The lake is situated about 15km in the West of Thai Nguyen City. The route to the lake passes Tan Cuong Town, whose tea has the national reputation of high quality. Covering an area of 2,600ha and with the depth of 50m, Nui Coc and its neighborhood, including 89 islets, Coc Mountain and Co Island, is home to approximately 40 bird species and 15 mammal species.
The scenery of Nui Coc is tranquil, yet charming, offering tourists a pleasant escape from the bustle and hustle of urban lifestyle. So lyrical the landscape is that a romantic legend was created attached to the Nui Coc Lake and the Cong Mountain. The legend tells the melancholy story between a girl named Cong and a man, Coc. The disparity in their social status of their family was the reason the couple was separated. Songs were composed based on the sad story: “”One pained person cries and the tears have become a river. One person who spent a life waiting becomes the mountain.”
One popular activity in the site is to take a trip on a boat down Luoi River to Huyen Thoai Cung (Palace of Legend). The Palace features man-made cave system, spreading on a 3,000 sq meter area, and imitating statues, scenes of the legend mentioned above. Located near the Palace of Legend is a small-scale zoo, which keeps pythons, ostriches, monkeys and crocodiles. Another attraction of the Palace is water music display, which was built to celebrate Thai Nguyen Tourism year.
The Lake’s emerald and calm surface is absolutely fit to a sightseeing tour on a bamboo boat. Co Island is a recommended stop, where you can watch storks and other bird species’ lifestyle.