Ban Gioc Waterfalls (Vietnam) (page 2 of 3)

Hi Ericat; We’re planning our trip for July 17th. There are local buses from Hanoi to Cao Bang (My Dinh bus station—link My Dinh bus station). But do you know how to get from there to the waterfall? Can we contact a travel agency, or is it easy to do on our own? If anyone could shed some light, that’d be great! Thanks!

From Cao Bang bus station, there’s a microbus connection (15 seats, usually) to Trùng Khanh, the district capital (about 50 km away), and maybe even directly to Dam Thuy village, where you can find guesthouses a 15-minute walk from the waterfall site. Otherwise, from Trung Khanh, there’s usually a minibus service (12 seats) to Ban Gioc Waterfalls that cost around 20,000–25,000 VND per person in 2013.

http://vdquynh.blogspot.com/2013/03/de-quang-uyen-trung-khanh-et-dam-thuy.html

You could also take a taxi or motorbike taxis (about 25 km). http://vdquynh.blogspot.com/2013/03/les-chutes-deau-de-ban-gioc-dam-thuy.html

In early 2013, there were roadworks between Trung Khanh and Ban Gioc. They should be finished by now.

Best, Quynh

thanks Quynh I forgot to mention, there are 4 of us, including an 11-year-old. We’ll try to find a car that can take us directly to the waterfall.

This is the best solution. I don’t know of any agencies in Cao Bang, but it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one on the main street before or after the bridge. Otherwise, ask at your hotel (the Huong Sen is great).

Hi there, Just to let you know, we were in Cao Bằng in March 2016 to visit the waterfalls, and for the first time in Vietnam, we had a lot of trouble finding an agency or anything similar. After a day of searching, we asked the reception at the old, big hotel in the center at the corner of the bridge. The young receptionist had a friend with a car... and the next day, he took us there. To communicate, we went through the young woman by phone! It was really nice, and the next day, he drove us to Ho Chi Minh Cave. With a bit of perseverance, you’ll get there! And it’s worth it. Have a great trip, Andre69

Thanks Larsay and Andre69. I’ll wait until I get there and find a taxi. Does anyone know the rate for a taxi for the day, and the price of entry to the falls?

Hi André, We’re planning a future 3-week trip to northern Vietnam and thought about heading to Cao Bằng to see those famous waterfalls. Are there any other spots around Cao Bằng worth checking out to make the long round trip from Hanoi worthwhile? Villages, landscapes? Thanks,

Hi there,

On the road from Hanoi to Cao Bang—the old RC4 or "Bloody Road," which became a dam in 1950—you really need to be a history buff to appreciate it. There are still some beautiful landscapes, though! Around Cao Bang, there are also markets if you head a little north toward China: Po Tau, Tra Linh, Trung Khanh, etc. Otherwise, there’s Ba Bể Lake to the west/southwest, 126 km away (about 3h20 by road). You can stay with locals, take a boat ride on the lake, explore caves, see a small waterfall, and go hiking. Visitors usually love this stop—it all depends on how much time you have. Happy planning! Eric

Highly recommended, it's stunning!

Day 1: Hanoi-BABE (Tay village of Pac Ngoi - Mr. DUY THO's homestay) Day 2: Boat trip on Nang Lake and River - Dau Dang Cave and Waterfall; a really beautiful day!) Day 3: Pac Ngoi-Cho Ra-Cao Bang Day 4: Ban Gioc Waterfalls Day 5: Pac Ngoi-Halong OR you can continue to Bao Lac, Meo Vac, Dong Van, and Ha Giang

Hi there, To avoid the long Hanoi–Cao Bằng trip, we stopped in Lạng Sơn, which makes for a short but pleasant break (caves to visit and the ruined fort—check out J Larsay’s really helpful posts). Happy planning! andre69

Hello, On the road to Ban Gioc, 36 km from Cao Bang, there’s a Nung village, the blacksmith village of Phuc Sen. It’s a very old village, with around 400 families who almost all have their own forge. The Nungs are one of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities, and the people of Phuc Sen have kept their traditional clothing and ancestral customs. Ask around in Cao Bang—I think there’s a guesthouse in the village. When I passed through, it was in the works... they’d installed the bathrooms, BUT they were still waiting for the plumbing😉.

https://goo.gl/maps/AdGYjUtLFFM2 http://www.vietnamtourism.com/en/index.php/about/items/1763

Good to know!

I’ve always had an issue with the 54 minorities. The thing is, this number includes the Khin, who are actually the Viet—the majority of the population. What’s more, the excellent little booklet *Ethnic Minorities in Vietnam*, published by The Gioi, lists 53, not 54.

