Lesson 2: Son River - Phong Nha: Love song of rock and water
After the initial discoveries of Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park , when the emotions had not yet subsided, another melody of nature softly rang out, taking our steps to continue entering the heart of the heritage, where the blue Son River and the legendary Phong Nha Cave blend together, playing an immortal love song of rocks and water.
Son River - Witness of history and the charm of Quang Nam
Like a jade silk strip across the Truong Son mountains and rivers, the Son River, a graceful branch of the historic Gianh River, carries within itself a poetic beauty and profound depth. Nearly 35km long, the river originates from majestic limestone cliffs, gently embracing the peaceful countryside banks, reflecting the clouds and sky and leaning against the towering cliffs. The Son River is like blue glass, with a different color each season, making anyone who sees it stunned:
Son River is known for its wild, poetic beauty. The river winds softly around limestone mountains, the river water is clear, cool and blue.
Our boat goes upstream on the Son River/ Listening to the boat's melody pushing the immense waves/ The sky and water are blue/ Phong Nha's scenery is as beautiful as a painting.
When the bright morning sunlight shines down, the river surface becomes a giant mirror, reflecting the clear blue sky and the white clouds drifting lazily. The atmosphere on the river is extremely vibrant with dozens of small boats gliding gently on the water, carrying groups of tourists from all over, eager to explore the mystery of Phong Nha Cave. The cheerful laughter, the steady sound of oars splashing water blends with the chirping of birds from both banks, creating a lively symphony between nature and people.
Along the riverbank, the corn fields are covered with golden flags shining in the sunlight, swaying in the gentle breeze like arms waving to greet the people passing by. The image of the corn flags swaying and sparkling in the wind not only adds to the poetic beauty of the landscape but also brings a feeling of closeness and friendliness with nature. With each boat passing by, visitors cannot help but admire the charming beauty of the Son River - where nature and people blend together, creating a vivid, colorful and emotional picture.
The Son River is not only poetic and brilliant, but also imbued with historical imprints. During the Trinh - Nguyen conflict, the two banks of Son - Gianh were the dividing line between the country. During the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, the river became a traffic artery, silently seeing off countless vehicles and boats that carried thoughts, hopes and even blood. Stories about the courage and resilience of the ferrymen and villagers still echo in our memories, like the unceasing beat of the heart of Quang land.
The transition from light outside to darkness inside as the boat passes through the cave entrance brings a sense of wonder to visitors.
The journey to explore Phong Nha often begins at the Son River wharf. The image of a diligent boatman, with a conical hat and a gentle smile, skillfully steering a small boat through the waves to take tourists upstream has become all too familiar.
The boat slowly glides on the calm water, taking us through peaceful village scenes, steep cliffs reflecting their shadows, and then gradually entering the mysterious cave. It is a moment to fully immerse yourself in the majestic nature, listen to the whisper of the river, feel the magical transition from the bright light to the magical space of the cave.
Phong Nha Cave - A million-year masterpiece and its legends
Known as “The most beautiful cave in the South”, Phong Nha is a masterpiece of nature, created over hundreds of millions of years. Rainwater seeps through the limestone, quietly eroding and dissolving, creating a majestic underground river system and shimmering stalactites of various shapes.
Formed about 250 million years ago, the cave was once a place of worship for the ancient Champa people from the 9th century, with sacred symbols and altars hidden in the darkness. At the end of the 19th century, priest Léopold Michel Cadière opened the cave to the world , allowing Phong Nha to rise to legend.
The stalactite system in Phong Nha Cave has many unique shapes, formed over millions of years.
With a survey length of more than 7.7km and an underground river of about 1.5km - one of the longest underground rivers in the world - Phong Nha opens up the spiritual realm of stalactites. The rocks above are like palace domes, stalactites hanging down like fairy hair, spreading out in many shapes: majestic Lion, proud Unicorn, magnificent Palace, ...
As the boat slowly glides across the water, visitors will be overwhelmed by the magical scenery. The light from the flashlight or the lighting system in the cave reflects on the sparkling stalactites, creating strange shapes such as majestic palaces, animals, or vivid natural paintings. The underground river in the cave is cool and clear, with interwoven sections of light and darkness, giving the feeling of being lost in a fairyland.
The sounds in Phong Nha Cave are truly a unique symphony of nature: The rhythmic sound of oars splashing water, combined with the sound of water drops dripping from the cave ceiling echoing like a distant bell, the rustling sound of bats flapping their wings like a whisper from the past, all creating a unique natural music, making the journey even more mysterious. The strange winds suddenly blowing through the narrow gaps in the cave further enhance the sense of mystery, as if visitors are touching a surreal world.
A gentle undercurrent of wind blows through the crevices of the rocks, blowing up small boats as hundreds of passenger boats race to explore. The exposed, emerald-green Son River leads into the cave, then turns into an underground silk strip, cool and crystal clear. Visitors hold their breath as their boats glide along the surface of the underground river, about 1km long, weaving between the cliffs, admiring with their own eyes the shimmering, magical stalactite system.
Echoes from Heritage
When the boat gently drifted out of the cave, ending the journey from Son River to Phong Nha, what remained was not only the halo of rocks and water, but also a deep echo in the heart. Anyone who has been lost in the underground world of Phong Nha must have brought with them a sense of respect for the natural miracle, the traces of ancestors and the story of gratitude from mother earth.
This heritage is a priceless gift bestowed by nature and history. Preserving the purity of the Son River, protecting each fragile stalactite, preserving the peaceful space here is not only a responsibility, but also a way for us to express our deep love for the land of Quang Binh . Every small action - not littering, not leaving footprints outside of memories, spreading the heritage story to friends - all contribute to nurturing the love song of stone and water for future generations./.
 | Discover the majestic natural beauty of Quang Binh: Journey into the heritage land - A strange gem in the majestic Truong Son (Part 1) There are places where, when we set foot, we suddenly feel incredibly small before the majesty of creation, like a fragile grain of sand before the massive mountains, feeling time stand still in a moment of silence. |
(to be continued)
Bach Viet
Last article: Discover the underground "heaven" and the jade beauty of HaVa - Song Chay
Source: https://baolongan.vn/kham-pha-ve-dep-thien-nhien-ky-vi-cua-quang-binh-song-son-phong-nha-khuc-tinh-ca-cua-da-va-nuoc-bai-2--a196352.html
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