Have you ever heard of Song Hinh in Phu Yen, a land hiding untouched, majestic beauty and rich cultural identity? If not, join “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Travel Around The World) to explore a trip to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen, a place that not only captivates hearts with its natural landscapes but also is a treasure trove of unique cuisine, deeply imbued with the essence of the Central Highlands mountains and forests.
Song Hinh, a mountainous district located in the southwest of Phu Yen province, is like a hidden jade gem amidst the vast green mountains. Nature has generously endowed this place with majestic high mountains, vast primeval forests, and especially the poetic and lyrical Song Hinh Lake. Coming to Song Hinh, you will not only admire the wild natural beauty but also have the opportunity to discover the diverse culture of over 20 ethnic groups, including minorities who make up nearly half of the district’s population.
Discover Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen
Geographical Location and Natural Beauty
Song Hinh is not just an ordinary mountainous district, but also a vivid natural painting, created by the wonderful harmony between mountains and rivers. With terrain mainly consisting of hills and mountains, Song Hinh has the highest peak, Chu Ninh, reaching 1,035 meters, creating a majestic and magnificent landscape. The Ba River, the mother river of Phu Yen, winds along the northern boundary, embracing Song Hinh. From the Ba River, water seeps into each mountain crevice, forming murmuring streams day and night, bringing freshness and vitality to this land.
The highlight of Song Hinh is Song Hinh Lake, a vast hydroelectric lake formed by damming the Song Hinh River. The blue lake surface is like a giant mirror, reflecting the sky and overlapping mountains. The lake is surrounded by lush green forests, creating a peaceful and tranquil space, in stark contrast to the noise and bustle of the city. This pristine, poetic beauty has turned Song Hinh into an ideal destination for those seeking peace and harmony with nature.
Peaceful countryside scenery of Song Hinh Phu Yen, Vietnam
Directions to Song Hinh Lake
To reach Song Hinh Lake from the city center of Tuy Hoa, you will have an exciting journey exploring the beautiful roads of Phu Yen. The route is quite convenient; just travel along National Highway 1A towards the South, to Da Rang Bridge, then go about 1km further to Phu Lam intersection. Here, turn west and continue on Đ.T645 road for about 55km to reach Hai Rieng town, the administrative center of Song Hinh district, and from there you can easily access Song Hinh Lake.
The road to Song Hinh is not just a journey, but also a wonderful experience. You will see vast green rice fields stretching out, overlapping mountains hidden in the clouds, and peaceful villages nestled on hillsides. If you are a lover of exploration and photography, don’t forget to stop at roadside viewpoints to capture memorable moments on your trip to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen.
Peaceful Hai Rieng town, a stop on the way to Song Hinh
Ideal Time to Visit Song Hinh Lake
The weather in Song Hinh has the characteristics of a tropical monsoon climate, divided into 4 distinct seasons. However, the best time to travel to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen is from January to April. At this time, the weather in Song Hinh is extremely pleasant, spring brings a cool atmosphere, gentle sunshine, and plants sprout buds, creating a fresh, vibrant landscape. Spring is also the time when traditional festivals of ethnic minorities take place, giving visitors the opportunity to discover the unique culture of this land.
In addition, summer from May to August is also a good option to visit Song Hinh. Although the weather is somewhat hotter, this is the time when water-based activities are bustling. Moreover, summer is also the season of forest fruits; you can enjoy fresh, typical fruits of the Song Hinh mountains and forests. No matter when you come to Song Hinh, this place always has interesting and attractive things for you to explore.
Quiet and deserted Song Hinh at night
Must-Visit Destinations When Traveling to Song Hinh Lake
Traveling to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen is not just about sightseeing the lake but also a journey to explore attractive destinations around it, each place with its own beauty and unique experiences.
Xuan Huong Lake – A Jade Gem in the Heart of Song Hinh
Named after the flower city of Da Lat, Xuan Huong Lake in Song Hinh carries a dreamy, romantic beauty that is not inferior. Although not as large as Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat, Xuan Huong Lake in Song Hinh has its own charm, which is its unspoiled, peaceful, and close-to-nature atmosphere. On both sides of the lake are rows of green trees providing shade, the sound of birds singing echoing, creating a relaxing and comfortable space.
In the early morning, the lake surface is covered by a misty veil, creating a magical scene like a fairyland. In the late afternoon, the sunset descends, dyeing the entire lake surface with brilliant orange-yellow light, creating a romantic and lyrical natural painting. Xuan Huong Lake is not only a beautiful scenic spot but also an ideal place for you to relax, fish, or kayak to explore the beauty of the lake. Near the lake is also Dai Anh Sao (Star Observatory), an ideal place for stargazing at night.
Xuan Huong Lake in Song Hinh at sunset
Early morning mist on Xuan Huong Lake
H’Ly Waterfall – A Symphony of Mountains and Forests
H’Ly Waterfall, a scenic relic located upstream of the Song Hinh River, in Kit village, about 15km from Hai Rieng town. H’Ly Waterfall is not just a simple waterfall but also a work of art of nature, created by the harmonious combination of the powerful flow of water from the Song Hinh Hydropower Plant and the gentle, poetic beauty of the surrounding mountains and forests. Coming to H’Ly Waterfall, you will admire the majestic beauty of the white waterfall, immerse yourself in the murmuring sound of flowing water, birds singing, and the wind whispering through the forest canopy.
