau ngót rừng (wild swamp spinach soup)
- Cơm lam (bamboo tube rice)
- Nộm hoa chuối (banana flower salad)
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: Son Bá Mười – Hiêu Waterfall
Day 2: Trekking Pù Luông Peak – Đôn Village
Day 3: Kho Mường Village – Bat Cave - Phố Đoàn Market
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