On the journey from Pleiku to Kon Tum, most
tourist groups stop at T'Nung Lake. This is a
splendid landscape and is even more charming
when you arrive early in the morning, when the
sun has not yet risen high. In the typical cold
of the plateau, the silvery lake surface, the
morning sunlight reflecting down makes you feel
like you are lost in a peaceful, quiet place.
T'Nung Lake (T'Nung, in the local language means
"sea on the mountain"), also known as Ia Nueng
Lake, is located in the North of Gia Lai
province, about 7 km from the center of Pleiku
city, in Bien Ho commune, Pleiku city. People
often call it Bien Ho because of its large area
- up to 230 hectares, surrounded by pine forests
and mountains. In the rainy season, the water
surface can spread to more than 400 hectares,
making exploring the lake extremely interesting.
The depth of the lake is equally fascinating -
in some places up to 30 meters. Legend has it
that there is an underground stream flowing into
the East Sea. It may take many days to travel
across the lake. On November 16, 1988, Bien Ho
was ranked as a National Landscape by the
Ministry of Culture and Information. However,
until now, this place still retains its pristine
beauty, not yet exploited for tourism - which
makes the lake even more attractive to those who
love wild beauty.
The name of the lake originates from the ancient
village of T'Nung. Legend has it that, in
ancient times, there was a village named T'Nung,
where the boys and girls were all beautiful,
living in harmony and happiness. One day, the
earth and sky changed, a fierce storm arose, and
then a fire broke out from the ground, burning
down the entire village. When the fire died
down, there was only a deep hole left. The
survivors of the village stood around the hole
and cried, and their tears gradually filled up,
turning into today's T'Nung Lake.
The road leading to T'Nung Lake is dotted with
two rows of three-leaf pine trees that provide
shade all year round. The road is sloping,
winding, fragrant with pine resin, cool even
when the sun is up. On the cape jutting out into
the lake, there is a solid house for visitors.
Before stepping into the house, you can stop
below, among the lush green grass and trees to
take a few photos or quietly watch the lake
shimmering in the sunlight. Forest after forest,
the clear water reflecting the clouds and sky,
giving people an indescribable feeling.
From that tall house, looking far away, you can
see the whole lake from many different angles -
spacious, open and filled with light.
However, a quick glance only gives you a sense
of the surface beauty. The adventurous journeys
of discovery will give you a truly different
experience. You can get on a dugout canoe (a
type of boat made from ancient tree trunks) to
follow the lake surface, weaving through the
majestic mountains and forests. Along the way,
you will see many species of wild birds living
naturally: Sin Sitt, Cuckoo, Le Le, wild
geese... They fly around the boat without any
fear of humans.
In the corners of the lake, lotus and water
lilies bloom, adding pink and purple to the
space.
Just bring a fishing rod, you can leisurely drop
bait into the water. The lake has many types of
fish: carp, silver carp, grass carp... and
sometimes you will see turtles, soft-shell
turtles that live for hundreds of years
occasionally rising to the surface of the water,
curiously watching people.
Going deeper into the lake, you will encounter
villages of the Ba Na, Gia Rai… They live on the
resources of T'Nung Lake and are always
hospitable. If you want, you can stay overnight,
light a campfire, grill freshly caught fish and
sip rice wine - to fully experience the soul of
the Central Highlands mountains and forests.
Otherwise, just follow the steps leading to the
solid house for tourists, you can still take in
the vast beauty of T'Nung Lake in the full
sunlight. From here, each small boat glides
gently on the water surface, flocks of birds fly
by, all creating a scene that is both majestic
and poetic - making it difficult for anyone who
has come here to forget.
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