Houses on stilts in Pac Ngoi Village

To go to Pac Ngoi from Hanoi, tourists can take a Thuong Nga bus from 6:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. and then spend four hours on the bus to get to the central bus station in Bac Kan. Then, they will have to take a smaller bus to Ba Be National Park.

There are about 20 stilt houses offering homestay service for tourists. Houses are made of wood and preserve all traditional features of Tay people, giving a glimpse of Tay culture. While the traditional houses on stilts have almost disappeared in many other provinces, the antique, unique and original houses of ethnic groups are still highly valued and preserved in Pac Ngoi despite the presence of modern architecture.

In the park, tourists are recommended to take a wooden boat cruise in the lake in the middle of the vast limestone mountain range of Ba Be National Park, surrounded by cliffs with attractive forms and shapes. Ba Be Lake actually consists of three smaller lakes – Pe Lam, Pe Lu and Pe Leng, stretching about eight kilometers in the north-to-south direction.

Tourists should not forget to experience local food by joining locals to make traditional dishes and cakes. Corn wine should be on the menu for sure.