If you come to H’Ly Waterfall in the spring, you will have the opportunity to admire the brilliant beauty of wild orchids blooming on both sides of the waterfall, adding color to the natural picture here. H’Ly Waterfall is not only an attractive destination for nature lovers but also an ideal place for you to camp, picnic, and enjoy the fresh air of the mountains and forests.
Majestic H'Ly waterfall amidst the mountains and forests of Song Hinh
Le Diem Village – Experience E De Culture
Located right next to Xuan Huong Lake, Le Diem village is a traditional village of the E De people. To reach Le Diem village, you only need to cross a small bamboo bridge spanning the stream. Stepping into Le Diem village, you feel like you are in another world, where life is slow-paced, peaceful, and people live in harmony with nature. Traditional stilt houses hidden under green trees, trays of rice and corn drying in the golden sunlight, the echoing sound of gongs from afar, all create a unique and colorful cultural picture.
Coming to Le Diem village, you will be welcomed by the locals with sincerity and hospitality. You can participate in the daily activities of the people, enjoy traditional dishes such as chicken cooked with é leaves, upland rice, and especially participate in gong festivals, warm campfire nights, singing, dancing together, and learning about the culture, customs, and habits of the E De people. Le Diem village is not only a tourist destination but also a place for you to experience, exchange culture, and learn more about the lives of ethnic minorities.
Campfire festival in Le Diem village
Gong festival in Le Diem village
Song Hinh Hydropower Plant – A Wonder Amidst Nature
The Song Hinh Hydropower Plant, built from 1993 and completed in 2001, is a testament to the power of humans in conquering nature. Located amidst majestic mountains and forests, the Song Hinh Hydropower Plant is not only a power plant but also an attractive tourist attraction. Standing from above, you will see the water dam system designed scientifically and beautifully, creating an impressive landscape.
You can rent a boat to stroll on the hydroelectric lake, admire the surrounding scenery, and enjoy local specialties at lakeside restaurants. The Song Hinh Hydropower Plant not only provides electricity to the area but also contributes to creating a unique tourist highlight for tourism in Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen.
Large-scale Song Hinh Hydropower Plant
Unique Cuisine When Traveling to Song Hinh Lake
A trip to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen would not be complete if you miss the opportunity to enjoy the unique specialties of this land. Song Hinh cuisine is imbued with the flavors of the mountains and forests, prepared from natural, fresh ingredients and deeply imbued with local cultural identity.
Yellow Ant Salt – The Signature Flavor of Mountains and Forests
Yellow ant salt is a unique and famous dish of Song Hinh. The main ingredient of this dish is yellow ants, a type of ant that lives in the forest. Yellow ants are caught, roasted with salt, chili, lemon leaves, and other spices, creating a salt with a sour, salty, spicy taste, fragrant with lemon leaves and the characteristic flavor of yellow ants. Yellow ant salt is often used to dip grilled or boiled meats or served with white rice. If you have the opportunity to travel to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen, don’t forget to try this unique specialty.
Handmade roasted yellow ant salt of Song Hinh
Sun-Dried Beef of Song Hinh – A Gift from the Grasslands
Sun-dried beef of Song Hinh is another famous specialty that you should not miss when coming to this land. The beef chosen to make sun-dried beef is grass-fed beef, naturally raised on the Song Hinh grasslands, so the meat is very firm and delicious. The beef is marinated with rich spices, dried in the sun, then grilled, with the natural sweetness of beef, the pungency of chili, the aroma of lemongrass, and other spices. Sun-dried beef of Song Hinh is often served with yellow ant salt or chili sauce, a great snack or a meaningful gift for you to buy for relatives and friends after your trip to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen.
Sun-dried beef, a specialty of Song Hinh
Cassava Leaf Soup and Forest Vegetables – E De Culinary Identity
Cassava leaf soup and forest vegetables are traditional dishes of the E De people in Song Hinh. The cassava leaves chosen for soup are young cassava leaves, which have a slightly sour taste, and when cooked, have a sweet and nutty taste. Forest vegetables used for soup are very diverse, depending on the season and each person’s preferences. Cassava leaf soup and forest vegetables are often cooked with meat or fish, creating a rustic dish, rich in the flavor of mountains and forests. This is a dish you should try to better feel the culinary identity of the E De people when traveling to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen.
Cassava leaf soup – a familiar dish of ethnic minorities
Khoang Mushroom – Song Hinh Forest Treasure
Khoang mushroom is a special forest mushroom of Song Hinh, usually growing in the rainy season. Khoang mushrooms are shaped like termite mushrooms but smaller and white in color. Khoang mushrooms have a sweet, crunchy taste, very delicious and nutritious. Khoang mushrooms can be processed into many delicious dishes such as stir-fried khoang mushrooms, khoang mushroom soup, grilled khoang mushrooms… Among them, spicy forest chili khoang mushroom soup is a simple dish but very popular. Just fresh khoang mushrooms, a little spicy forest chili, and simple spices, you have a delicious dish, rich in the flavor of mountains and forests. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this special khoang mushroom dish when traveling to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen.
Khoang mushroom – a specialty from Song Hinh forest
Traveling to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen is a journey of discovery that is both interesting and meaningful. This place not only has beautiful, majestic natural landscapes but also a diverse, unique culture and distinctive cuisine. Come to Song Hinh to feel the unspoiled, peaceful beauty and experience new and exciting things that this land brings. Wishing you a memorable trip to Song Hinh Lake in Phu Yen!
Tuyết Trịnh
Source: Synthesized