Past the bear pit

Part of the Yang Bay Tourist Park complex or at least just outside the most developed part of this tourist development complex, Ho Cho waterfall is a wide low waterfall, in all descending 6-8 m. I guess. Below is a great pool where one can take a very undisturbed swim. At least during the week, when visitors are few and far between.

That's for now. It's quite strange, this lack of even a decent track, slam-bam next to Yang Bay Tourist Park. Instead of going to Yang Bay waterfall itself, once inside the 'park' one takes the left road past the bear pit, tribal game place and orchid garden. Abruptly the wide road stops (10 minutes after taking the road) at a wild stream.

A small path continues through the high grass to the river where a small log has been laid over the first 2 m of the river crossing; the rest can be achieved by jumping from rock to rock. On the other bank of the river, the track continues through the forest until it hits the rock-face of the waterfall itself. No track beyond this by the look of it. Time for a dip.


The Yang Bay Tourist Park companies brochure describes Ho Cho as follows:

‘To be deep in the forest. Ho-Cho waterfall is considered as a challenge to visitors. Ho-Cho waterfall also owns a lot of hot mineral water sources helpful for cure’.

Well, the effort required can not be described as a challenge, it is pretty easy. I'm unsure about the hot spring claim though, it certainly was not apparent.

Another link to the possibility of there being mineral water is here:

'After a refreshing dip, visitors can relax in a natural hot spring'.

As stated in the Waterfalls of Southeast Asia blog entry on Yang Bay, management may want to expand the mineral water on offer and add in some mud (as in the success of Thap Ba hot spring).

It's a pity that not much is made of the current mineral water facilities, if existing.

Despite the development, Yang bay and certainly Ho Cho are worth the effort.

Update [June 2012]
This article mentions 

'The waterfall [Ho Cho] includes two streams, one hot and one cold. If tourists fancy having fun in the hot water or just want to relax, the park management board has built a swimming pool, which mixes the two streams of hot and cold water.
The waterfall will soon be developed into a hot spring site'.

All part of an expansion ...

Cemented this one

Docile
It’s always difficult to present nature in it’s original state to tourists, such that it is appealing. Apparently, in Vietnam nature is required to be conquered before it can be appreciated. Conquered by the masses.

Yang Bay waterfall ("waterfall of the heaven") ranks as Khanh Hoa’s number one inland tourist location. Why? Because it’s been tamed and enhanced?

Enhancing includes a bear pit, a crocodile enclosure and a fish lake. An area where one can experience local ethnic customs, such as pig racing. And listening to a music performance by the local Raglai:

'Gia Rai residents are proud of their musical ability and are only too happy to entertain visitors. They play traditional instruments such as the chapi, t’rung, tacung flute, taleploi clarinet and the dan da (stone instrument)'. source

Taming means wide lanes and lots of cement. Making (and applying) rules. And cordoning sections off to make sure the masses stay docile ...

But it’s a waterfall! Hmmm.

Entrance
Located at nearly 50 km west of Nha Trang, the capital of Khanh Hoa, currently the access road heading west is being reconstructed. In absence of the completion one needs to take the only other road west, Highway 26A (to Dalat) which goes through the 17th century citadel of Dien Khahn. Eventually one heads more southwards into more hillier terrain, the hills covered with cassava and sugarcane.

Then over a higher hill one suddenly is at Yang Bay with it’s wide tree lined roads. One parks close to the ticket office (30,000 VND, ~ US$ 1,50) and as with me I apparently also bought a ticket (another 10,000 VND) for inside the park transport.

A golf cart brings me up 300m to a place closer to the falls. Here’s a restaurant and a number of outlets selling everything but a good cup of coffee. This being an early morning through the week visit, it’s nice and quiet. Hardly any visitors and a lot of cleaning going on. It certainly is clean; hurray for businesses taking over the nature.

About 100m beyond the stop the road is back at the level of the stream. On the other bank of the river is a smaller waterfall called Yang Khang which functions as backdrop to the above mentioned music show.

Yang Khang waterfall, note that one is not allowed on the rocks themselves ...

Yang Bay
In the mainstream is the Yang Bay waterfall: a wide fall of a number of steps, going down by as much as 20m. A wide path brings one to the top of the fall where it’s probably intended to take a photo and return back to civilization.

Beyond this point is a wide boulder strewn valley floor, which provably extends for a lot further. Travelfish describes there being another set of falls about a kilometer up. Instead of seeking this other set, I decide to see if another waterfall closeby, Ho Cho is reachable. See the upcoming blog entry on this fall.

