Camping at natural hot springs in northern Vietnam

Ban Mac village is in Trinh Tuong commune, Bat Xat district, 100 km north of the resort town Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province. Its natural hot springs flow from rocks underground, and the water has a temperature ranging from 38 to 45 degrees Celsius.

The natural hot spring in Ban Mac village. Photo by VnExpress

The hot spring is at the edge of the village, about 300 meters from the residential area and about 3 kilometers from the center of Trinh Tuong commune. It is about 20 meters from the mainstem river that hydrates the area.

According to Ly Xe Xa, a conmune official, locals have known about the hot spring for a long time. They have used large stones to form one public bathing pool that can accommodate about 10 to 15 people. Usually, only people from the commune and nearby areas come here in winter. This place has almost no tourists, but anyone is welcome to visit and relax.

Hanoian Nguyen Anh Khoi, 45, and his wife visited Ban Mac Village late last year. As a camping enthusiast, Khoi likes to explore untouched places and enjoy nature. When he was looking for a place to camp overnight on his way from Hanoi to Y Ty Commune in Lao Cai Province, he found out about the hot spring at Ban Mac Village and decided to check it out.

To reach the hot spring, you have to travel 30 km along the road that links Trinh Tuong Commune and Y Ty Commune. The last part of the journey is a dirt road that leads to a grassy spot near the spring where you can camp. But be careful, this road is steep, rocky and slippery when wet. It is only 50 meters long, but hard to drive on. You should use a motorbike or a high-clearance vehicle. The camping spot is spacious but uneven. It overlooks the river beside Ban Mac Village and the rice paddies surrounding it. Khoi pitched his tent close to the river, only a meter away.

Khoi’s tent set up by the river in Ban Mac Village. Photo by VnExpress

With only his previous experience of bathing in an artificial hot spring, Khoi said that the natural hot spring had no chemical smell but at the same time was not as hot as the artificial places he had visited. He said the water was crystal clear unless too many people got in and stirred up the mud. He suggested that only 4 to 5 people should bathe at a time.

“Being surrounded by the fresh air, the rice aroma and the sounds of the stream made it feel like I had traveled back in time to an old village,” he said.

“I wish I’d had more time to camp there, as it was not crowded or commercialized.”

A view from the Ban Mac hot spring to the river and green rice fields. Photo by VnExpress

But it was not all easy.

A trash bin near the spring spoiled the view. Mosquitoes and bugs swarmed at night. The camping spot had no shade and could get extremely hot during the day in the summer. The water level could surge after rain. Although Khoi experienced only a light rain for about 20 minutes, the river water rose to reach the foot of his tent. He recommended visitors avoid the rainy season and to camp in high places.

He also reminded visitors to bring bug spray and dim their lights at night. There are no official camping facilities here, so visitors need to bring their own tents, food and water. If they do not want to camp overnight, they can stay in Trinh Tuong Commune or Bat Xat District centers.