Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien, an attractive destination on the journey to the ancestral land

On the journey to ancestral land, there is a destination that those who love the beauty of nature should not miss, which is the Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien tourist area located on Na mountain, in Quan Khe village, Hien Luong commune, Ha Hoa district. This is one of the most famous tourist destinations, with a charming landscape and fresh water flowing all year.

Ao Gioi is the first waterfall in the waterfall system on the Ao Gioi route.

According to the legend of “Dragon and Fairy’s Children”, after Mother Au Co gave birth to a sac of 100 eggs, which hatched 100 children, Lac Long Quan took 50 children to the sea, and Au Co took 50 children to the mountain. When the village was stable, Mother Au Co and her children went to new lands. When the country was reunited, the border was expanded, people returned to Hien Luong, deciding to choose this place to settle their lives.

According to legend, on the 25th of lunar December in the year of Nham Than, Mother Au Co dreamed of a fairy telling her, "On the 7th of January, you must return to heaven according to your father’s order. Before returning to heaven, there will be someone to welcome you to No Mountain". Having said that, the fairy disappeared into the clouds.

That year, Mother Au Co called all her children and grandchildren in the area to celebrate Tet happily, organizing many exciting games such as wrestling, swinging, tug of war, etc. On the morning of January 7, Mother Au Co told her children to work hard at home, love and take care of each other, then went west to No Mountain (later called Na Mountain) and met a rocky crevice. Mother Au Co went up the rocky slope, when the sun was high, she suddenly heard a giggle. It turned out that a group of fairies had brought their skirts down to welcome her. One fairy kneeled before Mother and said, "We obeyed the order of the Jade Emperor and came here to welcome you. Please take a shower and change your clothes to return to heaven in time."

This place has a charming landscape, with fresh water flowing all year round.

The water that Mother Au Co bathed in flows down the foot of the mountain, forming a stream. People call it Ao Troi-Suoi Tien. When following the fairies to fly to heaven, the Mother tried to fly as low as possible to see her children and grandchildren and their home for the last time. Suddenly, mother let down a red scarf as if to leave her boundless love for her children and grandchildren.

Since then, every January 7th, people in the area hold a grand ceremony to commemorate their mother at the Au Co Temple. On the day of the ceremony, they will bring a red silk strip to spread on the top of the ancient banyan tree at the temple, to remember the great merit of Mother.

Along with the legend of Mother Au Co, in the Ao Troi-Suoi Tien tourist area, there are many other interesting folk stories about fairies and gods, preserving the wild but touching beauty.

Comrade Le Dang Phuong, Chairman of Hien Luong Commune People’s Committee said: The Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien tourist area has 2 alleys; one side is Ao Gioi, the other side is Suoi Tien. The entire scenic area has a total of over 30 large and small waterfalls divided into levels with water flowing all year round, including waterfalls over 20m high. The total area of the area is 670ha located in the special-use forest conservation planning, of which 199.8ha are planned as the Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien eco-tourism area.

This place is favored by nature, not only with beautiful landscapes but also with fresh and cool air. It is a tourist destination, especially on hot summer days.

It is known that in the past, to get to the tourist area, you had to go on a very difficult trail. In 2008, the road was paved and in 2023, the State invested in upgrading and expanding it, creating convenience for traveling and exploring. Currently, taking advantage of the cool water source from Na Mountain at the foot of the mountain, Mr. Le Kien Chung has decided to invest in and develop a sturgeon farming model that not only brings high economic efficiency but also meets the culinary needs of tourists when coming to the tourist area.

As a natural eco-tourism area with many beautiful and magical landscapes of mountains, forests, streams and waterfalls, coming to Ao Gioi-Suoi Tien, visitors can enjoy the cool and peaceful green space, experience fun activities and picnics, as well as learn about the history and culture of the people here. We are sure that this place will be an interesting and meaningful destination for tourists when coming to Phu Tho.

Vinh Ha