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Bảo Đại falls (also known as Jráiblian falls) is named after
Vietnam’s last emperor. It’s said that Bảo Đại (1913-1997) would stop here on
his numerous hunting trips to the region, during which he and his royal
entourage would hunt wild tigers and elephants, among other magnificent animals
that are now almost entirely gone from the forests and mountains of Vietnam.
These enormous, thundering falls are far from the beaten path and the area has
only recently been developed as a tourist site. So far, development has been
subtle and tasteful, perhaps suggesting a new approach by the Vietnamese
tourism authorities. The modest entrance leads into peaceful landscaped gardens
with a couple of attractive wooden houses. Stone steps and pathways through
sheer rock lead down to the waterfall. Dense jungle foliage and screaming
cicadas create a thrilling and exotic atmosphere as you scramble over boulders
covered in roots, brush aside vines, climbers, creepers and other epiphytes, to
reveal the first sight of this huge and powerful waterfall. At around 70 metres
high and over 100 metres wide these falls are the biggest.The cascade of muddy
water drops straight down over a wall of volcanic rock. At its base one or two
local fishermen cast their lines into the rock pools, looking fragile and
delicate in the presence of the towering falls.
The odd tour bus visits now and then,
especially on weekends, but during the week there’s only a trickle of visitors
and you may well have these spectacular falls all to yourself. There’s no
entrance fee yet and (gasp!) no sign of any concrete elephants or colossal
statues of ethnic minorities adorning the site – let’s hope it stays that way
as visitor numbers rise, which they surely will. Bảo Đại falls are about 50km
south of Dalat and it takes around an hour and a half to get here. Take a left
(due south) off Highway 20 at Ninh Gia) and continue for about 8km until you
see a gas station on the right. Here, take a left (due north) which is clearly
signposted to Bảo Đại waterfall .You can either arrange your own transportation
from Dalat or take a public bus to Đức Trọng and hire a motorbike taxi from
there to the falls. The nearest accommodation is in Ninh Gia on Highway 20.
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