About 150km from Hanoi, there is a small steppe that has attracted visitors with its vast green lawn, interesting ancient cliffs and floating clouds.
Dong Cao steppe is located in Ga Hamlet, Thach Son Commune, Son Dong District, in the northern province of Bac Giang. (Photo: NDO)
The steppe was named Dong Cao and is located in Ga Hamlet, Thach Son Commune, Son Dong District, in the northern province of Bac Giang.
Once a grazing ground of the Dao ethnic minority people, the beauty of Dong Cao has been loved so much, especially by camping and trekking groups from all over the country. The ideal time for the organisation of experience tours to the plateau is from August to November, when the autumn weather is cool. A day trip is enough for visitors to go sightseeing, take photos and conquer spectacular roads. However, with an overnight camp, visitors will have the chance to admire the sparkling starry sky, capture the moments of sunrise and sunset, and enjoy the peace of wild nature without phone or internet signal.
Camping in Dong Cao, visitors should carefully prepare tents, personal items, night warmers, food and drinking water because there are no hotels or restaurants in this area. At the homestay at the foot of the hill, two services are provided, including looking after motorbikes and selling firewood. However, on the way from Hanoi to Dong Cao, there are quite a lot of roadside markets selling many local specialties such as hill chicken, five-colour sticky rice, many kinds of cakes and lychee. The highest peak of Dong Cao is under 1,000 m above sea level, but the landscape here is still very impressive with blue sky, countless grassy hills, cliffs with unique shapes, and some deep valleys. It feels very poetic siting on the grass, drinking coffee and taking photos. Visitors will have the most wonderful moments when talking and singing around the fire. Early in the morning, visitors can see the flying clouds and enjoy the smell of wet grass when they open the tents. The images of buffaloes and horses are also very peaceful. Visitors will feel like nomad travellers in the vast windy steppe.
Combined with the tour to Dong Cao, visitors can explore several natural destinations in Son Dong District such as the Khe Ro primeval forest, Khuon Than Lake and Ba Tia Waterfall at the foot of Yen Tu Mountain.
My Hanh