Hello,

For me, There are indeed 54 ethnic groups, including the Kinh, with 53 being minorities. The Kinh struggle to accept this classification among the 54 ethnic groups.

The Kinh ethnic group, the official name, represents the majority of the population and partly originates, like other ethnic groups, from migrations—Chinese in this case, but much older (258 years before our era). Vietnam was populated as early as the Neolithic period by populations of Indonesian and Malay origin, ancestors of the highland populations known as Moï or Muong. During the Bronze Age, Chinese populations arrived from the North and blended with those already settled there to form the Viet-Kinh people.

In the revised and corrected 2010 edition, it is well referenced in the list of ethnic groups on page 277. The Kinh ethnic group is classified under the Austro-Asiatic language family—Viet-Muong group on page 12. However, no chapter is dedicated to them, though the introduction mentions them several times.

Nguyen Van Huy, project leader of the Ethnology Museum, and his team of researchers in *Mosaïque culturel des ethnies du Vietnam* also classify the Kinh as one of the 54 ethnic groups, without dedicating a chapter to them either.

The Kinh, also known as the Viet, speak Vietnamese, a language belonging to the Austro-Asiatic family. Professor Bui Xuan Dinh from the Vietnam Institute of Social Sciences states:

"The Kinh, or the Viet, are part of the Lac Viet group, which belongs to the larger Bach Viet bloc, composed of several ethnic groups. Each group has its own territory. The ancestors of the Kinh were at the origin of various cultures: Phung Nguyên, Go Mun, Dong Dau, and Dong Son. They primarily practiced flooded rice cultivation and crafts, as evidenced by the Dong Son bronze drums." Initially, the Kinh mainly lived in the northern regions and the deltas of the North. Then, starting in the 11th century, they began a gradual expansion, first toward the Center and then the South, always in search of new land to clear. By the early 20th century, when the French began establishing large urban centers in the Northwest and the Central Highlands, many Kinh moved there.

Wherever they went, the Kinh quickly adapted to local customs and traditions. It’s no surprise, then, that they manage to coexist so harmoniously with ethnic minorities, sharing their know-how. Bui Xuan Dinh explains: "The Kinh form a single bloc. When they explore new regions, they must adapt as quickly as possible. But they have a special talent for combining their skills with those of the locals to later create a new culture. In the Northeast, for example, the Kinh still practice rice cultivation. However, since these are mountainous regions with particular climatic conditions, they adopt local techniques." Influenced by Confucianism and Taoism, the Kinh practice ancestor worship. Many are also Buddhist or Catholic.

In Kinh culture, the man is considered the head of the family. In a sibling group, the eldest son has the duty to perform ancestral rites if his grandparents or parents have passed away. Kinh culture is primarily transmitted orally—it includes a vast collection of tales, legends, proverbs, and folk songs—or in writing. Festivals also play an important role in tradition. The Kinh have been making pottery for a very long time. They also practice animal husbandry, but above all, they are rice farmers at heart!

There are indeed 54 ETHNIC GROUPS but only 53 MINORITIES!

We agree on that point!

Actually, there are 54 ethnic minorities, because a new one was discovered in 1959—11 families, or 34 people (now 600), the RUC, who lived in caves near the Laotian border in Quang Binh region and practiced foraging, fishing, and hunting (*Courrier du Vietnam* Magazine, June 27 to July 3, 2014)

Yeah, I know, I’ve been on this for a while😉 .

For now, they still aren’t recognized as a distinct ethnic group—researchers prefer to associate them with the Chut ethnic group of the Viet Muong before learning more, which isn’t easy since the Ruc are very secretive.

In 1988, Paris VII University published this book (which, unfortunately, still isn’t available—I’m on the waiting list): *Vietnamese-Ruc-French Lexicon: The Language of an Ethnic Minority in the Mountains of Quảng Bình, Vietnam, with Ethnographic Notes and a Linguistic Introduction*

Suggestion for Asia7 and Larsay In Huế, Father Binh, a theology professor at the major seminary located by the road leading to the Thien Mu Pagoda, might be a great help on this topic. He’s polyglot, fluent in Vietnamese, French, Italian, English, plus a few languages (four for sure) of minorities living along the Vietnam-Laos border, so near or on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Hi there, For those of us who aren’t familiar with VIETNAM, could you explain the difference between ETHNIC GROUPS and MINORITIES? (Maybe I sound silly???🤪) That said, my trip from south to north is coming up soon... I’d love to meet other travelers to share a moment and chat (since I’m traveling solo). My dates are from APRIL 18 in the south to MAY 16 in the north. Thanks in advance! marie

Minorities are ethnic groups that are small in number compared to the overall population (for example, the Roma in France)

I’ve noted it down and definitely won’t miss visiting during my next trip to Hue—probably for the cultural festival at the end of April!