Over the last few years, Thien Son-Suoi Nga has become a famous tourist spot among ${bigcity_Hanoi:"Hanoi"} residents. A natural haven of waterfalls, lakes and mountains, it’s no wonder it has become a favorite weekend retreat destination for local citizens. Thien Son-Suoi Nga Resort is located about 60 kilometers west of the capital city, on the east side of the Ba Vi Mountain Range (former Ha Tay province, now merged with Hanoi). The mountain range itself boasts of a breathtaking landscape of everlasting greens, majestic waterfalls pouring from the Tan Mountain, and a thick forest mountain that tower above clouds and fog.

According to legend, Tan Vien Son (Tan Vien Mountain), the eastern part of the Ba Vi Mountain, is where the two gods Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh battled to win the hand of the 18th Hunh king’s beautiful daughter in marriage about 4,000 years ago. Son Tinh is the god of the mountain while Thuy Tinh is the god of the sea. Thuy Tinh surrendered but vowed revenge by raising the water and gathering a storm on the mountaintop where the newly-we couple lived.

Thien Son-Suoi Nga Resort is divided into three areas, each about two kilometers apart: Ha Son (literally meaning “the lower part of the mountain”); Trung Son (the middle part of the mountain); and Ngoan Son (meaning “enjoying the scenery of the mountain”). In Ha Son, tourists can enjoy the Tam Cap Waterfalls and Ha Son Lake, which is fed by two other waterfalls. The place can be reached by a boat ride wherein visitors board swan-shaped boats that cruise the lake and even rest in villas built on stilts while enjoying locally-cooked but popular meals such as the ga ri (local chicken) and banh te (a kind of rice cake).

Trung Son is characterized by a winding road along pristine, blue lakes. The Cong Troi (Heaven’s Gate) Waterfall can be found here, one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in the Ba Vi National Park. It drops from a majestic height of about 100 meters. Ngoan San has the most spectacular view of the Ba Vi Mountain Range. Tourists can enjoy lake-fishing and see bridges built on water.

Other delightful activities in the resort include a myriad of outdoor sports such as mountain climbing, stream-wading, lake-swimming, fishing and waterfalls-watching. Visitors can even stay the night to fully enjoy and appreciate the place with its serene mountain atmosphere. Even the trip back is an adventure in itself wherein local and foreign tourists alike can pass by and visit several historical relics like the Son Tay ancient citadel and the Mia Pagoda.