Noong Lake – “the eye of mountain area” in Ha Giang

Noong Lake is a natural shallow lake in Phu Linh commune, Vi Xuyen district, Ha Giang province, about 17kms far from Ha Giang town. In rainy season, tourists can visit Noong Lake by raft or float; while in dry season, the water is so shallow that you can stand on the shore to take photos.

Visiting the lake, tourists not only enjoy the wild romantic beauty of nature, but also learn more about the customs, culture and daily life of theTay, Mong and Dao ethnic groups.

From Ha Giang, going through forests, terraced fields and hamlets of the Tay, Mong and Dao people, tourists arrive in Noong Lake that runs around the foot of Noong Mountain. This natural lake has a total area of water surface of over 20ha in dry season and 80ha in rainy season. It is surrounded by mountains and primitive forests of over 700ha. Under the sun or on moonlit nights, the lake’s water surface is twinkling and seems to be silver-inlaid. Therefore, the locals called it the forest’s “eye”.

At the end of dry season, Noong Lake is not so big and nearly empty

The special feature of theNoong Lake is in the heart of lake, it has not also lush trees but also the dry trees that create an interesting landscape. In the rainy season (April to October), the water level rises, the total area of the lake is about 80ha. This is an appropriate time to fish.

On rainy season, the trees was so beautiful in the water with the morning cloud

Some trees was death in the water and some others still growing

Local inhabitant of the lake

Fishing be little boat…

…Others by the net

In the dry season (from October to April), water surface shrink to about 20-30ha, local people use the dry land around the lake to plant maize, groundnuts, beans, squash, melons… while the lower ground planting vegetables, especially the short-term crops. Particularly the high land around the lake during the dry season if not planted crops, it will be used as grazing of cattle of the local people.

On dry season, the water was too shallow so the raft that local people uesed to take people to the lake just turned to be the hut for children to study.

Goat went home

Rice field next to the lake

By Mai Phuong

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