Trang Den Lake, ecotourism potential in Nam Dan

(Baonghean) -The potential of the land and the sweat of a time of "changing the world" have given the Northwest of Nam Dan district a wonderful ecological sub-region: Trang Den Lake. The towering green mountains and the rustling pine trees all year round reflect the immense water, so that the land is not only a potential for livelihood, but over time has become a mark of the love of the people of the countryside, blending with the beauty of nature.

Trang Den Lake. Photo: Sy Minh

Located in Nam Hung commune (Nam Dan), Trang Den lake is one of the "symbols" of the achievements of the anti-American resistance in the early 1970s, when the great rear of the North focused on implementing the Party's policy of "rectifying the river, opening up cool water" to build a dam for irrigation... From Lang Sen - Kim Lien to Trang Den lake is only more than ten kilometers, the smooth asphalt road takes you through a three-level slope, a place that evokes the fierce bombing of American planes in the past; through Nam Nghia market, famous for its tamarind meat products, the traditional beef market, so that the market gradually becomes a place to visit for literary visitors who love the countryside market... A little further up is Truong Bon, which is being built to the level of a national monument associated with the scenic mountain scenery and the soulful Vietnamese countryside village imbued with the midlands.

And here, the lake is full of water all year round with many kinds of fish such as: bighead carp, bighead carp, silver carp, grass carp, grass carp... with many kinds of aquatic algae. One summer morning coming to the lake, rowing a small boat up the mountain slopes to the center of the lake with a small dam. Following the green stone steps to climb up the dam, looking around, seeing the golden sunlight shimmering on the green pine trees, casting its shadow on the blue water, creating a magical seven-colored wave pattern along the lake.

And, rest assured with your initial concerns about the "earth-shattering" temperature of Nghe An province with the Lao wind, because Trang Den and the forest-water ecology here are like a giant air conditioner that has cooled down the terrible heat of the Central region, making you dream in the scenery and exclaim: Da Lat?

Over there, the pine trees rustle as if whispering a love story! Over there, thousands of tiny water droplets on the spillway make the cold air billow up to create the illusion of a misty land. On both sides of the creek, the mountainside reveals reddish-brown laterite layers, hesitantly composed of millions of years old lava, suddenly bursting with shy clusters of purple flowers... On the far side of the lake, the fisherman knocks on the boat, waking up the sleep of the shepherd children while the fat buffaloes are bathing in the cool waves of the blue lake.

Then, you can continue to take a boat to go deeper into that magical space. The mountains gradually rise, so that now there are many mountain peaks and many clouds. Above is the legendary Ba Khe dam of the time when the Northern laborers "changed the sky and the earth"! The large dam's spillway lets loose a loom of endless green silk curtains the color of silver sunlight, pouring down in a myriad of ripples, further highlighting in the middle of Trang Den a fascinating formation: the "Peninsula" Ru Dai swaying on the water's mirror, connected to the western mountain range by a unique path. Swim close to the "peninsula", paddle gently, because above the pine and eucalyptus trees, there is a symphony of birds familiar to the villagers... occasionally, a small weasel will suddenly come out to the water's edge, briefly bewildered, then immediately disappear behind the thick vegetation. You can dock the boat on the peninsula. Find a soft grassy area, spread out the food you brought to fill your stomach. Under the chirping of birds, under the swaying pine and eucalyptus trees, you can comfortably sleep in the cool breeze...

That is summer. Take the time to return to Trang Den in early autumn. Remember to wear a thin jacket. The blue water will let you fish and right after that, you can be guided by the locals to light a small fire to roast the carp and silver carp you caught. It is necessary to put into the charcoal a few clusters of gardenia (a type of broom plant and can also be used as a medicinal herb) that are readily available there, the fish will give off a very special spicy aroma. You can also call the fishermen who are fishing on the lake, buy a bunch of "chap cham" (like ditch fish), bring it home to roast, then braise it with soy sauce, molasses, shallots and fresh turmeric...; you will definitely have a very impressive countryside specialty, which you will remember longingly for a long time: Trang Den Lake "chap cham" braised dish!

And, no matter what season, after being satisfied with the green mountains and blue waters, you can visit Nam Nghia market, go to the tamarind meat restaurant, you will see that this specialty is indeed worthy of being chosen by visitors from the South and the North when they have the opportunity to visit Nghe An to enjoy and praise. Not only that, hanging around Nam Nghia beef market, you will be immersed in the bustling, noisy buying and selling scene, speaking slang and will capture a unique market culture with a long-standing buying and selling tradition, no less attractive than a "Giat market" of Nghe An by writer Nguyen Minh Chau. Moreover, the guava, persimmon, lychee products... of Nam Dan land always have the fragrant scent of the garden in the early morning for you to choose from.

I just “took” you to visit Trang Den - a famous cultural and ecological tourism potential of Nam Dan, Uncle Ho’s hometown! This attractive destination is attracting investors to survey with investment ideas expected to be worth tens of billions of VND.

Mr. Vu