Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh

Tourists take cable cars up Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh Province

Climbing the mountain sometimes called the roof of Southern Vietnam is a once in a lifetime experience for visitors to Tay Ninh Province.

About 10 kilometers northeast of Tay Ninh Town and straddling three communes, the Nui Ba mountain range stretches 24 square kilometers and comprises three mountains, Heo (Pig) Mountain, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain and Ba Den (Black Lady) Mountain. The mountains have grottoes and pagodas and ancient trees, attracting hundreds of tourists and pilgrims everyday.

The 986 meter tall Ba Den Mountain with its good tourist facilities is the best option to climb. The path winding to the top passes many falls and narrow streams. Halfway up the mountain, there are some mysterious caves with giant rocks and old temples.

If you don’t want the exercise there’s a cable car to the top. Along the way there are views of a waterfall, caves and forest.

Cao Dai Cathedral - Photos: Dang Hoang Tham

Once on the top, trekkers should visit the Ba Temple Complex. It contains old pagodas such as Ha Pagoda, Thuong Pagoda and Hang Pagoda and caves such as Ba Co Cave, Thien Thai Cave and Ba Tuan Cave. All present typical features of Buddhist culture and folk beliefs.

Another highlight of Tay Ninh Province is the mammoth Cao Dai Pagoda that has 100-hectare grounds. The temple is a magnificent architectural work with 12 doors.  Built in 1933, the pagoda is a mix of Cao Dai religion, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, with Christianity and Islam as well as some internationally famous faces.

To enter the Cao Dai sects’ main headquarters, males must enter on the right and females to the left and shoes have to be removed before entering the main hall. Naturally lit and filled with icons, the hall is a sanctuary away from the world.

Central in the Cao Dai hall is a Divine Eye encased in a triangle. It is a recurring motif on walls and ceilings. Gaudy pink pillars down both sides are wrapped with snarling green dragons.

Binh Thanh Ancient Tower is also a must-to-see destination. The Cham tower built in the Oc Eo era is more than 1,000 years old.

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Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh

Tourists take cable cars up Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh Province

Climbing the mountain sometimes called the roof of Southern Vietnam is a once in a lifetime experience for visitors to Tay Ninh Province.

About 10 kilometers northeast of Tay Ninh Town and straddling three communes, the Nui Ba mountain range stretches 24 square kilometers and comprises three mountains, Heo (Pig) Mountain, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain and Ba Den (Black Lady) Mountain. The mountains have grottoes and pagodas and ancient trees, attracting hundreds of tourists and pilgrims everyday.

The 986 meter tall Ba Den Mountain with its good tourist facilities is the best option to climb. The path winding to the top passes many falls and narrow streams. Halfway up the mountain, there are some mysterious caves with giant rocks and old temples.

If you don’t want the exercise there’s a cable car to the top. Along the way there are views of a waterfall, caves and forest.

Cao Dai Cathedral - Photos: Dang Hoang Tham

Once on the top, trekkers should visit the Ba Temple Complex. It contains old pagodas such as Ha Pagoda, Thuong Pagoda and Hang Pagoda and caves such as Ba Co Cave, Thien Thai Cave and Ba Tuan Cave. All present typical features of Buddhist culture and folk beliefs.

Another highlight of Tay Ninh Province is the mammoth Cao Dai Pagoda that has 100-hectare grounds. The temple is a magnificent architectural work with 12 doors.  Built in 1933, the pagoda is a mix of Cao Dai religion, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, with Christianity and Islam as well as some internationally famous faces.

To enter the Cao Dai sects’ main headquarters, males must enter on the right and females to the left and shoes have to be removed before entering the main hall. Naturally lit and filled with icons, the hall is a sanctuary away from the world.

Central in the Cao Dai hall is a Divine Eye encased in a triangle. It is a recurring motif on walls and ceilings. Gaudy pink pillars down both sides are wrapped with snarling green dragons.

Binh Thanh Ancient Tower is also a must-to-see destination. The Cham tower built in the Oc Eo era is more than 1,000 years old.

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Ca Na, voice of sea

Ca Na Beach in Ninh Thuan Province

Ca Na, about 30 kilometers from the Cham Towers in Phan Rang City in Ninh Thuan Province, is a land of sun, sand, sea and wild forest. The three kilometer long Ca Na Beach on National Highway 1A is the pride of the province’s coastline.

The beach that some say is the most beautiful beach in Vietnam, is renowned for its crystal blue bay backed by mountains.

The pagoda on Ca Na Mountain- Photos: Anh Viet

After lolling around in the tranquil sea you can prize oysters off the rocks at low tide to hold your own private sashimi party. The rocks can be slippery and sharp so it’s a good idea to wear some sand shoes.

On romantic night strolls under the full-moon, the sea glitters and the rocks appear like people sitting deep in thought.

You can also take a trek up the mountain to discover the wildlife and visit the pagoda. On the way up the mountain will also find fruit on the trees that you can eat. There are many large rocks in weird shapes like a human head, a lion, a Buddha and other animals.

Visitors to the province should taste bun cha ca (rice noodle soup with fish paste), one of popular breakfast dishes. Bun cha ca is served at almost all street-side shops and restaurants for only VND6,000.

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Ninh Thuan bun cha ca

A bowl of bun cha ca in Ninh Thuan Province - Photo: Mai Ly

Bun cha ca (rice noodle soup with fish paste) is a popular breakfast dish in the coastal areas of the south. In Ninh Thuan Province, bun cha ca is served at most street-side shops and restaurants for the cheap price of VND6,000.

The main ingredients of the dish are white rice noodles, fish pieces and fish cakes but there’s an art to making a tasty bowl of bun cha ca.

The fish cake must be made of good fish such as thu phan, moi or song. To make the cake, remove the bones and grind the meat with spices and a bit of saffron flour to make it an attractive yellow color.

Then knead the ground fish meat into a sticky paste and roll it into a ball which is flattened with the hands before being placed in a hot oiled fry pan.

The pieces of fish are then fired and cut into pieces. The soup must be boiled from sweet pork bones, fish bones and some fried shrimp. Then the fish is added and the cake is cut up into slices before being added in.

The dish is always served with many kinds of vegetable such as bean sprouts, sliced rau muong (water spinach), salads, banana flowers and many kinds of aromatic vegetables. A bit of fish sauce, and some drops of lemon and chili sauce will complete the taste.

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Ninh Thuan bun cha ca

A bowl of bun cha ca in Ninh Thuan Province - Photo: Mai Ly

Bun cha ca (rice noodle soup with fish paste) is a popular breakfast dish in the coastal areas of the south. In Ninh Thuan Province, bun cha ca is served at most street-side shops and restaurants for the cheap price of VND6,000.

The main ingredients of the dish are white rice noodles, fish pieces and fish cakes but there’s an art to making a tasty bowl of bun cha ca.

The fish cake must be made of good fish such as thu phan, moi or song. To make the cake, remove the bones and grind the meat with spices and a bit of saffron flour to make it an attractive yellow color.

Then knead the ground fish meat into a sticky paste and roll it into a ball which is flattened with the hands before being placed in a hot oiled fry pan.

The pieces of fish are then fired and cut into pieces. The soup must be boiled from sweet pork bones, fish bones and some fried shrimp. Then the fish is added and the cake is cut up into slices before being added in.

The dish is always served with many kinds of vegetable such as bean sprouts, sliced rau muong (water spinach), salads, banana flowers and many kinds of aromatic vegetables. A bit of fish sauce, and some drops of lemon and chili sauce will complete the taste.

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