The dry season reveals traces of time
In the early summer days, when the sun seems to fall on the large lake area, Hoa Binh Lake enters a special dry season. From Thung Nai port (Cao Phong district) - the gateway to the lake, visitors can clearly feel the difference. The stone steps leading down to the wharf are now cracked under the shining sunlight. Boats have to anchor far from shore, forcing tourists to walk a long distance on dry soil covered with gravel and rocks.
What surprised many people was the limestone cliffs standing on both sides of the lake. On the surface of the giant rocks, strange waitresses are clearly visible - in fact, "separating" the water level over time, the oil streaks are imprinted on the rocks as the water gradually recedes. The deeper into the lake, these "geological paintings" become more and more clearly defined, creating a vibrant nature museum.
Each season, Hoa Binh Lake has its own beauty. But this year's dry season - coming early and lasting for a long time - leaves many special emotions. The water recedes deeply, revealing the islands that used to float, now stuck tightly to the lake bed, the foot of the island extends into dry red-brown alluvial plains. The cliffs are bare of the sky, no longer "exposed" by water and forests, suddenly appear proudly, like the milestones of a quiet time in the deserted space.
Along the journey from Thung Nai to Suoi Hoa, which is considered the core area of the lake, the landscape has changed significantly. At the Bo chai Phap Temple - a famous spiritual tourist destination in the lake - the scenery has also changed. The stone steps that were once flooded are now exposed to the sun. moss and dry mud cover the old path. No longer the magical image of the temple floating in the mist of vast water, but there is still an ancient and sacred look - in a space that has become empty, quiet and colored with nostalgic colors.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh, a tourist from Phu Tho, returning to Thac Bo for the second time in many years, shared: I used to go to Hoa Binh Lake during the flood season, and saw the vast lake, as green as the sea, with poetic scenery. This time it felt like I was walking on a dry river. Still beautiful, but it is a very different beauty".
Unique experience
The receding water season changes the pace of life around the lake. At Thung Nai port, tourists no longer have the ease to get off the boat as usual. The temporary steps are quickly added to "change" the water level that is decreasing day by day.
However, it is this change that creates unforgettable experiences during the flood season. The first tourist to come here in the dry season - like Ms. Lan (Hanoi) - could not hide her surprise: "I never thought that Hoa Binh Lake would have such a strange appearance. Although I have to climb rocks and walk further, it is that challenge that makes the trip more fun. This is truly a unique experience.
For those who are passionate about photography, the dry season is the ideal time to capture special moments of nature.
Mr. Minh - a young photographer from Ninh Binh - said: "I came here not only to travel but to take a photo of the most original beauty of the lake. The dry season brings very strong frames - bare, harsh scenery, but evokes deep emotions. It's like another face of nature, very genuine."
At Ngoi Hoa community tourism area (Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district), which used to attract visitors with its cool green bay, now there are large and small, treacherous pebbles under the sun. No longer a "Ha Long Bay on land" with intertwined forests and water, Hoa Binh Lake in the dry season is like an abstract painting, where nature paints it with a variety of soil - rough, coniferous but profound.
In contrast to curious tourists is the calmness of the people along the lake. The wooden boats were lying still on the shore, the fish cages were dragged close to the shore, the children in the village took a walk to the edge of the water - the place that was once a deep water area where the bottom could be clearly seen. The change of the lake has caused their lives to slow down, stagnating as if they were "resting" with nature.
For those who are ship drivers, the dry season requires much observation and patience. Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, who has been driving a boat on the lake for nearly 20 years, shared: "Every season is different. During the flood season, the boat runs leisurely on the stairs, not worrying about hitting rocks. In the dry season, we have to close our eyes to see each stream and each c branch. But thanks to that, I can see normal things that are obscured by water - such as being able to explore another, primitive and mysterious Hoa Binh lake".
Hoa Binh Lake in the dry season is not only a strange scene, but also a test of time - where beauty does not come from perfection, but from the scratches and silences that nature and humans leave in the journey of slow living. An unforgettable experience, for those who love original and profound beauty.
