It is not by chance that the melaleuca and fern forest in Cam Lam commune is dubbed the "fairy forest." The forest became known and famous not long ago and quickly became an attractive destination drawing many tourists to visit and take photos. Stepping into it feels like entering a primeval forest, deep in the jungle with a fresh, pristine, and clear green.
The forest is less than 30 kilometers from Nha Trang center. From Nguyen Tat Thanh Avenue heading from Nha Trang to Cam Ranh International Airport, at the intersection of Lang Chai Cam Lam restaurant, turn right for about a kilometer and you will see the natural melaleuca forest next to a crystal-clear pond. The entrance to the forest has been cleared by locals, and frequent visitors have created mysterious beautiful trails. Ferns climb all over the melaleuca trees, forming lush green leaf towers. The melaleuca trees grow in dense clusters, so the fern towers follow one another in waves, forming a forest. Occasionally, paths appear with ferns arching over like gates, very intriguing. Inside the forest, many melaleuca clusters are scorched, with bare or twisted branches, imprinting a charcoal black against the fresh green of the ferns, creating beautiful and unique frames.
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| Melaleuca and fern forest. |
The best time to enter the forest is around 7-8 a.m., when the sun just rises above the treetops, casting a brilliant glow on the melaleuca tops, with beams of light piercing through the fern canopy, casting bright shadows on the damp ground. Sometimes, streams of water meandering through the decaying grass reflect the sunlight from above, creating shimmering patches of light that are breathtakingly beautiful.
We arrived at Cam Lam fairy forest after the previous day's heavy rain. The season had turned to autumn, but the sun was still radiant. Night dew still clung to the leaves, and raindrops from the previous night hung on the tips of fern leaves, sparkling and pristine. The weather was beautiful, and it was a weekend, so many families and young people came here for artistic photos. Strolling slowly in that lush green garden, each person felt as if given "a ticket back to childhood." There, everyone seemed to slow down, savoring every pure moment, breathing in the fresh air, admiring the vibrant green fern forest, and enjoying a bit of brought-along coffee, the aroma blending with the forest scent in an indescribable way.
On the way back, passing by the pond as clear as a giant mirror, I suddenly noticed clusters of white and red water lilies blooming, radiant in the autumn sun. Involuntarily looking back, I silently told myself that I would return to the fairy forest many more times, returning to that innocent, crystal-clear beauty…
CHE DIEM TRAM
