The Rao Quan area in Huong Hoa District, situated some 80 kilometers from Dong Ha City, draws hikers each December as the forest turns red in the cool weather.
Photo by Le Cuong
According to local guide Nguyen Bon, December also offers the best conditions for trekking there. The four-hour route begins at Kilometer 14 of the Ho Chi Minh Highway and runs along Lake Rao Quan.
The red-leaf tree, known scientifically as Liquidambar formosana, is native to Southeast Asia and grows up to 10 meters in height.
In Khe Sanh, the leaves have three lobes unlike temperate maples, which are classified by leaf shape and color.
Photo by Nguyen Duc Hieu
The trail is lined with rows of Chinese sweet gum trees.
Bon usually leads two to three groups a month, each with five to 15 trekkers, who pay VND800,000 to VND1 million ($30 to $38) per person for the 15-kilometer trip.
Beyond the forest trail, the terrain becomes steeper, with streams and moss-covered rocks that can be slippery. Some crossings use logs for bridges, and trekking poles are recommended.
These sections make up only a small part of the route. Most of the trek is easy, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenery.
At the rest stop, visitors can take a boat into Lake Rao Quan for photographs. Each boat can carry up to eight people, and life jackets are mandatory.
Photo by Le Cuong
Lunch is a simple meal, usually sticky rice, chicken and bread. Packaged foods help reduce loads and limit environmental impacts.
At the end of the journey, guides collect trash and remind visitors not to break branches or remove items from the forest. Visitors can opt for a day trip or two-day, one-night trip.
Bon notes that nighttime temperatures in the forest can drop, so warm clothing is necessary. In the morning, groups enjoy hot coffee before returning.
Khe Sanh coffee is a local specialty, grown in red basalt soil and a cool highland climate. The area is suited to Arabica, and coffee is a key local agricultural product.
Aerial views show the Chinese sweet gum forest during the color-change season. Video by Le Cuong
