Da Lat lake stunner wins gold at global photo contest

The photo, which has trees with autumnal canopies rising out of the water and a man rowing a boat emerging from the mist at the Suoi Tia (Tia Stream) tourist area in Tuyen Lam Lake, around seven kilometers from downtown Da Lat, scored 94 marks out of 100.

The jury panel awarded gold for those who scored 86 and above, silver for 80-85 and bronze awards (70-79).

Tuyen Lam is the largest freshwater lake in the Central Highlands town, with many small oases surrounded by pine forests. It was recognized as one of Vietnam’s national natural heritages in 1998 and has become a popular camping destination in Da Lat.

In 1987, Lam Dong Province's irrigation department built a large dam across the Tia stream, which formed Tuyen Lam Lake.

This year’s photo contest received over 5,000 entries from amateur and professional photographers in 97 countries and territories around the world.

American photographer Joshua Hermann was awarded the Open Photographer of the Year for gorgeous images of cypress trees growing in the swamps of Louisiana.