Visiting spectacular landscapes sometimes requires travelers to follow routes rarely known or hard to reach. This time, we took a long way to Bao Loc City in Lam Dong Province. On this route, we did not have to cross Bao Loc Pass while at the same time gaining great first-hand experiences.
Bao Loc has kept its original beauty embellished by wonderful terrain with almost zero urbanization and human footprint. The location is characterized by poetic scenery hidden in fog and the cool climate all year round. This time, we traveled on DT 725 Road en route to Bao Loc.
Going on motorbike allowed us to be able to reach further destinations—such as tea hills stretching from hillsides to sapphire-blue lakes, passes embraced by vast pine forests and charming valleys and cascades.
Da Teh Valley and Bao Lam District
From HCMC, we traveled to Da Huoai District of Lam Dong Province. Instead of crossing Bao Loc Pass, we turned left and traveled 15 kilometers more to Da Teh, a valley adjacent to Cat Tien National Park. Along the DT 725 Road were streams and bamboo bushes. We had to put on two or three layers of warm clothes to resist the cold weather on the way.
The DT 725 Road was quite peaceful with wonderful views. In the next morning, we climbed to the top of a hill where we could admire the sea of clouds with a village underneath. As the sun had not yet reached its height, the peaceful village below was blanketed with white clouds.
Afterward, we continued our trip to the next stop, Bao Lam District on B’Lao Plateau, moving on zigzag passes. We took a rest when reaching the highest point where we could contemplate a panoramic view of Bao Loc Town whose houses with red roofs hidden in pine forests could be seen from afar.
Tam Chau Tea Hill, Di Da Pagoda
We crossed a hill on a red soil path lined with coffee plantations. The next challenges included 10 long passes we had to overcome to get to Tam Chau Tea Hill in Loc Tan Commune, Bao Lam District.
The tea fields stretched from the hill down to a lake beneath. In the morning, Tam Chau Tea Hill was ideal place to enjoy blue sky with white clouds and fresh air. In the afternoon, mid-day sun rays shined through the tea trees in the wind, offering a romantic yellow view.
From Tam Chau Tea Hill, we moved on to Di Da Pagoda, which was said to be four kilometers away. Actually, we had to cover seven to eight kilometers on foot to reach the pagoda. In front of the big religious complex was a lake surrounded by tea trees. The pagoda had a wooden gate where you can find a way to forest.
Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda
After crossing several passes, we were glad to listen to the sound of cascades racing down. We continued going until we saw a stream whose crystal clear water flowed over rocks. Following the stream, we finally arrived at the beautiful Tam Hop Cascade.
Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda nearby has recently become a new tourist spot. We stayed at a hotel near the pagoda so that we could wake up early to catch the best view from the pagoda. All of us next covered a 20-kilometer rocky path and several hills to reach the pagoda before the sun lost its last rays. At the moment, we were enchanted by sea of white clouds and the light pink of sun.
Three gates of the pagoda face three different directions. It seemed to us that the pagoda wishes to welcome all essence of the earth and the sun.
By Khang Le
