If you have visited Hai Ha District and were impressed with Truc Bai Son Lake, then pay a visit to Doi Waterfall in Tai Chi Village. Doi Waterfall in Quang Ninh is a romantic love song amidst the mountains and forests, and an eternal symbol of love.
Fascinating Doi Waterfall in Quang Ninh – Legend of a beautiful love story
Doi Waterfall in Quang Ninh is located about 15km from the center of Quang Son Commune. Visitors must travel 14km to Quang Son Commune, then another 14km to Tai Chi Village. To reach Doi Waterfall, visitors must follow locals who know the terrain well. Because there is currently no direct road to the waterfall, requiring shortcuts across streams or through forest trails, visitors must wear specialized shoes or sandals.
The twin waterfall splits into two and then merges into a pool. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
There are two routes to Doi Waterfall; one can be traversed by motorbike along natural rose myrtle hills, where in May the blossoms are in full bloom and by July the ripe purple myrtles cover the hills.
Around the waterfall are many large boulders. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The other route to Doi Waterfall is on foot. This is a shortcut through stream beds and primeval forests, where you can admire completely natural scenery with large and small rocks of diverse shapes.
Primeval forest around the waterfall. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
In the forest, there are ancient large timber trees and many species of precious herbs and medicinal plants. Wild phrynium leaves (dong leaves) abound, blanketing entire forest patches; this is the source of leaves for locals to wrap chung cakes during Tet, and along the stream are many wild banana bushes bearing flowers and fruit.
The rough path leading to the waterfall. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Surrounding Doi Waterfall is the primary protection forest of Hai Ha District. These primeval forests retain water for the two rivers, Ha Coi and Tai Chi, which serve as the main water source for agricultural communes in the district.
After overcoming a forest trek of about 3km, you will reach the waterfall. The waterfall is 10m high; the water splits into two streams before plunging down into a wide pool with water so clear you can see the bottom. Doi Waterfall originates from Cao Ba Lanh Mountain, flows through Tai Chi Village, and then cascades down following the Ha Coi River. The waterfall provides water for thousands of hectares of forests and farmlands belonging to the local people.
Beauty of the green forest. Photo: Hai Ha District.
The legend of Doi Waterfall in Quang Ninh has been passed down by word of mouth among the locals: In ancient times, there was a Dao couple deeply in love. The girl was as beautiful as the full moon, captivating an evil deity who plotted to kidnap her as his wife. Learning of this, the couple fled together until their feet bled from running across streams. Then one day, the evil deity caught up with them at the Tai Chi River.
Bathing in the waterfall. Photo: Hai Ha District.
The couple jumped into the river. The demon threw rocks down to block the river. The young couple turned into two waterfalls, surging past the large rock to form a torrent that submerged the demon. The story tells of the water that, even if split in two, reunites to form a lake, just like true love which, though sometimes separated, always finds its way back together.
Photo: Long Vu.
Exploring the Twin Waterfall in Quang Ninh, visitors can also discover the culture of the Dao people. The community still preserves many unique traditional cultural features of the Dao from ancient times, with a long-standing identity.
In Ly Quang village, Mrs. Dieng Chong Senh was awarded the title of “Vietnam Folk Artisan” by the Association of Vietnamese Folk Artists in 2013. Mrs. Senh has made significant contributions to teaching the craft of embroidering traditional costumes to women in the commune.
The Dao people in Hai Ha district. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
In this village, there is also Mr. Chiu Sang Hi, the best traditional horn player of the Dao people in Hai Ha district. He can play all 18 funeral tunes and 12 wedding tunes of the Dao people. What is remarkable is that Mr. Hy can also craft the horns himself, a skill that was previously passed down from father to son among artisans.
Vibrant traditional attire of the Dao Thanh Phan people. Photo: Hai Ha District.
In addition, Hai Ha district features lush green tea hills, the pristine and poetic natural scenery of Cai Chien island commune, the fresh vibrancy of the Bac Phong Sinh border gate economic zone, and the picturesque beauty of model gardens and model villages... These are all destinations visitors can explore along with the Twin Waterfall in Quang Ninh.
