Phu Dien's rice fields and Lover's Rock in Phu Dien Village, Tan Phu District have become popular summer spots for visitors over the past three years.
The area is about 140 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City. You can get there by traveling along National Highway 20 from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat. After crossing the La Nga Bridge for about 25 kilometers, turn into Tan Phu.
Visitors can have breakfast near the La Nga Bridge, then head to the Phu Dien rice fields, where they can rent bicycles to explore the scenery. Tan Phu District covers more than 800 kilometers square, mostly consisting of Cat Tien Forest, with the Dau Giay - Da Lat Expressway currently under construction.
A cycling tour through the rice fields is ideal for families with young children. In the photo, Nhat Phong, 7, is seen riding a bike with his mother through the rice fields in Phu Dien.
Nhat Phong's mother, Ngoc, said that their family of three often participates in weekend cycling trips to explore nature near Ho Chi Minh City.
Standing out in the golden rice field is a nearly 30-meter high rock. The slope is not too steep, making it climbable for everyone, according to 42-year-old Quyet Thang, leader of a cycling group.
Locals named this rock "Lover's Rock" because many couples come here to take photos.
To get here, visitors can travel on their own or book a tour departing from Ho Chi Minh City. The tour includes cycling around the rice fields, visiting the "Lover's Rock," and continuing to the Mai Waterfall in Dinh Quan District.
The area features Mai trees and a 7-hectare hot water pond. The journey starts at 5 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m., priced from VND1.7 million to VND2.2 million (from $66 to $86).
During the journey, visitors pass by lotus fields to take photos. The terrain here creates low-lying fields, prone to flooding if rice is planted during the rainy season. Locals switch to growing lotus to increase income from selling flowers and lotus seeds.
The next stop is Gia Canh Forest, covering an area of 13,000 hectares, not widely known to many tourists. It is located in Dinh Quan District, about 125 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City along National Highway 20. Gia Canh is a primary forest home to many rare species of flora and fauna.
With its diverse terrain and landscapes, Gia Canh forest is a stop for trekking and camping tours, outdoor trips, and learning about tropical rainforest ecosystems.
Visitors can embark on an 8-kilometer bike ride through the forest to reach Mai Waterfall. Thang noted that many bring their own tents from Ho Chi Minh City, though rentals are available on-site for approximately VND250,000 ($9).
The area is enhancing its services, offering basic forest equipment and cooking tools such as stone stoves and firewood upon request. Entry to the Mai Waterfall tourist area is priced at VND50,000 ($2) per person.
Mai Waterfall belongs to the La Nga River, located in the Mai Waterfall tourist area, Gia Canh Commune. The waterfall marks the boundary between Dinh Quan District, Dong Nai Province, and Duc Linh District, Binh Thuan Province. The name "Mai Waterfall" comes from the area that used to grow many wild apricot trees.
In the photo is the central part of the waterfall, where the flow is gentle. Visitors can soak their feet, bathe in hot water, enjoy the scenery while fishing, or set up camp under the shady trees, experiencing life amidst the forest at Mai Waterfall, about 5 kilometers away.
Originating from the fast-flowing La Nga Stream, the waterfall does not cascade from high above like many other waterfalls but stretches gently like a lake. In the narrow sections filled with rocks, the water flows more vigorously. Over time, the uniquely shaped rocks stretching for kilometers have formed in the middle of the waterfall, attracting more tourists.
