If you have visited Hai Ha District and been impressed by Truc Bai Son Lake, be sure to visit the Twin Waterfalls in Tai Chi Village. The Twin Waterfalls of Quang Ninh are a romantic love song amid the mountains and forests, and a symbol of everlasting love.
The Enchanting Twin Waterfalls in Quang Ninh – The Legend of a Beautiful Love Story
The Twin Waterfalls of Quang Ninh are located about 15km from the center of Quang Son Commune. Visitors must travel 14km to Quang Son Commune, then continue for another 14 km to Tai Chi Village. To reach the Twin Waterfalls, visitors must follow local people who are familiar with the area. As there is currently no road leading to the waterfalls and visitors must take shortcuts through streams or forest paths, they should wear specialized shoes or sandals.
The waterfall splits into two streams before merging into a lake. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
There are two routes to the Twin Waterfalls. One can be traveled by motorbike, winding through natural myrtle hills. In May, the myrtle flowers bloom profusely, and by July, the myrtle berries turn purple across the hills.
There are many large rocks around the waterfalls. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The other route to the Twin Waterfalls is on foot. This shortcut passes through the stream bed and primeval forests, allowing you to admire completely natural scenery, including large and small rocks in countless shapes.
Primeval forest around the waterfalls. Photo: Hai Ha District.
The forest is home to large ancient trees as well as many valuable herbs and medicinal plants. Wild dong leaves are abundant, covering entire stretches of forest; these leaves are used by local people to wrap banh chung during Tet. Along the stream, there are also many wild banana bushes bearing flowers and fruit.
The route to the waterfalls is rugged. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The Twin Waterfalls are surrounded by the primeval protected forest of Hai Ha District. These primeval forests retain water for the Ha Coi and Tai Chi rivers, supplying the main water source for agricultural communes in the district.
After covering about 3km of forest path, you will reach the waterfalls. The waterfall is 10m high, and its flow divides in two before pouring into a wide lake with crystal-clear water and a visible bottom. The Twin Waterfalls originate from the waters of Cao Ba Lanh Mountain, flow through Tai Chi Village, and then continue downstream along the Ha Coi River. The waterfall supplies water to thousands of hectares of forest and farmland belonging to local residents.
The beauty of the green forest. Photo: Hai Ha District.
The legend of the Twin Waterfalls of Quang Ninh has been passed down by local people: Long ago, a Dao couple fell in love. The girl was as beautiful as the full moon, captivating demons and spirits, who plotted to abduct her and make her their wife. The young couple learned of the plan and fled together, their feet bleeding as they ran across the streams. Then one day, the demons and spirits chased them to the Tai Chi River.
Bathing at the waterfalls. Photo: Hai Ha District.
The couple jumped into the river. The demons and spirits threw rocks into it to block the flow. The young couple transformed into two waterfalls, surging over the large rocks and creating a current that drowned the demons and spirits. The story of the water, which may divide in two but eventually merges into one to form a lake, is like true love: even when separated for a time, it will ultimately reunite.
Photo: Long Vu.
Exploring the Twin Waterfalls of Quang Ninh, visitors can also discover the culture of the Dao people. The community still preserves many unique traditional cultural features of the Dao people from long ago, with a heritage passed down through generations.
In Ly Quang Village, Ms. Dieng Chong Senh was awarded the title of “Vietnamese Folk Artist” by the Vietnam Association of Folk Arts in 2013. Ms. Senh has made significant contributions to teaching traditional costume embroidery to women in the commune.
The Dao people in Hai Ha District. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The village is also home to Chiu Sang Hi, the finest player of traditional Dao melodies on the horn in Hai Ha District. He can play all 18 funeral horn pieces and 12 wedding horn pieces of the Dao people. In particular, Hỷ also knows how to make the horns himself, which in the past were made only by artisans through a “father-to-son” tradition.
The vibrant traditional costumes of the Thanh Phan Dao people. Photo: Hai Ha District.
In addition, Hai Ha District is home to green tea hills, the pristine and romantic natural scenery of Cai Chien island commune, the lively and fresh atmosphere of the Bac Phong Sinh border-gate economic zone, and the poetic beauty of model gardens and model villages… These are all places visitors can explore alongside the Twin Waterfalls of Quang Ninh.
