Nui Coc Lake

Nui Coc Lake is an artificial freshwater reservoir on the Cong River, located about 15 km west of Thai Nguyen city in Dai Tu District, Thai Nguyen Province, northern Vietnam. Constructed between 1973 and 1978 for irrigation and flood control, it covers about 25 square kilometers and contains 89 islands. The lake is a popular tourist destination associated with the folk legend of Nang Coc and Chang Cong and features boat tours, lakeside parks and views of surrounding hills.

Visitors can expect a large reservoir lake dotted with forested islands set against low hills. The main tourist area on the eastern shore includes a lakeside park, Legend Palace (Huyen Thoai Cung) displaying the Coc-Cong legend, gardens, and piers for motorboat and cruise services to islands. Activities center on sightseeing boat trips, photography, walking along the waterfront, and visiting cultural exhibits and entertainment facilities within the tourism complex.

Nui Coc Lake was created as an irrigation and flood-control reservoir on the Cong River. Construction began in 1973 and was completed in 1978, forming a reservoir with a capacity of about 175 million cubic meters to serve agriculture in Thai Nguyen and surrounding areas, later developed as a tourism site.

The lake is culturally associated with the Vietnamese folk legend of Nang Coc and Chang Cong, a tragic love story after which the lake, river and surrounding mountains are said to be named. The legend is commemorated in the lakeside Legend Palace and is a central cultural theme for visitors.