Yang Bay

Even though over-commercialized and sanitized, Yang Bay is still worth the visit; at least if there are not too many visitors. Lines have been set out showing where one can (or must) swim and it’s certainly safe, albeit overly civilized.

First hand experience by other visitors is not easily to come by. Travelfish mention:

'The main falls have been heavily modified, and some swimming areas have been artificially created, but the effect is fairly natural and quite beautiful'.

Wikitravel adds:

'It used to be a lot nicer before they built it but it is still a very nice place to visit'.

Under-construction
The current situation is only a situation which consists from mid-2008, when the part underwent an upgrade to the original construction of 2004 (source). The owner of Yang Bay Tourist Park is the company known as Khatoco. Besides industrial activities and the local professional football of Nha Trang, it is responsible for the 570 ha park. In a news item the company is said to have more plans:

'We plan to invest billions of dong in Yang Bay. We want to build a mud bath and a high-end resort,” Khanh said with a smile surveying the beautiful countryside. “Then more people will be able to enjoy the nature and the loveliness of the reserve'.

Hmmm, I might have some reservations of this type of tourism which caters to masses. Then again, commercial interests have some potential unforeseen consequences:

'Le Cong Ra, director of the Yang Bay Tourist Park, said he and his subordinates are very worried knowing that loggers are destroying the forest in the upper part of the Yang Bay Fall'.

The outcome is more stringent enforcement.

You are here. At the cross road. Left to Ho Cho, straight ahead Yang Bay and Yang Khang.

Intoxicating?

Suoi Ba Ho translates as "Three Pools Stream", which seems to give more credence to the waterholes beneath the three falls. In quick succession these falls find their way down about 100m of granite, hollowing out their lakes and creating a number of great swimming holes.

Unfortunately access is not fantastic. The turnoff from Vietnam's Highway 1 is 20-22 kms north of Nha Trang, the Khanh Hoa provincial capital, located on the south central coast. There’s a larger sign just before the small surfaced road. Three kilometers it says, which implies possibly 3 kms until a T-crossing with no sign there but where one needs to take a left. Continue onwards for about another 3 kms over a poor rough and tumble road, one eventually ends at a car park, in the process of being built into a bungalow park.

Well-shaded by tall trees, the rudimentary car park is along a sluggishly moving stream. On the opposite side are also bungalows being built, certainly marks of forward planning. Vietnamese ecotourism. The best part is that this is the worst part of whatever this development entity calls itself. A quick payment of 20,000 VND (a fraction less than a US $) had ensured entrance but the destination was still a little upstream.

A wide track continues along the stream until it shortcuts a turn and hits the boulder strewn stream itself. From here to the first fall one needs to jump from rock to rock. One gets to the first lake (and fall) after about 45 minutes from the car park.


Surprisingly for a Tuesday mid March, there are two large groups of locals at the lower lake having a merry time, slowly getting intoxicated.

Did I tell you that the National Parks of Thailand want to ban alcohol consumption in their jurisdiction? According to the Nation (December 28 2010) On the one hand, that leaves us folks who can control our intake with empty hands, on the other hand, drunks playing the clown are a part of the past.

Anyway, there’s a track up the side of the canyon, a very steep track. Fifteen minutes up and it’s a steep slide back down. There is also the possibility to use metal rungs drilled into the rockside to pull oneself up to the next features. Up here there’s nobody to be found, a great place to dip the skinny, a personal first for me in Vietnam.

More info from internet are the pages on Ba Ho Falls:

'Therapeutic properties are attributed to the waters of the three pools at Ba Ho Falls'.

Asian waytravel:

'Ba Ho is primitive with its tortuous soil paths, grass covers and green trees drooping down to the rock bedded streams. The romance of nature makes travelers forget daily worries. The interesting thing at Ba Ho is that tourists can step over the rocks to get to the banks. The place is perfect for a picnic. Under the glistening sunlight, tourist can relax in the cool water.

For young people, relaxing in the water is not enough. With a stick and slow careful steps up the path heading to the peak, tourists can take a panorama of the three lakes. In the immense streams, tourists can swim to feel the pure, clear water'.

Ba Ho can be organized together with a boat tour to amongst others Suoi Hoa Lan waterfalls.

Above photo from internet is by jessia22 with the caption

'Nha Trang Ba Ho waterfall- Nadeane jumping'.