Nui Coc Lake
Encyclopedia
Nui Coc Lake is a man-made lake, approximately 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) west of the city of Thai Nguyen
in Thai Nguyen Province
, Vietnam
, in the Tam Dao National Park
. It is a popular visitor attraction on account of the legend associated with the 89 islands within the lake.
, a tributary of the Red River. The lakeshore is divided into two areas, namely the northern bank and the southern bank. The northern bank has many upscale guest houses built on slopes of the hill amidst green trees, known as keo la cham. There is a water park and also an artificial dinosaur
park on this bank.
An eco-tourism park was also developed in March 2007 with musical fountains. The Tourism Trade Union Joint Stock Co. has invested VND 15 billion in this eco-tourism park in an area of 1 hectares (2.5 acre). The main fountain raises to a height of over 40 metres (131.2 ft) with several subsidiary fountains, which presents a spectacular sight. The water fall of the fountain is accompanied by the music played on the khen, a musical instrument of the local ethnic people. The park has an animal reservation enclosure where animals such as alligators, ostriches and bears are reared and protected.
Other attractions in the park are: a 'Fairy Tale House Underworld and Water park' with a total area of about 6 hectares (14.8 acre); an artificial cave system, a large fish statue; in one of the large islands of 89 islets in the lake Vietnamese traditional culture is on display with 2061 cultural and historical items, which include the Bodhisattva
of Compassion with thousands of hands and eyes. The flora found in the lake precincts are Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
, Melastoma candidum, Cratoxylon spp. and many more. The lake precinct (reservoir area) also is home for 40 species of birds and 15 species of mammals. Duck species seen in the island within the lake during the winter are: Dendrocygna javanica, Anas crecca and A. acuta. A small breeding centre of Ardeola bacchus and Egretta spp. has also been established on an island within the lake. Since a very large number of storks and many other birds, are seen in an island in the lake, it is also known as "Stork Island", and another island in the lake where large number of goats has been named as 'Goat Island'.
family. Despite being deeply in love with each other, Coc was not allowed to marry Cong due to the difference in their social status
. Despondent, broken-hearted and pining for his lover, Coc played the flute to call Cong to his room, but she was not allowed to leave the house to meet him. Coc eventually died, whereupon fairies
took pity on him and transformed him into Coc Mountain, which now surrounds the lake. When Cong heard of her lover's fate, she began to cry, day and night. Her love was sincere and loyal, and she cried so much that it resulted in her dying and transforming into tears, which seeped to the ground and started flowing as a stream called the 'Cong River' (which feeds the lake) in search of her fiancé. During the summer season every year violet sim
(myrtle
) flowers bloom in the Coc mountain hill and the Nui Coc Lake. The legend is also extended to the province, which is named as Tan Cuong. Further, it is said that the famous Tan Cuong tea grown here has absorbed Cong's tears in its roots created the sweet flavor of the tea.
Irrigation
The lake was initially conceived for irrigation, in 1977. The reservoir storage provides for irrigation through a canal system for 13000 hectares (32,123.7 acre) of wetland cultivation. Apart from recreational activities, the reservoir is also used for aqua culture. Fish production is reported to be 120 tonne per year.
Nui Coc lake and hydropower
The lake waters are used for hydropower generation at a small power station with 3 units of 630 KW capacity each, on a canal head of an irrigation canal that takes off from the reservoir. The energy generation is about 2 MWh. The irrigation system was built in 1977. However, the power plant construction on the irrigation canal was started in Jan 2008 and the plant commissioned in Jan 2010. A 22 kV transmission line evacuates the power generated to a nearby grid.
Thai Nguyen
Thái Nguyên is a city and municipality in Vietnam. It is the capital and located in center of Thai Nguyen province, in northeastern Vietnam. This is the largest city and often considered as center of Northern midlands and mountain areas...
in Thai Nguyen Province
Thai Nguyen Province
Thái Nguyên is a province in northeastern Vietnam. It is a mountainous, midland province with natural area of 3534.45 square kilometres and a population of 1,149,100 people as of 2008...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, in the Tam Dao National Park
Tam Dao National Park
Tam Dao National Park is a protected area zone in North Vietnam. It was established in 1996, succeeding from The Conservation Forest Tam Dao which was formed in 1977. The park is about 85 km northwest of Hanoi....
. It is a popular visitor attraction on account of the legend associated with the 89 islands within the lake.
Geography
The lake is located in the scenic backdrop provided by the Coc Mountain . The lake was created on the Cong RiverCong River
The Cong River is a tributary of the Red River in northern Vietnam. It flows through Thai Nguyen Province. The river is 96 km in length and has a catchment area of 951 square kilometres. It flows from Nui Coc Lake and also passes through the town of Sông Công....
