Pu Mat National Park: A tourism "treasure" of Nghe An province.

In the Thai language, Pù Mát means "high mountain," a name that is both simple and proud. The road to Pù Mát National Park winds through winding mountain passes, past Thai and Khơ Mú villages... where stilt houses nestle on the mountainside, with smoke from cooking fires drifting in the evening mist. The deeper you go, the more you feel like you're stepping into another world, where the hustle and bustle of the city is left behind, replaced only by the sound of the wind whistling through the trees and the babbling of streams, like a symphony of nature.

Pù Mát National Park spans over 90,000 hectares, nestled within the majestic Trường Sơn mountain range. Towering tree trunks with gnarled roots clinging tightly to the ground are not uncommon sights. At times, visitors catch glimpses of shimmering sunlight filtering through the leaves, creating an ethereal and poetic scene.

A view of Pu Mat National Park

Pu Mat National Park is considered a precious "gene bank" of the natural world. It is home to thousands of species of plants and animals, many of which are listed in the Red Book of endangered species. Besides elephants and tigers, scientists once captured images of the saola – the "Asian unicorn," an endemic species of Vietnam – in Pu Mat National Park in 1998. In the flickering firelight of the evening, as the rice wine intoxicates, visitors will hear stories of hunting expeditions of yesteryear, now a thing of the past, giving way to a renewed awareness of conservation.

Walking through the forest, visitors encounter crystal-clear streams and rushing water from the majestic Khe Kèm waterfall in Môn Sơn commune. The waterfall, nearly 100 meters high, cascades down in a white sheet, creating fine foam like mist, and the cool mist caresses the face. Locals believe this waterfall carries the spiritual energy of the mountains and forests, a place where the sacred spirits of heaven and earth converge. Visitors, however, simply come to admire the majestic beauty of the waterfall and participate in outdoor activities.

What excites visitors to Pu Mat National Park is discovering the lives of the ethnic minority people living on the edge of the forest. They are deeply connected to Pu Mat National Park, as if it were part of their very being. The Thai people have folk songs that resonate with the rhythm of their looms, while the Dan Lai people told me ancient legends about the mountains and forests, where gods govern, and where every stream and tree trunk holds its own soul. Particularly, the Dan Lai have a very unusual custom: sleeping in a sitting position. They light a fire in the hearth to warm themselves, then rest their foreheads on the end of a stick to doze off. This custom originates from the old days when they had to constantly move and face wild animals.

Leaving Pu Mat National Park, visitors carry with them an indescribable feeling of nostalgia. Perhaps it's the feeling of catching a glimpse of a gateway to a different landscape, but not yet fully opening it. Pu Mat National Park remains, mysterious, wild, beckoning to explorers and those seeking a place of tranquility.

Vinh Nhan