Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park

Located in the core area of the Pu Mat National Park in Con Cuong district, Nghe An province, Khe Kem Waterfall has been hailed by scientists as the most primitive waterfall in Vietnam.
May 06, 2024 | 09:35

Local Thai ethnic people call Khe Kem “Bo Bo waterfall”, which means ‘white silk strip’ in their indigenous language. Falling from a height of 500 meters, the waterfall is separated into three layers by rocks and trees. Looking from the foot of the waterfall, one can feel Khe Kem is like a silk strip squeezing through the mountains and forests.

Khe Kem Waterfall belongs to Pu Mat National Park - a forest located on the eastern slope of the Truong Son range, southwest of Nghe An province, with an area of nearly 95 thousand hectares, stretching over 3 districts of Anh Son, Con Cuong, and Tuong Duong.

Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park
Local Thai ethnic people call Khe Kem “Bo Bo waterfall”, which means ‘white silk strip’ in their indigenous language. Photo: Nhan Dan

The waterfall weaves its way between the mountains and evergreen vegetation of Pu Mat National Forest, creating a truly romantic and majestic scene. Right at the foot of the waterfall is a fairly large area of water, with clear water flowing down from the waterfall. Visitors can enjoy relaxing moments when they can stand on the cliff to admire the scenery or bathe in the cool stream.

Khe Kem waterfall is an ideal place for visitors to swim and enjoy delicious specialties of Thai ethnic groups, including sticky rice, grilled fish, and barbequed chicken.

Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park
The waterfall weaves its way between the mountains and evergreen vegetation of Pu Mat National Forest, creating a truly romantic and majestic scene. Photo: Traveloka

Adventure lovers can trek to the top of the waterfall and then hike to Khe Bu Valley or Pu Loong Mountain, taking from six to eight hours for a two-way trip.

Currently, there is a paved road from Con Cuong town to Khe Kem waterfall. There are already several accommodation facilities and tourist services to serve visitors. After taking a cool bath and taking beautiful pictures, visitors can enjoy the specialties of the Thai ethnic group: bamboo-tube rice, purple sticky rice, Mat fish in Giang river, honey grilled chicken. Khe Kem waterfall is a Con Cuong tourist destination that attracts many tourists from all over the country. The people here are friendly and hospitable. The dishes of the Thai people are strange and attractive at affordable prices.

There have been many surveys and studies on the Khe Kem waterfall. Scientists once evaluated this place as a rich treasure of rare plants and medicinal plants.

Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park
Khe Kem Waterfall belongs to Pu Mat National Park - a forest located on the eastern slope of the Truong Son range, southwest of Nghe An province. Photo: Bao Nghe An

There is no accommodation to stay near Khe Kem Waterfall, but a few choices are scattered around the general area. Con Cuong town has several local standard guesthouses along the main street and the high-rise Muong Thanh Hotel, which offers mid-range rooms, a swimming pool, and excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

However, the most atmospheric places to stay are in the local homestays outside the town. There are some homestay clusters in Khe Ran village, just across the bridge from Con Cuong town, Yen Khe village, and Mon Sơn village. Hanh Chien Homestay and Quy Thoa Ecolodge are good choices.

Along the stream are stone slabs like chairs to serve as a resting place for visitors. Sitting on the rocks and dropping their bare feet into the stream, tourists can experience the fish swimming around them and touch their skin.

Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park
Visitors can enjoy relaxing moments when they can stand on the cliff to admire the scenery or bathe in the cool stream. Photo: Nhan Dan

As a gem of nature in Vietnam travel in general and Nghe An Province in particular, Pu Mat National Park stands out for its breathtaking landscapes and diverse ecosystem. Beyond its scenic beauty, the park also provides a myriad of experiences for visitors including fishing, marveling at majestic waterfalls, and discovering rare wildlife.

Pu Mat National Park has long been an enticing ecological tourism attraction in Central Vietnam. In the Thai language, "Pu" means mountain peak. Pu Mat refers to the name of the highest mountain peak in the region, standing at an elevation of 1,841 meters above sea level. This mountain's name is used to designate the national park.

Pu Mat National Park Vietnam is home to over 2,494 plant species, distributed across 931 genera within 202 families. Notably, 68 of these species are categorized as endangered in the Vietnam Red Book, comprising 2.73% of the ecosystem's total species. Additionally, the park includes a 100-hectare ancient forest with towering trees reaching heights of up to 50 meters. The untouched nature here provides visitors with a truly special experience.

Explore Khe Kem Waterfall – A Fascinating Destination In Pu Mat National Park
After taking a cool bath and taking beautiful pictures, visitors can enjoy the specialties of the Thai ethnic group: bamboo-tube rice, purple sticky rice, Mat fish in Giang river, honey honey-grilled chicken. Photo: Nhan Dan

Pu Mat shelters more than 132 animal species across 11 orders and 30 families. This diverse range includes 42 large mammals, 39 bat species, and 51 small mammals, featuring notable creatures such as elephants, tigers, saola, black-and-white langurs, brown-footed ferrets, pig-tailed macaques, and Truong Son muntjacs.

Additionally, the park houses 324 bird species from 49 families and 15 orders, with 10 species listed in the Red Book. Pu Mat is also the habitat for around 86 amphibian and reptile species, 83 fish species, 459 butterfly species, and 78 ant species.

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