Cong Troi & Thac P'Ruh - Heaven's Gate Arch & P'Ruh Falls
One of the worst kept "secret places" in Da Nang is the arch known as Cong Troi. I had heard whispers of this place for a couple years, and when I finally found it my first thought was to keep it secret and not publish much about it. However, after repeated visits, I soon realized that this place is incredibly well known already- maybe not to the expat and foreigner crowd- but certainly to the locals, both Kinh Vietnamese and local ethnic Vietnamese. On several on those return visits, groups of no less than 30 to 40 locals were posted up directly under the arch, having picnics, and the rocks of the arch themselves bear countless inscriptions of people visiting. For that reason, and the fact that there is now a marker on Google Maps, I decided that withholding the info to this point is pointless and silly, and since it really isn't a "secret" place at all, I'd like as many folks to have a chance to visit as possible.
Now, although it certainly isn't the "secret" place I thought it was, it certainly IS a long ways from the city and is quite remote. It is located deep in the mountains near P'Rao, in Dong Giang district of Quang Nam, where a random streak of limestone that is abnormal to the rest of the area shows up. This limestone is responsible for several interesting local features besides the arch, including several caves, and some tower reminiscent of Quang Binh, Ninh Binh, or Quang Ninh. The limestone here has sprouted up in a long ridge, and over time the North Fork of the A Ran River (Song A Ran Bac) has tunneled it's way through this chunk of rock, ultimately resulting in the arch.
The scale of the arch is actually pretty impressive. The opening itself is probably between 20 and 40 meters across, and the top of the limestone itself is probably close to 50 meters above the creekbed. The arch is not necessarily that thick, perhaps only a dozen meters. Since it is composed of limestone, it displays two familiar traits that are characteristic; the first is sharp, weathered limestone that is full of points and looks like a cheezegrater, like a lot of limestone found in Ha Long Bay, and the second is smooth, beautiful flowstone formations that look right out of a cave. These are found because at one point they were in a cave and were only exposed once the opening collapsed and the arch opened.
The arch is great because it offers several ways to enjoy it. If you are coming from Da Nang or Hoi An, this obviously makes a great destination at the end of what should be an amazing drive up the Ma Caooih Road. Even if you are on a time budget and only have a short time to spend here, even just 30 minutes to an hour is enough to feel it's special charm. Also, you can do as the locals do and bring a picnic. The flowstone benches on other side of the creek allow for great picnic spreads and as the creek is usually not more than an ankle deep trickle, its the perfect place to take some younger children to play in the water, and in the shade.
For the more adventurous, there are some neat recreational and sporty things to do here. If you bring ropes and know how to properly set them up, it is very easy to set up a rappel and drop off the top of the arch. Doing so results in a free-hanging rappel that feels to be just over 30 m. There are limitless anchor options depending on how you want to rig it. In addition, there are a couple of caves in the very close vicinity to explore. At least one of these requires technical caving skills to enter and navigate safely, and it is for that reason that I will not include specific directions to the entrances of those caves. If you are comfortable with technical caving skills then you should have little trouble finding them on your own. In addition to these, it would likely be possible to set up a couple of top ropes and do some sport climbing as well.
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Reaching the arch is actually not difficult, and can be done by just about anyone, provided they are willing to drive for some time to reach it. The arch is but 10 minutes off a paved road so it is just a matter of getting here. To reach it, you need to end up in the town of Dai Lanh, which is in a beautiful open valley in Dai Loc District of Quang Nam. If you are coming from Da Nang, it is best to take Cach Mang Thang 8 Street (the street Mega Market/Metro is on) west out of the city. If you stay on this road the whole way it eventually becomes the AH-17 / QL-14-B, and it will take you all the way to Dai Loc. Stay right once you enter Dai Loc, and proceed down the road another 14 km to a small town on the river. DON'T cross the bridge here, but turn left just before it, and then turn right and go UNDER the big bridge. Stay on this country road for 6 kilometers until you reach Dai Lanh. If coming from Hoi An, stay on Hung Vuong Street and continue along until it becomes DT-609. Stay on this road all the way through Ai Nghia, for another 15 km until you reach the same spot mentioned above and cross under the big bridge. Follow the next 6 km to Dai Lanh.
Once you in Dai Lanh, cross the river and turn right immediately. From here just stay on the main road and don't leave it for the next 25 km. The road will start in the wide open floodplains of the Song Kon (Kon River), but will follow the river and its canyon all the way until it becomes a clear, splashing mountain stream in a narrow valley. The trail to the arch is a bit ambiguous, but can be found very easily by looking for a key landmark: a bridge over a stream. As you travel up the valley you will pass numerous ethnic villages. The very last of these, Ka Dau, has a small school on the north side of the road, and just 5 km after this the road will go around a large bend to the right, cross over a stream on a sizable concrete bridge, and then begin a long and large left hand corner around a small hill. Look for a pull out on the right, perhaps other bikes, and the trail itself. Once you have found it, it is a very easy 10 minute walk down the hill to the arch.
But, the fun doesn't stop with just the arch; by following trails upstream for another 10 to 15 minutes through the jungle, you can find your way to the bottom of an incredible 12 meter waterfall as well. This falls, called "Thac P'Ruh" by the locals, is an almost-straight plunge off a granite ledge into a rather large pool below. The water quality is kind of clouded and it's hard to see into the bottom of the pool, so scout around a little bit before attempting any jumps. This is because the stream drains a large area of wild jungle above here, which means a lot of organic matter in the water. In addition a fair amount of locals and visitors swim here so the sediment is often stirred up as well. Still, it is a nice place to take a swim and cool off in the heat of the day.
Video copyright YouTube user Huy Chu.
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And that is Cong Troi and Thac P'Ruh. As always, if you choose to visit these places, please respect it and the people you see. Even if you see people littering or doing things that aren't respectful, just remember to be the best example you can be. Take any trash out with you and please don't carve your names into the rock. Perhaps if those who don't respect the area see visitors behaving this way it may help them change their own behavior and attitude. Enjoy and share responsibly.
The Map
All photos copyright Kit Davidson.
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