Nui Coc Lake

Nui Coc was created in the 1970s by damming the Cong river for irrigation, and the reservoir now covers a couple of thousand hectares with dozens of wooded islands and the tea hills of Thai Nguyen around it. The name comes from a legend: a poor young man, Coc, and a mandarin's daughter, Cong, were separated, and her weeping became the river while he became the mountain that watches it - a story the resort has built heavily around. Boats run to the islands. The resort side has theme-park attractions, and the lake and the tea country around it are the heart of a visit.

The landscape

• A reservoir with wooded islands - dammed in the 1970s.
• Thai Nguyen tea hills around it - the province's main crop.
• The Cong and Coc legend - the river and the mountain.
• Boats to the islands - from the resort landing.

When to go

September to November and March to May. A full day.

Practical notes

The resort attractions are older theme-park pieces. Entry and boats are charged separately. It is crowded at weekends with visitors from Hanoi and Thai Nguyen. Water levels vary.

Nearby

Tan Cuong tea region is north-east; Thai Nguyen city is beyond it.

Key facts