Seven tourist attractions with odd names in Vietnam

Than Tho Lake (Lake of Sighs)

This is a natural lake of Dalat, Lam Dong Province.

The lake name is associated with a legend about the tragic love affair in the 18th century.

As the story goes, long ago there lived a young couple in this area. They loved each other very much and often met by the lake to enjoy the tranquil setting of this area.

At about the time when they spoke of building a future together, Vietnam was in the state of war with foreign invaders from the north.

There was a general call for able-bodied young men to take arms. The young man, Hoang Tung, being extremely patriotic, decided to join the army of king Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue to help defend Vietnam.

The young couple decided to meet by the lake to say their goodbyes as Hoang Tung was leaving with his garrison for the north.

His betrothed Mai Nuong, being equally patriotic, decided not to be a burden in his mind, lest he could not perform his duties, and committed suicide by drowning in the lake.

When the time came for the two to meet, Hoang Tung found that she has passed away.

The people in this region heard of the young couple’s story and decided to rename the lake Ho Than Tho or Lake of Sighs.

Several variations of the story have been published. One version along this line claimed that Hoang Tung did not show up at the appointed time. Mai Nuong was heartbroken and spent many days by the lake to wait for him. Hopeless, Mai Nuong committed suicide by jumping into the lake.

Long Lanh (Shimmer) Pass

It is known for its radiant beauty in the early morning mist which also affectionately named Omega by tourists, derived from the graph-shape of the pass.

The official name of Long Lanh Pass is Hon Giao, a short route connecting romantic Da Lat and the coastal city of Nha Trang.

The Long Lanh Pass is located in Lac Duong district, Lam Dong province. It is also called Khanh Le, Bidoup and Omega. Each name has its own meaning, attached to the mountain, to people or the characteristic beauty of this pass.

With the length of 30 km of the total length of over 200 km of the road, the pass is a destination for tourists for its poetic beauty.

Long Lanh Pass.

Ba Den (Black Virgin) Mountain

It is a part of Nui Ba Historical and Cultural Complex in Tay Ninh, which is famous for its artless scenery and mysterious tales.

This is the highest mountain in the southeastern part of Vietnam. Located 11km to the Northeast of Tay Ninh City, Ba Den Mountain is 986m high; it is the symbol of the people and the land of Tay Ninh.

The Nui Ba Complex has a total area of 24 km2, with 3 mountains Nui Heo (Pig Mountain), Nui Phung (Phoenix Mountain), and Nui Ba Den (Black Virgin Mountain).

Among the three mountains of Nui Ba Complex, Ba Den Mountain is the most famous one because it is related to the myth about Ly Thi Thien Huong, the woman who is consideredthe Black Virgin.

According to the local tales, in the end of the 18th century, the conflict between Trinh King and Nguyen Kinh had put the country into turmoil. At that time, there was a young man named Le Sy Triet from Quang Hoa.

With his intelligence and bravery, he said goodbye to his lover, Ly Thi Thien Huong, and enlisted in the army of Nguyen Hue, a general who later became King Quang Trung.

Ly Thi Thien Huong was a beautiful girl with a lovely tanned skin. Even when Le Sy Triet had gone, she still remained faithful to him.

Unfortunately, she was forced to marry a powerful man in the village. Too desperate and sorrowful, the girl committed suicide by jumping off a mountain edge to protect her virginity.

As they regretted the young girl’s beauty and trait, people built a temple on that mountain, which was renamed Ba Den Mountain, to commemorate and worship her. Gradually, pilgrims from everywhere learned about the story and visited the temple in the spring, forming a custom which has lasted for generations.

Xa Huong (Musk) Lake

This is man-made freshwater lake in the mountain valley of Con Trau (Buffalo) in the northern province of Vinh Phuc. The lake was built in 1984, accommodating over 12 million m3 of water.

Initially the lake was built for the purpose of collecting water for agriculture. Xa Huong is named after the name of a small village nearby.

Bung Binh Thien (Peaceful Lake of Heaven)

It is one of the largest fresh water lake in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Located in An Phu District, province of An Giang, the natural lake is known as an eco-tourist area.

The lake covers about 200-300 hectares in width and four meters in depth in dry season. However, the zone is directly influenced by the hydrographic system of the Mekong River and thus the width triples in the rainy season, with the depth increasing up to seven meters.

The lake is tranquil year round. When the area floods most rivers in the Mekong Delta are muddy with alluvium, but the water of Bung Binh Thien remains clear and blue, a landscape endowed with the highest biological diversity in An Giang.

Hai Tac (Pirates) Island

The island is seen as strange destination with its name. In reality, Hai Tac is the name of archipelago including 16 islands in which Tre isle is the biggest.

It is located at Tien Hai commune, Ha Tien district. It is about 28 km and 40 km far from Ha Tien mainland and Phu Quoc island respectively.

Regarding the name of this archipelago, tourists can imagine what happened at this place in the past. Because Hai Tac island is situated at the area of Ha Tien – Rach Gia bay located in Thailand bay, an important trading route from China to the west, this archipelago was the ideal place for pirates formany centuries.

The pirates still appeared until the beginning of 20th century.

Hon Rai (Otter) Island or Hon Son Island

The island is located in Lai Son Commune, Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province.

There are two explanations for the name of the island. The first is in the past, there were many dau rai trees (resin used to paint boats) on the island and the other is that the island was the home of many otters.