Ta Gu Waterfall is located in Son Hiep Commune, Khanh Son District, Khanh Hoa Province, 15km from the center of Khanh Son. It has an imposing landscape with an altitude of 1,300 metres and a 200 sq.m. lake of pure water.
Locals previously called the 15-meter-high Ta Gu on Chalo Mountain Thac Nga (ivory waterfall) because it looks like a dangling elephant tusk. But as the falling water flows into Ta Gu Stream, it was renamed to Ta Gu.
Reaching the waterfall, visitors first notice the cool forest air and then the mist and spray that Ta Gu throws in all directions. Ta Gu descends down from the rocks to form small pools with clear water, where you can swim.
Ta Gu also supplies water for the south-eastern part of Khanh Son. The water flows toward the villages in a lovely stream. Again visitors can rest or camp on the riverbanks before climbing to the top of Ta Gu.
Those who want to spend the night there can stay in nha san (stilt house) along the streams, drink ruou can (spirits made from rice, sticky rice or corn) and eat ga nuong dat set, for which a chicken gets coated in clay and put in the fire until the clay turns red. Then the clay is broken and removed, together with the chicken’s feathers. People say chicken meat cooked in this way tastes better than boiled or roasted chicken.
Sitting around the fire at night, you can think of the streams you have seen and listen the unique sounds of the dan da or gongs.
The People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa Province has just issued a decision to rank Ta Gu Waterfall as a provincial-level monument. The beauty of Ta Gu Waterfall not only is an ideal destination for ecotourism but supplies water for the southwest of Khanh Son District.
Kim Dung (Generalize)
