
Ta Nang – Phan Dung, One of The Most Beautiful Routes for Trekking in Vietnam
Nearly a week after I went to Koh Rong Island, my friends asked me to do Vietnam trekking at one of the most beautiful routes, Ta Nang – Phan Dung. Of course, there was nothing to say, I was in with the team without hesitation.
After the trip to Bu Gia Map, I didn’t think that any Vietnam trekking routes would be a barrier to me. However, Ta Nang – Phan Dung path was a real challenge. That route was really hard to pass but the reward was extremely worth my while. Before the trip, I did think of how camping at night in the top of the mountain was but I cannot think of how awesome it was. A real fascinating experience that I have ever had. A really must things to do in Vietnam.
Ta Nang – Phan Dung
Ta Nang – Phan Dung is a 2-day trip with 40 km route that challenges any hard trekkers. The destination is at around Lam Dong, in the middle of Da Lat and Phan Thiet – two well-known travel places in Vietnam. The spot was quite drought when we got there. It would be more ideal if you can go there in the raining season as the landscape will be covered more green by plant development.
Prior to The Excited Trek
Preparing for any trek is always necessary to make the adventure safety and enjoyable. Below is the list that I think you should bring with for this trip:
- A good pair of shoes are designed particularly for trekking purpose. It will be a nightmare if you bring running shoes to climb up and slide down the hills.
- A sleeping bag or a warm blanket. Night on the top is surely windy and cold.
- Water is vital. You should bring enough needed water for the whole trip. If not, there is a river inside the jungle on the way out but I’m not sure if you are willing to drink it (it’s drinkable).
- A small travel backpack to carry the necessary stuffs. You don’t need to bring many clothes for bathing or anything. And if you have porters, they will carry stuffs for you. Nevertheless, in the way out to Phan Dung, you have to do yourself.
- Obviously that you need foods for energy to finish the trip. So consider this ones also.
- Tent is necessary for the camping at night. Furthermore, you should bring a small camping blanket if possible to cover your back when lying down. A lot of small rocks on the mountain surface.
- A flashlight for night use and a knife just in case.
How My Vietnam Trekking Tour Was
Thanks to the very careful team leader, we had a very good support for the journey. He runs this Vietnam trekking tour usually so he knows how to sort out things easily. He has ordered 2 porters to help my team (12 people) carrying the stuffs needed. And above all, he brought a lot of foods that can make us gain weight even the trekking was so hard.
This is our schedule for the trip that you can consider:
» Apr 1
21:30 to 22:00 – have been at the gathering point, packed stuffs on the truck and started going to Ta Nang.
» Apr 2
3:30 – arrived at the team leader’s house for breakfast and prepared for the upcoming adventure.
5:00 – arrived at Ta Nang’s starting point. Let’s rock!
7:30 – got to the Bougainvillea House. There were cattle at the house including chickens, pigs and a herd of buffaloes. Especially those buffaloes, they were always standing dead and staring anyone who holds up the phone.
11:20 to 13:00 – at the second rest stop for lunch and a quick nap before a long way to the final destination.
- This was the first porter that helped us to carry stuffs in the first stage.
- This guy was our porter to the camping point.
- Starting point.
- On the way!
- First rest stop, the bougainvillea house.
- Those buffalos were stunned and stared at anyone who kept a phone :))
- The first slope in the trip.
- On top of hills. First stunning view in the trip.
- This is how locals carry timbers over the hills.
- Our rest stop for lunch.
- The team was having lunch 😀
16:30 – finally at the camping point. We then started making the tents and preparing for dinner. But first, let’s us took some photos 😀
19:00 – dinner was great with a fire-camp, roasted duck, grilled chicken, corn, beers and music.
21:00 – the party on the top was end soon and the team went to sleep.
- It’s time to trek!
- It’s better to go with a friend than alone!
- Alone tree.
- Preparing the tent for camping.
- Good afternoon!
- Fire-camp.
» Apr 3
5:00 to 6:59 – had breakfast and packed belongings for the way out to Phan Dung.
7:00 to 9:30 – trekked to the Tiger Lake, the first rest stop in the way escaping the jungle (It is a lake where a tiger drank water there; the locals saw that and called it Tiger Lake).
9:30 to 10:30 – we had some meals at the Tiger Lake to gain energy for the way out. That day was harder than the previous day.
11:20 – finished the trek at noon. We waited at the final point for the porters to carry us out of the jungle. The path that porters took us was about 20′ and it was super sunny.
- First view of the day.
- Good morning!
- Camping site – View from the top of mountain.
- Trekking colors
- At the Tiger stream
- At the finished destination, rest under a tree.
- Heart-shaped leaf.
After that, we got to the beach Ke Ga, Phan Thiet to relax and took path after hard time trekking.
- Echinus (or sea urchin) – what we have for lunch
- Ke Ga beach
- Ke Ga beach
- Ke Ga beach in noon
DON’T FORGET TO ‘PIN IT’ TO SAVE THIS TREKKING ROUTE FOR YOUR PLAN!
5 Comments
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Amy | Toothbrush Travels
Definitely a beautiful trekking path!
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jonairepublica
Hello Khoi Nguyen its me again 🙂 im trekking to Ta Nang this weekend with 3 other friends. I was wondering if u tried drinking the water from the river? And is the campsite near the water? 🙂 thank u
khoinguyen
If you are curious about the menu that ‘made’ us gain weight, here it is:
– Apr 2:
.Breakfast: congee, boiled egg, boiled peanuts, banana, and milk.
.Lunch: chicken cooked with ginger sauce and rice, and golden melon.
.On the way: snack, fruit, juice, milk, and tonic water.
.Dinner: roasted duck, grilled chicken, dumplings, grilled potato and corn, and beer (of course ;))
– Apr 3:
.Breakfast: instant noodle with sausage and Vietnamese pork roll, banh gai, coffee, and milk.
.At Tiger Lake: stuffed sticky rice cake, Vietnamese pork roll, Chinese sausage, milk.
.Lunch at Ke Ga: water spinach sauteed with garlic, sauteed squid, fried egg, sweet and sour pork, sweet and sour fish broth, rice, and drinks.