Binh Son - A harmony of grasslands, tea hills and immense waves

Binh Son has Ghenh Che Lake with a green landscape all year round, an ideal destination for many tourists inside and outside the province. This place is likened to a green gem in the middle of a peaceful valley. The lake is about 50 hectares wide, with clear water and is surrounded by acacia and eucalyptus forests and gently sloping tea hills shaped like an upside-down bowl, looking very poetic.

The lake has about 45 small islands, creating a rich and beautiful natural landscape like a watercolor painting. When the sun rises, the sunlight gilds the water surface, we watch the boats carrying tourists passing through the small island clusters, occasionally stopping for tourists to admire the scenery; or maybe stopping for a long time to camp, fish...

The lake surface is calm and peaceful, but in the rainy season, when water from Nui Coc Lake flows back, the water level rises and overflows the dam, creating a fierce flow that falls down large rocks, foaming white like a small waterfall in the middle of the forest. The sound of the water mixed with the sound of the forest wind creates a rustic, vibrant natural melody.

From the center of Binh Son commune, we followed a small road along the Cong River to a place that resembles the Mongolian steppe - Ba Van Horse Farm belonging to the Center for Research and Development of Mountainous Livestock.

Amidst the lush green grasslands stretching to the horizon, hundreds of horses leisurely graze under the golden sunshine, creating a peaceful scene that touches the heart. No car horns, no reinforced concrete, just the horse's hooves lightly touching the ground and the wind blowing gently through the grass. It feels like the pace of life is slowing down in the midst of pure nature.

We stood beside the water tunnel that connects the Cong River, through two communes: Binh Son and Ba Xuyen. This season, the water level rose high, the current roared loudly, and the foam was white. Looking at the surrounding scenery, on this side were vast grasslands with flat slopes; on the other side were distant mountain shadows, with the occasional sight of livestock huts; underfoot was a velvety green carpet of grass, above was the deep blue sky, and I felt my soul was so relaxed.

Ba Van Horse Farm is being invested in and developed in the direction of farm tourism experience. Visitors here can participate in activities such as: learning about horse breeds, feeding horses, taking photos with horses on the pasture, and especially experiencing horse riding under the enthusiastic guidance of staff.

Sitting on a horse, swaying with each step, passing through the young grass covered in morning dew, listening to the chirping of birds, the scent of wild grass mixed in the wind… is a new and poetic experience, making it unforgettable for visitors.

From Ba Van Horse Farm, we continued along the red dirt road over the hillside to Cao Son tea area, known as the “green heart” of Binh Son commune. The tea growing area is about 50 hectares wide, managed by Cao Son Tea Cooperative and cultivated according to the typical clean tea model of Thai Nguyen province.

From afar, the rolling tea hills appear like upside-down bowls, with young buds reaching up like hands welcoming visitors, ready to receive the essence of heaven and earth. Each tea patch is a different color, bright and young when buds first appear, dark green in rows that have not been picked for a long time, and yellow when the late afternoon sunlight dyes the leaves.

People here do not just grow tea as a job, they take care of tea as if raising a child. “Each tea bed is our flesh and blood” - Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a member of Cao Son Tea Cooperative, told me while she was nimbly picking each fresh tea bud.

Cao Son Tea Cooperative is applying clean production methods according to VietGAP standards. From tree care, harvesting to processing and packaging, all are closely monitored. The Cooperative's tea products are present in many provinces and cities and are exported abroad, becoming the pride of Binh Son people.

With beautiful landscapes, fresh air and unique tea culture, tea growers in Cao Son now produce tea according to VietGAP standards while developing traditional village tourism combined with experiences. Visitors coming here can directly pick tea, roast tea, make tea and enjoy rustic dishes in the warm and affectionate houses of the people.

Not only possessing beautiful natural beauty, Binh Son is also a land bearing the mark of revolutionary history, this place used to be an important part of the revolutionary base during the anti-French period.

During those difficult years, Binh Son became a shelter and a place of operation for many central agencies. Ba Van Communal House, a prominent relic, used to be the place where secret mailboxes were placed to transmit important orders and instructions from the Northern Regional Party Committee. This was also the place to organize cadre training, build local revolutionary movements and create resistance forces.

Many military agencies such as the Office of the Military Armaments Department, the Office of the Military Medical Department, the Military Medical Station... once chose this area as their place of operation. Not only sheltering the revolution, the people of Binh Son also directly participated in transporting weapons, caring for wounded soldiers, and being a solid rear base for the battlefield.

With these great contributions, Binh Son commune was recognized as a Central ATK commune. This is not only a recognition from the State but also a foundation for the locality to develop cultural and historical tourism in the future, bringing tourists back to the heroic memories of the nation.