Lang Biang Mountains in Dalat City

Driving 12 km from the center of Dalat, tourists in Vietnam travel will see the Lang Biang Mountains standing high and beautiful as the roof of Dalat city. This area is typical for the tourism activities like camping, exploring the nature, and the culture of ethnic minority groups living here.

• Xuan Huong Lake- A Symbol of Romantic City on Central Highlands-Dalat City
• Dalat City- A Rhythmic Land of Flowers and Romance

As not far from the centre of Dalat, just about 12 km, tourists in Vietnam travel will see the Lang Biang Mountains standing high and beautiful as the roof of Dalat city, Lam Dong province. Legend has it that there was once a couple who were deeply in love with each other - the boy named K'lang and the girl named Ho Biang. However, there was a feud between the two tribes so they were not allowed to get married. At last, they overcame all the prejudice and got married. They moved onto a mountain to live.

Then Ho Biang was ill and K'lang tried in vain to save her. So he came back to the tribe to ask for help but the people in the tribe had shot him with a poisonous arrow. However, it was Ho Biang to be shot since she had shielded her husband. K'lang could not suffer such loss. He cried and his tear made up a big stream which is now called Dankia (the Golden Stream).

After their death, Ho Biang's father was too repentant of his mistake so he unified the tribes into one called K'ho. Since then, boys and girls in K'ho group are allowed to get married to each other. The mountain in La Ngu Thuong Village where the couple died is named Lang Biang. It is to memorize the couple with profound love.

Lang Biang Mountain is considered one of the highest mountains in Dalat. This area is typical for the tourism activities like camping, exploring the nature, and the culture of ethnic minority groups here. Lang Biang is also an ideal place for adventurous activities like mountain climbing, conquering high peaks. At the foot of the mountain lies a large valley which can be regarded to as an entertainment and ecological tourist site. Tourists can join in exciting programs like camp-fire, enjoying "Can wine" with ethnic minority people while listening to their cultural stories.

When hiking to Langbian Mountains, standing on its mount peak, tourists in Vietnam travel can see the Golden Stream and Silver Stream and have an overview of Dalat City. Dalat seems to be more fanciful when you observe it from Lang Biang mountain, like an aquarelle with two pieces of silk (the Golden and Silver Stream) prominently emerging among the limitless green forests and mountains.

Ban Phu Citadel in Dien Bien

Ban Phu Citadel, also known as Tam Van or Sam Mun, was built in the 15th century in Dien Bien Phu City, Dien Bien province. It covered an area of dozen of hectares. In front of the citadel were deep ditch, and two systems of defense works, which were three kilometers long and approximately two meters high.

 

The foot of the citadel was covered with clusters of bamboo. The present- day Noong Het Commune was the center part of the citadel. At present, a part of the wall of Ban Phu Citadel is restored so that visitors can picture the citadel is restored so that visitors can picture the citadel of the past. In the 18th century, Chinese invaders occupied the citadel. Hoang Cong Chat (1739-1769) was sent to fight against the invaders.

After he died in 1769, Dien Bien residents erected a temple to commemorate in the area of the citadel, 12km from the center of Dien Bien Phu City. Ban Phu Citadel and Hoang Cong Chat Temple is an attractive tourist site in Dien Bien.

Pa Khoang Reservoir in Dien Bien

Pa Khoang Reservoir is located in Muong Phang Commune, Dien Bien District, 20km from the Dien Bien City. Initially, Pa Khoang was just a stream. However, when irrigation works were built, the stream became a lovely lake with a system of drainage and watertight gates used to regulate the water running onto the thousands of hectares of rice fields.

With a large surface area of 400 to 600ha, Pa Khoang displays charming scenery of pretty stilt- houses mirrored in the transparent water upon which some small boats slowly glide across. Pa Khoang Reservoir offers favorable conditions for a combination of eco-tourism and outdoor activities.

My Son - A unique beautiful sanctuary

My Son Holy land (Thánh địa Mỹ Sơn) - a unique beautiful sanctuary world of the ancient Chăm religion, is day by day attracting thousands of tourists elsewhere.

Situated inside the 2-kilometer wide valley in Quang Nam province, the My Son Sanctuary temple complex was ever the central praying and worship ceremony place of Cham Pa reigns. My Son is also a tool to assist the reigns to contact with God and Saints. The land accordingly become the significant religious and cultural center of Cham Pa reigns.

The Chăm people (người Chăm or người Chàm in Vietnamese) belong to an ethnic group in Southeast Asia. They formed the core of the Muslim communities in both Cambodia and Vietnam. Chăm is remnant of the Chăm Pa Kingdom (7th to 15th centuries), closely related to the Malay race.

All of the Chăm towers were built on a quadrate foundations and each comprises three parts: a solid tower base, representing the world of human beings, the mysterious and sacred tower body, representing the world of spirits, and the tower top built in the shape of a man offering flowers and fruits or of trees, birds, animals, etc., representing things that are close to the spirits and human beings.

According to many researchers of the ancient Chăm towers, the architectural art of the Chăm towers at Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary is the convergence of different styles, including the continuity of the ancient style in the 7^th-8^th centuries, the Hoa Lai style of the 8^th-9^th centuries, the Dong Duong style from the mid-9^th century, the Mỹ Sơn and Mỹ Sơn-Binh Dinh styles, etc. Among the remnants of many architectural sites excavated in 1898, a 24 metres high tower was found in the Thap Chua area and coded AI by archaeologists and researchers on Mỹ Sơn. This tower is a masterpiece of ancient Chăm architecture. It has two doors, one in the east and the other in the west. The tower body is high and delicate with a system of paved pillars; six sub-towers surrounding the tower. This two-storey tower looks like a lotus flower. The top of the upper layer is made of sandstone and carved with elephant and I ion designs. In the lower layer, the walls are carved with fairies, water evils and men riding elephants. Unfortunately, the tower was destroyed by US bombs in 1969.

My Son Holy Lan

The sanctuary comprises more than 70 architectural works. They include temples and towers that connect to each other with complicated red brick designs. The main component of the Chăm architectural design is the tower, built to reflect the divinity of the king. Bricks are main material for the construction of the Cham Towers. However, it has yet been unable to figure out the reasonable explanation for the linking material, brick baking method, and construction method of the Cham Pa. Even these days, this still remains as an attractive secret to contemporary people.

Although there are not many remnants left, those that remain display the typical sculptural works of cultural value of the Chăm nationality.They are also vivid proof, confirming the history of a nationality living within the Vietnamese community boasting of a rich cultural tradition.

Honorably recognized as a World Heritage in 1999, My Son Holy Land is captivating in various cultural values. Therefore, it is extremely useful and meaningful for those interested in Southeast Ahsian culture, which owes its core to ancient Cham culture, to drop off the land. Although time and the wars have destroyed some towers, the remaining sculptural and architectural remnants still reflect the style and history of the art of the Chăm people.

Their masterpieces mark a glorious time for the architecture and culture of the Chăm, as well as of Southeast Asia. If  tourists like untouched nature and pre-touristic surrounding, don't hesitate traveling to My Son holly!

If you are interested in exploring Vietnam travel, you can visit Vietnam travel guide, Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places.