Ice Flower Phia Oac

Phia Oac (or Phja Oac as the locals call it) is part of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark system, recognized by UNESCO as a Global Geopark in April 2018. Phia Oac is 1,931m high, the second highest mountain peak in Cao Bang , and is considered the "roof" of the western part of the province. The diversity of terrain, geology and typical climate conditions have created unique ecosystems in this mountainous region. The diverse vegetation changes with altitude from the foot to the top of the mountain, especially the highlight of the dwarf forest ecosystem, the "moss forest" clinging thickly to the trunks of ancient trees. The higher you go, the more beautiful the mountains and rivers spread out as far as the eye can see. From the top of Phia Oac, looking far away, you can see the houses of the Dao, Nung, and Tay people. In the distance, the Quang Thanh River meanders as if it were embracing the land and sky of the border. In winter, the amazing nature mentioned in Phia Oac mountain is the time when frost appears due to the influence of cold air from the North. Frost affects the lives of people in the highlands, but on the positive side, this phenomenon brings a highlight to the tourism industry. Many tourists constantly check the weather forecast in hopes of experiencing snow and ice in a tropical country. “Ice” forms on Phia Oac at an altitude of about 1,400m or higher, while below this altitude the weather is freezing cold and drizzly. In addition to the ice, the area is also covered in thick fog.

Anh Dao Canh, a photographer living in Hanoi, told Heritage: “When I heard the forecast that there was a high possibility of frost in the Phia Oac mountain area, I set off that night. My group traveled from Hanoi to Cao Bang at 2am, then took another car ride to reach the top of Phia Oac. The temperature at that time was around minus 6 degrees Celsius.”

The more than 60km journey from Cao Bang city through the steep pass to the foot of the mountain in the thick fog at dawn was also an unforgettable experience. During the journey of discovery , he was overwhelmed with emotion when he first saw the forests covered with ice, the branches and blades of grass seemed to be covered with ice in many different shapes and forms. The layers of ice, about 1-2cm thick, cling to objects, especially the “ice flowers” – a thin layer of ice covering the flowers, adding color to the beautiful, romantic white winter scene. The scene is right in Vietnam, but it looks like winter in the West.

Heritage Magazine