Con Son Tourism Site - an attractive destination in Hai Duong

If travellers in Vietnam travel once time visit Hai Duong province, Con Son Tourism Site is the ideal place where you should not ignore. So what are its attractions?

Con Son Tourism Site is a beauty spot and a historical vestige in Hai Duong province. An ancient document, dated back seven centuries ago depicted Con Son as a fairyland: "The smoke rises on top of the mountains, and the clouds fly above the islands, looking as if brocade and satin are hung everywhere. The flowers along the streams and the grass at the forest edges make the area full of startling colours. Shades, quiet places, fragrances, and peaceful scenes, which are enjoyable to human eyes, ears, and souls, are all here."

After a long time till now, despite centuries of changes, Con Son still preserves its landscapes fresh in the quietude and the wonderful green of the forests here. It now attracts tens of thousands of tourists and tours every year.

Con Son (alias Hun) Mountain has the shape of a resting lion, is 200 metres high and over one kilometre long. Having a shrine dedicated to God at the top, its 238-metres northern ridge adjoins Ngu Nhac Mountain. In the west, Con Son borders U Bo Mountain and a valley greened by bamboo hedges, Next to it is the 72-mount Phuong Hoang mountain range famous for vast pine forests, peaceful streams, rugged cliffs, and ancient towers and pagodas. Phuong Hoang is the place where Chu Van An, an exemplary mentor under the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), lived and taught his pupils after retreating from the imperial court's affairs.

Con Son is flat at its top, where there are several large flagstones that the local residents call "immortals' chessboards." In order to visit the chessboards, tourists need to climb 600 rocky stairway steps. The forests here are mostly made of horsetail pine trees, some of which are several centuries old. Besides, there are some small forests of yellow bamboo, myrtles, and peony. When the spring comes, it looks as if Con Son "wears" a flowered dress.

Gently flowing all year round, Con Son Stream is also a well-known tourist destination. There are two large flat gravels lying on the stream's banks that local residents name Thach Ban. Legend has it that Nguyen Trai (1380-1444), a hero under the Posterior Le Dynasty (1427-1789), used to sit on the gravels, making his poems and thinking of national issues.

Located in a large compound at the foot of Con San Mountain is an ancient pagoda named Con Son (alias Hun) Pagoda built at the end of 13th century. The pagoda was expanded in 1329 and underwent several restorations during the 17th and 18th centuries and in the last few decades. Built in the shape of letter, the pagoda still preserves its slipper-shaped tiles and stone pedestals made during the Tran Dynasty. In the pagoda there are large-sized Buddha statues of two-three metres high, 14 stone steles dated back to the Posterior Le Dynasty recording important events in the area.

Every year, Con Son Festival is held on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

Visiting Con Son, tourists have a chance to view Kiep Bac, a place 15 kilometres from Con Son that is closely related to the legends about General Tran Hung Dao a national hero under the Tran Dynasty.

In Kiep Bac, the curving Rong Mountain encloses a poetic and rich valley, in which the deep, narrow Vang River flows all year round, creating favorable conditions for boats to approach the mountain's foot. The mountain has two branches, namely Mount Bac Dau in the north and Mount Nam Tao in the south. Standing on top of the two mounts, one can have the overview of a vast area. Knowing Kiep Bac's military importance, Tran Hung Dao built his palace and military camps here after the first resistance war against the Mongolian-Yuan invaders (1258).

After many years of researching and excavating, Vietnamese scientists uncovered in Kiep Bac precious vestiges dated back to the Tran Dynasty such as ship-making factories, royal step-over places, caves to store money and rice, ceramics, and weapons.

Lasting from the 16th day to the 20th day of the eighth lunar month, the death anniversary of Tran Hung Dao is one of the biggest festivals of the country. Every year tens of thousands of people attend the festival. Besides, fairs and folk games are also held for tourists to enjoy and buy local specialties.

Just discover this wonderful destination in Vietnam travel by yourself!!!!!