Visiting Hanoi’s Quan Son Lake—“Ha Long Bay on Land”
Just about 50km southwest of Hanoi’s centre, a “green gemstone” is tucked away in the suburban district of My Duc. Quan Son Lake is the perfect attraction for nature-lovers to enjoy on the weekend.
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| Quan Son Lake consists of 100 limestone mountains on its surface, making it an onshore miniature of Ha Long Bay. |
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| Spanning around 850ha in the territory of five communes of My Duc, the beautiful scenery is the combination of the sky, water and towering limestone mountains, somewhat similar to that of UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, in the northern province of Quang Ninh. |
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| It is said that the lake consists of 100 limestone mountains on its surface, making it an onshore miniature of Ha Long Bay. |
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| The best time to visit Quan Son is during the lotus season, which falls between mid-May and June. If you visit at another time, the green carpet locally called trang trang—an aquatic plant with small white flowers—is equally beautiful, creating a romantic scene on the lake. |
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| The best way to enjoy Quan Son’s untouched beauty by commercial tourism is to hire a small boat and sail around. |
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| Taking a canoe is also another option. |
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| The one-hour boat trip will bring visitors around the lake, take them to orchards on several islands and even let them climb limestone mountains to explore caves. |
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| There are unique islands in the lake with strange names, named after their shapes, such as Su Tu (“Lion”) Island, Voi Phuc (“Kneeling Elephant”) Mountain and Hoa Qua Son (“Fruit”) Mountain, one of the biggest mountains around the lake. |
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| Visitors can also negotiate with ferrymen to arrive at Hoa Qua Son for a rest, swimming and homemade barbecue parties. |
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| An overview of Quan Son Lake from the peak Hoa Qua Son Mountain. |
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| There are also several temples on the lake, as well as a unique bird sanctuary call Thung Voi at the end of the year, according to locals. |
