In July 1993, Hans-Peter Grumpe traveled from Hanoi to Cao Bang (photo) in a Russian Jeep (UAZ), common during the subsidy period. Vietnam-Tourist, the only travel company at the time, arranged the entire trip.

The trip occurred during the rainy season (July-August), and the roads to the waterfall were degraded due to mud. About 10 km from the destination, a landslide blocked the road, forcing the group to abandon the Jeep and walk to the waterfall.

This vehicle was used throughout German tourist Hans-Peter Grumpe's exploration of Cao Bang.

The journey, approximately 280 km long, took one day. From Cao Bang town, Grumpe traveled 85 km northeast to reach Ban Gioc waterfall, located near the border.

In 1993, Ban Gioc waterfall was not yet on commercial tourist maps. The area around the waterfall had no ticket booths, service systems, or shops. Dense primary forest, part of the border buffer zone, and sparse ethnic minority villages surrounded the waterfall.

Terraced fields near Ban Gioc waterfall 30 years ago.

July marks the peak of the rainy season in the highlands, turning Ban Gioc waterfall a rich, silty color with strong currents. Grumpe described the scene of Ban Gioc waterfall then as "breathtakingly beautiful and majestic."

Today, Ban Gioc waterfall, located in Dam Thuy commune, Cao Bang province, is Southeast Asia's largest natural waterfall and the world's fourth largest border waterfall.

Bamboo and wooden water wheels (con nuoc) lined the Quay Son riverbank in Cao Bang during the rainy season 30 years ago.

In 1993, regulations on travel permits for foreigners were lifted, allowing visitors to explore deeper into border areas.

The border area near Ban Gioc waterfall, separated by the Quay Son river.

The Quay Son river, upon entering Vietnam, winds through limestone mountains, terraced fields, and Tay - Nung villages in Ngoc Con and Phong Nam before cascading down to form Ban Gioc waterfall.

Grumpe vividly recalls an incident when the group returned to Cao Bang center at dusk. Their vehicle was twice blocked by large rocks and tree branches, set up by local groups to collect money from vehicles passing through the border region.

The situation was resolved when the driver activated the vehicle's pre-installed siren system (the vehicle was a modified official car), causing the group to quickly clear the obstacles and yield the way.

An inter-provincial passenger bus from Cao Bang to Lang Son 30 years ago.

The northern highlands left the German visitor with memories of a pristine and culturally rich Vietnam. Grumpe stated that the northern landscape was the reason he returned to Vietnam repeatedly in the early 1990s, with each place giving him the feeling of being "untouched by mass tourism."

Mai Phuong

Photo: Hans-Peter Grumpe