Ba Be Lake travel guide - Rusty Compass

An independent travel guide to Ba Be Lake with candid reviews and recommendations. No sponsored content, no advertorial.

Ba Be Lake travel guide

Ba Be Lake Introduction

| 04 Mar 2013
Last updated 04 Mar 2013

Ba Be Lake, 250 kms north of Hanoi, is Vietnam's largest naturally occurring lake (the largest was created by a hydroelectric dam, also in the north of the country). It sits, enclosed by densely forested limestone karst mountains in the middle of Ba Be National Park. The area is inhabited by Tay, Dao and Hmong ethnic minorities.

Ba Be Lake is 7kms in length and more than a kilometre across at its widest. It's at the confluence of three rivers - which is how it draws its name. It feels more like a wide river than a lake on account of its shape.

While Ba Be's beauty won't disappoint, for most travellers, its distance from Hanoi makes it a more logical part of a wider journey through the north rather than a single destination. New and improved roads have improved access to Ba Be in recent years.

Ba Be can be combined with road travel to Cao Bang and Ha Giang provinces, both bordering China to the north. The area is another gem of Vietnam's north worth a day or two of exploration.

Mark Bowyer
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
Support Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass is an independent travel guide. We’re focused on providing you with quality, unbiased, travel information. That means we don't receive payments in exchange for listings and mostly pay our own way. We’d like tourism to be a positive economic, environmental and cultural force and we believe travellers deserve disclosure from publishers. Spread the word about Rusty Compass, and if you're in Saigon, pop in to The Old Compass Cafe and say hi. It’s our home right downtown on Pasteur St. You can also check out our unique tours of Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney at www.oldcompasstravel.com Make a financial contribution using the link below. Even small amounts make a difference. Thanks and travel well!