Known as the “Little Sapa of Quang Ninh province”, Binh Lieu is 108 km from Ha Long city, 270km from Hanoi and has a 43 km long border with China. With its white reed fields throughout the hillside, beautiful sacred border landmarks, majestic mountains and golden rice fields, Binh Lieu is gradually becoming an attractive tourist destination in recent years.
Binh Lieu is a part of Quang Ninh province, however its climate differs significantly from that of the rest of the province. The weather in Binh Lieu is cool and pleasant in the summer while winter temperatures can occasionally be quite low. Yet, it can be argued that Binh Lieu is beautiful all year round, with four distinct seasons, each of which has its own allure.
Spring – The White Flowers Season
Binh Lieu’s springtime scenery rivals that of any Vietnamese highland. Flowers are always blooming on the lush woodlands, including peach blossom, plum blossom, and Na Lang.
Summer
If you are a fan of waterfalls and like to submerge yourself in cool water, coming to Binh Lieu in the summer is the ideal choice. In this season, the golden terraced fields in harmony with the beauty of the people here will surely help you feel the gentle and peaceful breath of life.
Autumn – Reed Flower Season
Binh Lieu autumn in late October and early winter is not only attractive by the majestic boulevard, but also emanates a romantic beauty with white reed flowers growing across the hills and slopes, spreading across the border patrol route. To many people, this is the most anticipated season and the one that gives Binh Lieu tourism its reputation.
Dinosaur Spine & Milestone 1305
With a scenic area, Dinosaur Spine – Milestone 1305 is renowned for a poetic yet perilous beauty and challenging for tourists who are enthusiastic about exploration and adventure. This journey present travelers with an exceptional experience through the winding border patrol road, surrounded on both sides by magnificent mountains and enormous woods.
The path leading to the milestone 1305 with multiple reverse slopes, high mountain cliffs on both sides, and about 2,000 stairs can be difficult for many travelers. In return, up to the top – the milestone, visitors will be able to observe the spectacular beauty of the country’s border area, the waves of the mountains, and the vast expanse of deep blue sky.
Cao Xiem Mountain
The Cao Xiem Peak, sometimes referred to as the “roof” of Quang Ninh province, is a popular tourist site perched atop this mountain at a height of 1,429 meters above sea level. The road from the foot of the mountain to the top of Cao Xiem is more than 7 km long, so it is possible to combine climbing and camping throughout the day.
The trail up the mountain leads through green anise and pine forests. In particular, at the end of the year, visitors could encounter many ancient trees with red leaves and So flowers blooming covering an area with a white color.
Crossing the dense forest road, visitors will approach the area of grassy hills with many purple myrtle flowers and subsequent undulating rocky slopes with distinctive forms. While there aren’t many trees, this area is more open, allowing you to zoom in and see the gorgeous mountains in the distance.
The path to conquer Cao Xiem peak is shrouded with clouds year-round and contains many bumpy rocks as it travels through huge and enormous grass hills. The fact that so few individuals have ever set foot on this mountain might be the reason why Cao Xiem is still quite strange and enigmatic.
Cloud Hunting On Cao Ly
Cao Ly is a high mountain range stretching over 40 kilometers square with eight peaks over 1,000 meters high in the border district of Binh Lieu. As this location is a watershed protection forest with abundant forest resources, the climate is exceptionally cold and fresh.
The average temperature of Cao Ly Mountain is 4 degrees Celsius lower than in Binh Lieu town, about 6 degrees Celsius lower than Ha Long city. Around one-third of the days on the mountain are cloud-covered in some areas, resulting in a tremendously varied environment and making these areas perfect for cloud hunting by tourists.
Visitors can camp right at the foot of Cao Ly Mountain with fairly flat terrain. Early in the morning, from the campsite, it only takes about 40 minutes to climb to the top of Cao Ly Mountain.
Along the way, sometimes visitors will encounter clouds of cool air. When reaching the top of the mountain the view will become more distinct with the soft morning sunlight, revealing a picturesque town with rice fields, anise and cinnamon forest, and homes of the locals.