Many people have never heard of Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, but this provincial capital may interest those looking to stray from the beaten path.

Thai Nguyen, located 80 kilometres from the country’s capital city, may not be as popular with casual travellers as Hue, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However this emerging city (the largest in the north) not only possesses spectacular mountain scenery it also includes a few gems such as the Thai Nguyen Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groups, Phoung Hoang Cave and Nui Coc Lake,rarely visited but well worth the effort.

Thai Nguyen has a deeply entrenched history of involvement in the Vietnam War, but today the city is renowned for its ethnic diversity, its large university as well as its production of green tea. You'll see plenty of the plantations as you tour Thai Nguyen and its many offbeat tourist attractions.

Thai Nguyen Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groups

Whether you plan on spending a few days in Thai Nguyen or simply stop for a few hours en route to Ba Be Lake, add this museum to your itinerary. This massive pastel pink building constructed in 1960 houses an impressive collection of exhibits of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. With the addition completed in 2006 the newly enlarged the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groups added even more exhibits covering minorities from the central and southern regions of the country. Take a short walk around the surrounding ‘s’ shaped park (the country’s geological shape) and visit the replicas of Tay stilt houses, Cham Temples and Khmer Churches.

Entrance to the Museum of the Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groupscosts 10 000 VND. The museum is open from 7:00 a.m. – 11:30 and 1:30 – 5:00 p.m. in the summer, a half hour later in winter. A free English booklet is available at the entrance but published in 2000, it is somewhat out of date. Most organized tours to Ba Be Lake from Hanoi include a stop at this impressive museum.

Phoung Hoang Cave

Heading 40 km north of Thai Nguyen, visit these massive caves used during the American War (The Vietnam War) to store ammunition. The climb up to these brilliant caves can be treacherous at times for those not used to hiking but the thrill of descending deep into their interior outweighs the difficulty. During the day, the caves are well lit with natural light; however, anyone wishing to explore side caverns must bring a flashlight. Unfortunately, irresponsible tourists have damaged some of the stalactites, have painted graffiti on the cave walls and have left some garbage scattered at the bottom. There are plans underway to develop these caves into a better tourist attraction, which could put an end to this type of activity. For the moment entrance to the caves is free, xe om (motorcycle taxi) drive there notwithstanding.

Expect to pay around 100, 000 VND for the return drive.

Nui Coc Lake

Seen as the Disney Land of Vietnam, this offbeat tourist attraction north of Hanoi wins the award for quirky Vietnam excursions. Nui Coc Lake, located 15 kilometres north of the city, is a resort of sorts. Large hotel structures hug the hills facing the large unspoiled lake prized by nature-lovers, while water slides and swimming pools cater to weekend tourists from Hanoi and surrounding areas. A general store stands between two enormous cement figures of Coc and Cong, the male and female representatives of the mountains and the lake according to the legend of Nui Coc. Sitting on the roof of the general store is an equally large statue of Santa Claus, for whatever reason.

Paths through the forest are cemented over, aligned by guardrails on either side making for a breezy stroll through the forest. In an attempt to make the walk more natural looking, the guardrails are painted brown and look from afar like wood, as do cement garbage cans cast to resemble tree trunks – a far cry from the flashy colours seen elsewhere in the vicinity.

For a less artificial view of the beautiful Nui Coc Lake and mountains, specify to your xe om (motorcycle taxi) driver that you wish to visit the south side. Here you will be surrounded by nature. For 300 000 VND you can hire a boat to visit the lake including an island pagoda.

Dog Meat Restaurants in Thai Nguyen

If you’re feeling extremely adventurous while touring Thai Nguyen, and have tried many of the wonderful meals such as Pho Nhung, why not dine on the local delicacy. Many dog meat restaurants pepper the city and eating at one could be an experience you’ll never forget.