In early October, images of billowing white clouds at Ba Vi National Park have captivated visitors seeking a spectacular mountain view.
From elevated viewpoints, layers of white cloud stretch across the landscape like ribbons, enveloping the mountains in the early morning mist.
Layers of white cloud stretch across Ba Vi on October 1 (Photo: Quynh Ba Vi).
Nguyen Phi Hung, director of the Ba Vi National Park Tourism Centre, told Dantri that the period from early October to the end of the year is the best time for cloud watching in the park.
About 1,000 visitors are estimated to arrive each day to admire the scenery, he said, with numbers expected to rise at weekends.
Quynh, a local tour guide, said visitors have recently been queuing at the park entrance from around 4 am-5 am to buy tickets in time for sunrise, when the clouds are typically at their thickest and most impressive.
Many visitors from central Hanoi leave as early as 3 am and travel more than 40-50km through the darkness to reach the park in time for the cloud spectacle.
“The best time to see the clouds is from about 5.30 am to 7 am. After that, they can quickly turn into dense fog,” Quynh said.
Visitors arriving too late are unlikely to catch the billowing white cloudscape (Photo: Ba Vi National Park).
Hung added the most striking cloud formations tend to appear after rain the previous day followed by sunshine.
Visitors planning a trip are therefore advised to monitor the weather forecast and choose their timing accordingly.
The best cloud-watching spot in Ba Vi National Park is at an elevation of about 950 metres. From there, visitors can look down over broad layers of cloud spreading across the landscape.
Visitors standing on bends from the 900-metre marker upwards can enjoy the best cloud views (Photo: Quynh Ba Vi).
Visitors combine cloud hunting with sightseeing in the park (Photo: Quynh Ba Vi).
The park is also preparing for the next attraction. Wild sunflowers are expected to bloom profusely in the next two to three weeks, offering opportunities for sightseeing and camping.
Entrance fees currently vary by visitor category. Adult tickets cost VND 60,000 (USD 2.31) per person, while students pay VND 10,000 (USD 0.39) and university students VND 20,000 (USD 0.77).
Visitors eligible for preferential rates, including those aged over 60 and people with disabilities, pay VND 30,000 (USD 1.15) per person.