Visitors will be treated to picturesque scenery and a wide array of rustic delights during their trip to a pristine area abundant in areca trees in central Vietnam.

The areca forest in Son Tay District, Quang Ngai Province, is dotted with idyllic terraced fields, imposing falls and distinctive stilt housing.

From Quang Ngai City, the province’s heart, take National Highway 24B before reaching the meandering passes of Provincial Highway 623.

The ‘Ca Ra U Sau’ (Gloomy Cara) slope welcomes tourists with a crystal-clear, babbling stream.

Past the stream, the area’s areca trees come into view and then stretch as far as the eye can see.

Atop the hills, trekkers are treated to the stunning panorama of ripening terraces in Mang Hin and Anh Nhoi Villages, towering areca trees and roofs glistening in the mist. 

The idyllic landscapes will remind visitors of those in the northwest, namely the Sa Pa resort town.

During harvest, tourists can also witness farming first-hand by being assigned strenuous yet enjoyable tasks.

They will also be served signature fish and snail dishes in local homes, and revel in folklores passed down through the generations by the indigenous Ca Dong ethnic minority.   

Tourists can also bask in music produced by the krau, the ethnic people’s distinctive instrument, chanting Ra Nghe and Kalieu folk melodies over small jars of ruou can, a type of herbal, fermented rice wine that is drunk using a long crane tube.

Another delight comes in the form of the pungent taste of the Vietnamese people’s and the Ca Dao group’s long-standing tradition of chewing betel quids. This is the habit in which they chew quids of betel that contain betel leaves, areca nuts and slaked lime.

Betel quids are traditionally offered as a mark of respect and at auspicious occasions.

Betel quids, which give chewers uniquely stained teeth, are also symbolic of faithfulness in relationships.

Sheaves of betel leaves and areca nuts have long made their way into the Vietnamese people’s rituals, including weddings.

Do Trung Duong, a tourist from the central city of Da Nang, who was visiting the spot with his group of friends, remarked that their trip had been a really worthy experience.

On their way back, visitors may find themselves bathing in the refreshing water of the murmuring Huy Mang Brook, also known as the Tien (Fairy) Brook in Son Dung Commune in Son Tay District.

The spring, recognized as a provincial relic in 1999, creates a harmonious symphony with the rustle of leaves and the twittering of birds as it babbles through the boulders.

Layers of lush creepers, wild flowers and the canopy of age-old trees create charming scenery and keep the brook’s water cool all year round.

Another can't-miss spot is the Lua (Silk) Waterfall, nestled in the district’s Son Tinh Commune, with its name purportedly derived from the currents that cascade down from the peak of the mountain.     

At the foot of Lua Waterfall is Xa Ruong Brook, which rambles through polished rocks, adding resplendence to the location.  

In knee-deep waters, hikers can dip their calves or keep their feet in the icy water as schools of small fish nip at them – a great reliever of stress after hours of jungle trekking.

One village in Son Bua Commune, where young residents build their own homes and farm, is also a relatively new draw.

Intriguingly, all the home roofs are embellished with images of the national flag.

To reach the village, tourists must muster up the courage to cross a rickety suspension bridge over the Bua River.

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