Spectacular clouds are causing a sensation at Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh.

From 5-8 AM is the easiest time to hunt for lens clouds these days at Ba Den Mountain. Lens clouds, shaped like fluffy white bamboo hats covering the mountaintop, are a rare cloud phenomenon globally, but a relatively common "specialty" at Ba Den Mountain

Cloud hunters have many vantage points to capture the most beautiful moments of Mount Ba when it's covered in clouds. Some popular spots chosen by many are the road behind the mountain in Duong Minh Chau district, Hoa Thanh district, or cafes at the foot of the mountain.

Admiring the clouds and Bà Den Mountain from Dầu Tiếng Lake – the largest irrigation lake in Southeast Asia – is an extremely stunning viewpoint, when the highest mountain in the South casts its reflection onto the lake's surface, appearing both majestic, poetic, and magical.

The mountaintop, covered by a layer of fluffy clouds, highlights the bronze Statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara of Tay Bo Da Son, the tallest in Asia, located on the mountaintop. Many people liken this to a 'divine' moment that not everyone has the chance to witness firsthand.

Covered by a large layer of clouds, the summit of Ba Den Mountain always has a cool temperature, 8-10 degrees lower than the city. Therefore, Ba Den Mountain is a perfect destination to escape the heat and cool down during the prolonged hot sunny days in the South. Especially, many people enjoy the cool feeling in the evening on the mountaintop with temperatures dropping below 20 degrees Celsius.

Many young people climb to the peak of Ba Den Mountain to "test their luck" for a chance to admire the vast, fluffy sea of clouds, which sometimes covers the view of the immense Dau Tieng Lake. A sea of clouds is not a rare phenomenon at Ba Den Mountain, but not many people are fortunate enough to capture large seas of clouds as beautiful as a fairyland.

Standing right on the mountaintop on April 9th, many tourists were surprised to witness the milky way phenomenon – when  the galaxy appears as a faint, sparkling, milky-white band across the sky. The best spots for hunting  milky way in Vietnam are high mountain peaks like Fansipan, Bach Moc Luong Tu, or Ba Den Mountain. It is predicted that around July-August, the milky way will align vertically through the statue of Phat Ba Tay Bo Da Son, creating a breathtaking moment.

Cloud hunting on Ba Mountain in the evening is also a very unique and rare experience. When thousands of lights are lit on the mountain top, clouds cling to the mountainside and swirl around the square at the foot of the Lady Buddha Tay Bo Da Son statue, creating an incredibly magical space.

Watching clouds surround the Lady Buddha Tay Bo Da Son statue and descend onto the vast square around the Bat Nha Sutra pillar during the lantern offering ceremony is a unique experience at Ba Mountain. 

Amidst the ethereal space of clouds, the lamp offering ritual, held every Saturday evening, is a sacred moment that many tourists wish to experience when visiting Ba Den Mountain (Black Lady Mountain).

Known as the 'roof of the South', Ba Den Mountain attracts a large number of tourists, especially young people, to hunt for clouds from May to August. 

During holidays, Ba Den Mountain is one of the most attractive destinations in the South, offering cloud hunting opportunities and numerous special art programs that recreate the intangible cultural heritage of the South, bringing a vibrant festival atmosphere to the mountaintop.

Photos: Nguyen Minh Tu, Huynh Thanh Liem