Pongour Waterfall is a terraced waterfall and one of the most famous in Lam Dong Province. The mighty 40 meters high and 100-meter-wide waterfall region is celebrated for its huge romantic landscape amidst rich valleys, lakes, springs, and pine hills. Recognized as a national level beauty-spot, it is a famous picnic spot.
Water torrents from its source River Da Nhim sturdily falls down on this scenic cascade, flowing through the seven staircases, making this attraction veritable for every age group to visit. Hence, Pongour waterfall is also documented as the Seven cascades. It is pleasant to climb up all the seven levels of this benevolent waterfall and pleasure a bathe in the shallow pools on each tier in a hot humid weather to blow off some steam. Admission fee to this cascade rounds up to VND 10,000 pooled with a well-maintained parking spot, few trinket stalls and snacks outlets around the base of the waterfall.
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Things to Do at Pongour Waterfalls
Fishing: The Pongour falls is surrounded by a stunning Di Ninh Lake at its bank which harbors plenty of freshwater fishes. Just find a perfect spot and drop in a line to catch your chase.
Canyoning: One of the best ways to conquer the waterfalls is by taking upon this water sport around the base of the cascade. It gives a great adrenalin rush combined with some sightseeing. Choose a safe licensed Canyoning service which will provide a five-hour experience around Pongour cascade including orientation, abseiling, nature water sliding, jumping and zip lining. This unforgettable trip price would cost around VND 1,750,000 to VND 2,000,000.
Celebrate the Lunar Festival: Every year Pongour celebrates the festival of Tay Nguyen ethnic group on the full moon in January to pay their tributes to the legends behind the great contributions of their heroin Ka Nai. If visiting the cascade during this time period, one can witness various cultural and traditional activities of this ethnic group like bamboo dancing, cotton ball games, etc.
The name Pongour is derived from the K’ho language, meaning 'four rhinoceros horns'. Folklore suggests the tale of a brave heart heroin Ka Nai, the ruler of the K’ho tribe who was celebrated for conquering dangerous animals to protect the tribe. Among those conquers, were the four rhinoceros who diligently obeyed her commands, until one day on a full moon night in spring, she was found dead.
Legends transcripts the pain these four rhinos felt by the death of their commander and are believed to have vanished the day after her death. Pongour Waterfall was then believed to be found with the trace of these rhinoceros fossils plunged into the mountains of the Central Highlands, with the hair of Ka Nai turned into a waterfall. It is today marked as the living sign of the true bond of love between nature and humans.
Lam Dong, Dalat features a tropical climate throughout the year, henceforth seeing a rainy and dry season. The best time of the year to visit these ferocious waterfalls is from April to September during the rainy season when the water torrents from Da Nhim River is in full stream throttling to give way to a great view of these majestic falls.
Contrary to this, the dry season experiences a slow falling cascade – which makes this attraction still a picturesque destination with water flushing down like a huge silk filet with soft curves.
Tips
Wear comfortable shoes or sandals with good grips to hold on to the frisky grounds near the waterfall.
Do not approach the waterfall too closely, stay on a safe height on top of the big stones to cuddle the view.
Avoid heading towards areas with the danger sign. The water torrents of the cascades are unpredictable, and hence, should be cautiously dealt with.
Avoid teasing or pushing others at the base of the waterfall since it could be life-threatening.
Avoid visiting the spot during the weekend, since it's packed with locals who usually find this spot as the nearest weekend getaway from the Da Lat.
Carry an extra set of clothes, shoes, sunscreen, mosquito repellants for a smooth exploration.
How To Reach Pongour Waterfall
Pongour Waterfall is located 45 kilometers southwest of Da Lat. The closest airport being Lien Khuong Airport in Duc Trong District (the airport that services Da Lat), one can travel directly to the site via bus, taxi or motorbike. One may board a bus from the Khu Hoa Binh terminal station for VND 25,000 to reach the destination in an hour and a half, or commute by hiring a motor taxi for VND 100,000 for a single sided journey.
The best way to ride on the adventure and discover the beautiful countryside of Da-Lat is by renting a motorbike for a day and traveling to Pongour which is about 45 kilometers from the Da Lat city center. A full day motorbike rental lays around VND 30, 000 to VND 40,000.