, a tributary of the Red River. The lakeshore is divided into two areas, namely the northern bank and the southern bank. The northern bank has many upscale guest houses built on slopes of the hill amidst green trees, known as keo la cham. There is a water park and also an artificial dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
park on this bank.
Lake and its precincts
The lake has an area of 2500 hectares (6,177.6 acre) with 23 metres (75.5 ft) deep waters with a storage capacity of 175 million cubic metres. A circular motor boat ride around the lake is an attraction.An eco-tourism park was also developed in March 2007 with musical fountains. The Tourism Trade Union Joint Stock Co. has invested VND 15 billion in this eco-tourism park in an area of 1 hectares (2.5 acre). The main fountain raises to a height of over 40 metres (131.2 ft) with several subsidiary fountains, which presents a spectacular sight. The water fall of the fountain is accompanied by the music played on the khen, a musical instrument of the local ethnic people. The park has an animal reservation enclosure where animals such as alligators, ostriches and bears are reared and protected.
Other attractions in the park are: a 'Fairy Tale House Underworld and Water park' with a total area of about 6 hectares (14.8 acre); an artificial cave system, a large fish statue; in one of the large islands of 89 islets in the lake Vietnamese traditional culture is on display with 2061 cultural and historical items, which include the Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
of Compassion with thousands of hands and eyes. The flora found in the lake precincts are Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern and southeastern Asia, from India, east to southern China, Taiwan and the Philippines, and south to Malaysia and Sulawesi...
, Melastoma candidum, Cratoxylon spp. and many more. The lake precinct (reservoir area) also is home for 40 species of birds and 15 species of mammals. Duck species seen in the island within the lake during the winter are: Dendrocygna javanica, Anas crecca and A. acuta. A small breeding centre of Ardeola bacchus and Egretta spp. has also been established on an island within the lake. Since a very large number of storks and many other birds, are seen in an island in the lake, it is also known as "Stork Island", and another island in the lake where large number of goats has been named as 'Goat Island'.
Legend
Nui Coc Lake is the subject of a legend about 'Coc', a boy from a poor family, and 'Cong', a girl from a rich mandarinMandarin (bureaucrat)
A mandarin was a bureaucrat in imperial China, and also in the monarchist days of Vietnam where the system of Imperial examinations and scholar-bureaucrats was adopted under Chinese influence.-History and use of the term:...
family. Despite being deeply in love with each other, Coc was not allowed to marry Cong due to the difference in their social status
Social status
In sociology or anthropology, social status is the honor or prestige attached to one's position in society . It may also refer to a rank or position that one holds in a group, for example son or daughter, playmate, pupil, etc....
. Despondent, broken-hearted and pining for his lover, Coc played the flute to call Cong to his room, but she was not allowed to leave the house to meet him. Coc eventually died, whereupon fairies
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
took pity on him and transformed him into Coc Mountain, which now surrounds the lake. When Cong heard of her lover's fate, she began to cry, day and night. Her love was sincere and loyal, and she cried so much that it resulted in her dying and transforming into tears, which seeped to the ground and started flowing as a stream called the 'Cong River' (which feeds the lake) in search of her fiancé. During the summer season every year violet sim
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa
Rhodomyrtus tomentosa is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern and southeastern Asia, from India, east to southern China, Taiwan and the Philippines, and south to Malaysia and Sulawesi...
(myrtle
Myrtle
Myrtus is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 m tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five...
) flowers bloom in the Coc mountain hill and the Nui Coc Lake. The legend is also extended to the province, which is named as Tan Cuong. Further, it is said that the famous Tan Cuong tea grown here has absorbed Cong's tears in its roots created the sweet flavor of the tea.
Uses
The lake waters have been put to several beneficial uses. These are for:Irrigation
The lake was initially conceived for irrigation, in 1977. The reservoir storage provides for irrigation through a canal system for 13000 hectares (32,123.7 acre) of wetland cultivation. Apart from recreational activities, the reservoir is also used for aqua culture. Fish production is reported to be 120 tonne per year.
Nui Coc lake and hydropower
The lake waters are used for hydropower generation at a small power station with 3 units of 630 KW capacity each, on a canal head of an irrigation canal that takes off from the reservoir. The energy generation is about 2 MWh. The irrigation system was built in 1977. However, the power plant construction on the irrigation canal was started in Jan 2008 and the plant commissioned in Jan 2010. A 22 kV transmission line evacuates the power generated to a nearby grid.