Journey of conquering Ba Ho waterfall

Apart from many white sandy beaches and entertainment attractions, Nha Trang city also has a stunning mountainous landscape where visitors can immerse themselves in lush forest, pictureques waterfalls and refreshing atmosphere. Ba Ho Waterfall trekking route is one of the most indispensable things to do in Nha Trang. While the life rhythm of Nha Trang City can get more and more hectic, a welcome to Ba Ho Waterfall is an out-of-the-way diversion to escape away from the crowds. Being constructed by harsh cliffs, this is not only a perfect destination for those who have a passion for admiring the little-known natural beauty of Nha Trang but also a real challenge for the most adventurous explorers.

Where is Ba Ho Waterfall located?

Ba Ho Waterfall is located about 20 km from Nha Trang City to the north, which is in the territory of Phu Huu Village, Ninh Ich Commune, Ninh Hoa District, Khanh Hoa Province.

It derives from the top of Hon Son with over 660 meters high, its over-10-kilometer length flow goes through a forest ecosystem and between two rocky mountains down to the field of Phu Huu Village and pours into Nha Phu Lagoon.

How to get there?

It takes about 45 minutes to ride to Ba Ho Waterfall by motorbike from Nha Trang. You can:

• Follow National Highway 1 (QL1A),

• Or drive along Pham Van Dong Street where you can enjoy a scenic journey through many tranquil coastal fishing villages and pristine beaches.

After a 30-minute drive, you will see a blue and white sign “Ba Ho Tourist”, turn left and follow the road until reaching the gate “Ba Ho Tourism Area”.

Follow the Map of Ba Ho Waterfall, keep walking 15 – 20 minutes on a dirt path and you will reach First Lake.

On the way from the entrance gate to First Lake, there is a large rocky area with giant rocks appearing as the lying elephants, which offers you a chance to take in the wild beauty of this area and many photogenic views for your Instagramable posts.

What will you enjoy?

The stream of Ba Ho forms a system of small and intertwined cascades which creates a complex consecutive lake locating at different heights. That is also the reason why it was called Ba Ho Waterfall (Ba Ho means three lakes).

The First Lake

The First Lake is considered the most beautiful lake among three lakes with primitive landscape and extremely clear and green water because this is the ending point of the waterfall.

The Lake is located at the lowest height, so it is also the most easily accessible lake in three ones. Most of tourists visiting Ba Ho Waterfall might stop at the First Lake to enjoy the majestic scenery.

The best time to see First Lake is during the rainy season because the water from the upstream flows and forms a waterfall up to 5 meters, creating beautiful scenery but you should be more careful because the stream is quite strong and dangerous. However, at the time of the dry season, the waterfall does not have much water, and the landscape will not be imposing at that time. Therefore, you should arrive before April of the lunar calendar to ensure safety as well as to experience its beauty to the fullest.

If you’re a fan of adventurous activities, this place is such an ideal spot to experience cliff jumping. From the top of the cliffs, just curtsy and jump down the lake! The feeling will be extremely exciting and refreshing, which will immediately blow away all of your burdens and stress.

If you're not really into thrilling jumps, First Lake still offers tons of scenic natural spots for outing trips such as picnic or camping with your family and friends.

The Second Lake

Second Lake is also drained in the dry season while the water color is not as green as the First Lake’s. The higher it is, the more opaque the water color is. However, the Second Lake is surrounded by large rocks and lush green forest, which create a differently wild and diverse landscape.

The Second Lake is located under a big canopy of trees so it is actually suitable for you to relax, enjoy a small meal or soak yourself in the cool water. However, due to the difficulties on the road to get here, just a small group of young people come to visit the site.

Nevertheless, when reaching Second Lake, you will find your effort worthwhile, the scenery here is boldly charming and peaceful.

The Third Lake

It is just about 300 meters away from the Second Lake, but in order to reach here, you have to journey through a lot of big and slippery rocks, steep cliffs with bushy vines. Therefore, Third Lake is suitable for the most avid adventurers who are actually interested in physical activities and want to experience the feeling of conquering all three lakes of Ba Ho Waterfall.

After admiring the majestic beauty of Third Lake, you can go back to the previous road or you can follow the forest trail with the direction of red arrows on the opposite side of the stream, which is relatively difficult but worth experiencing.

Tips on visiting Ba Ho Waterfall:

• You can easily hire motorbikes in Nha Trang City. Most of the suppliers will provide this service, which cost you about 100,000 - 150,000 VND/motorbike/day. You should be noted that this cost is not included fuel, but including helmet, instead. Another point is to remember to carefully check whether the motorbike is well-function or not.
• Parking fee is 4,000 VND (~ $0.17 USD)/ motorbike and entry ticket is around 50,000 VND (~ $2.16 USD)/ person.
• Another quick and convenient way is to book tour with Inspitrip, which gives you more options catering to all ages and preferences. From private sightseeing tours, half-day biking and trekking tour to cliff jumping tour, etc.

• Do not throw garbage or light fire or cook in order to avoid the occurrence of wildfire and, strictly follow the rules set by the management board.
• The path to the waterfall is rough and challenging, so it is not suitable for people having mobility issues or children.
• A trip to Ba Ho waterfall covers long hours of outdoor activities so remember to prepare some essential items such as suitable walking shoes or sandals for climbing, light clothes and clean towels, insect repellent and sunscreen, etc.
• If you are not a confident or experienced hiker, I strongly recommend going with local people instead of traveling alone. Because they will understand the terrain like the back of their hands which is actually helpful when supporting you arrange logistics and avoiding unwanted risks.

The journey of conquering Ba Ho Waterfall is quite difficult but just by following tips from local insiders, you will not only experience thrilling activities or relax moments but also take in all the untouched beauty of Nha Trang natural landscapes.