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Tam Dao Tourist Area, just 70 kilometers north west of Hanoi and about 25 kilometers from Vinh Yen City in Vinh Phuc Province, was originally built by the French as a hill station to escape from the oppressive humidity of Hanoi.
Tam Dao is endowed with a lot of beautiful landscapes, the romantic combination of forests, streams and mountains; clouds driven by the wind; the sounds of the cascades echoing far and wide, mingled with the songs of forest birds.
There are remnants from the French colonial-designed villas, now reduced to rubble, scattered around the mountain walls where visitors can stay to experience the romance of Tam Dao and explore the vestiges of time.
With three magnificent peaks which are over 1,000 meters above sea level, people say Tam Dao resembles a giant man with his hands to the sky and standing imposingly in the mist. There is Ban Thach in the middle which is 1,338 meters, Thien Nhi Mount to the left at 1,375 meters and on the right is the 1,400-meter Phu Nghia.
Tam Dao is blessed with ideal temperatures of about 21 degrees Celsius and it appears to have four seasons in one day. The cool wind in the morning makes people think of spring, the sun at noon is like summer, the romantic sunset makes you think of autumn, while the chill at night is like wintertime.
Coming to Tam Dao, after strolling amidst the pine forests, tourists should make a stop at Mau Temple and Vang Pagoda to discover the ancient architecture and find some peace and balance for the soul.
Nestled right at the foot of Thien Thi Mountain after its 200 stone steps, Ba Chua Mau Thuong Ngan Temple is apparently a sacred place luring many pilgrims daily, especially during festivals to pray for love and bearing children.
Moreover, Vang Pagoda is where tourists can admire many large Buddha statues and goddess as well as many artworks of bas relief and parallel sentences and scrolls.
After that, tourists should trek about 1,200 steps to a television tower on Thien Nhi Mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of Vinh Yen City below like a colorful picture.
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