Hidden Gem: Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam

Ban Gioc Waterfall is a picturesque watery landscape located in the northeastern province of Cao Bằng.

At a height of 30 meters and 300 metres across, Ban Gioc is the widest waterfall in the country. It is also the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest waterfall in the world that’s along a national border, after Iguazu Falls (Brazil-Argentina), Victoria Falls (Zambia-Zimbabwe) and Niagara Falls (Canada-USA).  

A view of Ban Gioc Waterfall seen from the carpark

The falls occur on the Quay Son River, flowing from China through a landscape of bamboo thickets and limestone mountains before making a 100-foot plunge to the valley floor of the rice fields.

At Ban Gioc, the Quay Son River marks the border between Guangxi, China and Cao Bằng Province, Vietnam. From the China side, the falls is known as Detian Waterfall. Consequently, half the falls belong to Vietnam while the other half belongs to China. However, the Vietnamese believe that Ban Gioc is the only one waterfall with two parts – the main waterfall and a secondary waterfall.

Ban Gioc’s main falls

Ban Gioc stands out not because of its height but it’s width of 300 metres.

There are sections where the water plummets over several levels, squeezing between trees, gushing over rocks and spraying huge clouds of mist. Then there are other sections that flow more slowly and leisurely, coming to rest in the jade-coloured waters that reflect the greenery of the surroundings.

Ban Gioc’s secondary falls

Visitors can get on a bamboo raft that punts very close to the waterfall spray for VND100,000 ($4.50) per person, The very fine mist that touches the skin as you get closer feels like soft raindrops.

Swimming in the large natural pool on the Vietnamese side is allowed, but not in the river or close to the main waterfall. There is an elevated wooden walkway that goes across running water and a sandy beach, allowing visitors to get nearer to the mid-section of the waterfall.

During the months of July to September, the two levels of the falls at Quay Son River merge into one, creating an even more powerful spray.

I was most fortunate to visit the waterfall on the day when the falls were at their finest and strongest. The group that arrived a day after us did not get to go down to the waterfall and only managed to see it from the ticket office which is about 3 kilometers away. The rainfall from the previous day had worsened, turning the falls into a muddy brown colour, flooding the entire valley and rendering Ban Gioc inaccessible to visitors.

Ban Gioc Waterfall hasn’t been overrun by mass tourism yet and outside of weekends and public holidays, only a trickle of domestic and foreign travellers visit the waterfall each day. However, with all the attention that Ban Gioc has been getting from social media, this respite is only temporary and Cao Bằng Province will no doubt see an inflow of tourists in the near future.