Located in Ngoi hamlet, Suoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, Ngoi Hoa Bay is about 105 km from Hanoi and 30 km from the center of Hoa Binh city. Hoa Binh Lake where the bay is located is the largest artificial lake in Vietnam, formed from a hydroelectric project on the Da River, with an impressive length of up to 100 km and 47 large and small green islands, bringing a poetic and charming landscape.
For a long time, the locals have called the landscape of Ngoi Hoa by the name “Bua Rung” (Bua means flat land, Rung means dense forest). With its immense beauty, it is often affectionately called by tourists as “miniature Ha Long Bay” or “pearl on the mountain”. The unique terrain and cool, fresh climate all year round have created a peaceful, attractive space.
Coming to Ngoi Hoa Bay, the experience of taking a boat to see the scenery is something you cannot miss. Visitors can relax on the boat, stroll around the green islands and feel the cool water vapor from the lake.
Another option is to row freely to immerse yourself in the beautiful nature here. Not far from Ngoi Hoa Bay, Hoa Tien Cave is also an attractive tourist destination. This cave is famous for its sparkling stalactite system, creating a magical world that fascinates people. Nearby is Dragon Eye Lake, or Hoa Tien Lake, where the water is always clear and there is a legend about the mountain girls in the area.
Ngoi Hoa Bay attracts tourists not only with its natural beauty but also with the rich culture of the Muong people. Tourists can explore many unique cultural features such as traditional stilt houses, ethnic costumes, folk art forms such as lullabies, Meeng sets, and Muong gongs. Not only that, tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily life of the indigenous people, enjoy specialties: grilled meat, hill chicken, grilled fish, and wild bamboo shoots. Experiential activities such as fishing, hiking, or waking up early with the locals to catch shrimp are also very interesting.
The ideal time to visit Ngoi Hoa Bay is from May to August, when the hot summer weather creates favorable conditions for water activities. From September to April of the following year is the right time for a quiet and relaxing vacation.
From Ngoi Hoa Bay, visitors can easily visit many other famous destinations such as Thac Bo Cave, Thac Bo Temple, Coconut Island, Windmill Island, and Go Lao Waterfall...
According to Ms. Bui Minh Hong, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Tan Lac district, there are currently 95 stilt houses of the Muong people in Ngoi hamlet. Previously, people lived mainly by raising livestock, growing crops, and fishing on the Da River reservoir.
After the province and district invested in building infrastructure such as roads and cultural houses, Ngoi hamlet has turned a new page with 3-star provincial OCOP products and community tourism development. In the first 9 months of 2024, the locality welcomed nearly 289,000 visitors, including more than 7,000 international visitors, bringing in revenue of more than 189,295 million VND, contributing to improving people's lives.
Ms. Hong added that in the future, Tan Lac district will continue to develop tourism in conjunction with national target programs, improve the socio-economic situation for ethnic minority areas, and promote the new rural construction program.
