Magical beauty of Tam Dao National Park

Tam Dao National Park covers an area of 36,883 hectares, including more than 23,000 hectares of forests. It extends 80 km in the northwest and southeast direction, bordering the provinces of Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang and Vinh Phuc. The park is 70 km from Hanoi.

The park has a forest of Do Quyen trees (Rhododendron simii) that blossom in spring, limpid Xa Huong Lake, Silver Waterfall in the middle of evergreen forests all the year round.

Tam Dao National Park is covered by a rich flora, consisting of 490 species from 34 genera and 130 families. There is a great deal of rare and valuable plants, such as Sam bong, Permu (fokienia hodginsir), Kim Giao (polocarpus fleuryi), Lat Hoa (chukrasta tabularis), Lim Xanh (Erythrophlocum fordii), Do Quyen (Rhododentron simii), Sen Mat (Madhuca pasquieri), and Thong Tre (Podocarpus nerliforlius).

Tam Dao National Park is also home to 281 species of fauna from 281 genera, 84 families and 26 orders belonging to 4 main classes: animals, birds, reptiles and amphibious ones. Among the variety of life forms in the park are several rare species, including cheek black monkey, Tam Dao snake-head fish, silver pheasant wood grouses etc.

Tam Dao National Park is a place of interest not only for tourists, but also businesspeople and researchers.

Moreover, visiting the park, you have a chance to view Tam Dao Town which was established at the beginning of the 20th century.

The town is nestled in a valley covering only 3 km2. There now remain some villas and palaces built by French colonists. It has Thac Bac (The Silver Fall), Rung Rinh Peak and Tam Dao 2, a remnant of another resort built many years ago.

Another tourist location is Tay Thien site. It includes Tay Thien Quoc Mau Temple (literally The "Temple of East Heaven National Mother") and many pagodas. Along with Thien Vien Truc Lam (literally: "Dhyana Palace in Bamboo Forest") in Da Lat and Yen Tu, Thien Vien Truc Lam Tay Thien is a center of Vietnamese Buddhism.

Photo: Zing
Compiled by Pha Le