On the way, we stopped by the town of Bao Loc to visit the imposing Damb’ri waterfall, just 18 kilometers northwest of the town. On both sides of the Highway 20, there were small, plain wooden houses and vast, green, terraced fields of mulberry and plantations of coffee and tea. It was like a scene from a simple nature poem.
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After a 15-minute drive from the highway to the town, we finally reached our destination, located 1,500 meters above sea level and covering more than 1,300 hectares, of which 1,000 hectares is forest. We were immediately enraptured by the vast natural space and the green forest, trees, weeds and colorful flowers.
On the way from the gate to the waterfall, we walked past a placid lake surrounded by green trees and grass. After stopping for a few minutes on the shore to enjoy fresh air under a clear sky, we began to walk to the waterfall lying at the bottom of a deep valley.
A narrow staircase has been built to help visitors to get to the bottom of the valley more easily. On both sides of the staircase there are mountain walls covered by thin, straight tree trunks. The further we went down, the thicker and bigger the trees. It was as if we were going into a deep cave. Far below, a deep pool appeared. We climbed further down and suddenly we heard the roar of a waterfall far below.
On a cement pavement built on the mountainside halfway down to the valley are sets of tea tables and chairs. Visitors can sit and admire a magnificent view of the waterfall. There is small shop selling drinks and souvenirs in the corner. We ordered some iced coffee to quench our thirst. While sipping the drink, we contemplate the water flowing down swiftly at an average speed of 10 meters a second from the height of 60 meters, forming spectacular whirlpools in the air.
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The swift-flowing water encountered a rock formation underneath. When it touched the rock, it produced so much spray that it looked like a thin layer of smoke covering the surface of the pool. A rainbow appeared whenever the sun shone through the rain-like spray. It was terrific to enjoy coffee in such a romantic scene while listening to the roar of the waterfall.
We continued to climb down and crossed a three-way bridge over the pool. Although we ran to avoid the spray, we were wet from head to toe by the time we got to the other end of the bridge. It was hot, but we felt cool and fresh. We could do nothing but laugh, so we laughed together.
We took an elevator to get back to the surface. On the way to our car, we walked past an area called “The Island of Monkeys” (not an actual island) where we could see many monkeys running around, playing on the lawns, or climbing up the trees.
After that, we reached a large lake where visitors can hire rowboats or motorboats to sail upstream to the source of the waterfall or fish offshore. On the walk back to the parking lot, we crossed a narrow suspension bridge over a large stream. The bridge swayed back and forth and bounced up and down with every step we took, giving us a thrill.
Damb’ri means “waiting” in the K’Ho language. We had to end our trip to Da Lat, but will come back again someday to explore the wonderful natural scenes there. There are still many things waiting for us as we explore.
Source: saigon-gpdaily.com.vn
| A Short Visit to Damb’ri Waterfall |
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