Vietnam is home to an amazing natural wonder that also marks the border between Vietnam and China. The Ban Gioc Falls – also known as the Detian Falls – simply cannot be missed during a trip to Vietnam.
Fed by the Quay Son River that originates in China, the Ban Gioc Falls have slowly moved upstream over thousands of years as the waterfall has eroded. While the falls are called the Ban Gioc Falls on the Vietnamese side, they’re called the Detian Falls on the Chinese side. At 300 metres wide and with a of 30 metres, the waterfall sometimes appears as two separate falls. Vietnamese locals call the falls thac chinh (main waterfall) and thac phu (subordinate waterfall). However, when the river swells from summer rains, it usually appears as one thunderous waterfall again.
The Ban Gioc Falls is the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest waterfall along an international border, with only the Iguazu Falls, Victoria Falls and Niagara Falls larger than it. It’s even named as one of the eight most beautiful waterfalls in the world on
KLM’s blog, while
INSIDER lists the waterfall as one of 27 waterfalls that are so beautiful they’ll take your breath away.
Found in a magical location, the Ban Gioc Falls are ideal to visit in a day trip from Hanoi. The local area surrounding the waterfall is one of mature karst formations with a number of streams peppering an impressive valley, giving it a feeling of a lush natural paradise. The road running along the top of the falls also leads to a stone marker that indicates the Vietnam-China border.
When visiting the waterfall from the Vietnamese side, it’s possible to get very close indeed. The most popular way to see the falls is to climb aboard one of the bamboo rafts and allow the boatman to punt you over to the waterfall. With the significant spray and the sound, this is a glimpse of the Ban Gioc Falls up close and personal!
Look out for brave local fishermen, who stand on tiers part-way down the waterfall to cast their lines directly into the waterfall’s flow!
Surrounding the falls, there are a number of viewing points that give perfect views over the waterfall and the spray that mists up around them. Nearby too the Nguom Ngao caves can be visited – where a walkway stretching for one kilometre inside allows visitors to explore the impressively lit natural phenomenon.
Join Mr Linh’s Adventures on trip to remember from
Hanoi to Ban Gioc Waterfall and see the best of this natural wonder and stunning local area. In the same trip, we can take you off-the-beaten-track to stay in a homestay in Ba Be National Park.