Co La Waterfall – Where the Quay Son River Meets the “Den Am Hon” Film Set Amid Dam Thuy’s Mountain Forests
The emerald waters of the Quay Son River drift past alluvial banks and rocky rapids before suddenly meeting a mountain in their path. With nowhere else to go, the water plunges over three tiers of rock, sending up clouds of white spray and filling the still mountain forest with a sound that shifts from a roar to a clear, rippling rush. This is Co La Waterfall, whose unspoiled beauty captivated filmmakers and made it a principal location for the film “Den Am Hon,” a box-office hit during the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday.
Where Is Co La Waterfall?
The waterfall is in Ruoc Village, a peaceful Tay village. It was formerly part of Chi Vien Commune in the former Trung Khanh District and is now in Dam Thuy Commune, following the 2025 administrative reorganization. The waterfall is about 10 km from Trung Khanh town center.
The road to the waterfall is easy to navigate, and both motorbikes and low-clearance cars can reach the site. Only the short footpath leading to the base of the falls is an unpaved natural trail.
Why Is It Called Co La?
The waterfall has its distinctive name because Co La plants grow in abundance along the stream. The simple name reflects the local vegetation and the falls’ own unspoiled character.
The Story of the Quay Son River
To understand Co La’s beauty, start upstream. Here, the Quay Son River once marked the boundary between the former Chi Vien and Dinh Phong communes. Its clear, green waters flow gently past alluvial banks and rocky rapids, creating a scene like a miniature Ha Long Bay, with green woodland, limestone mountains, and earthen hills all around.
In the midst of this calm, the river suddenly meets Thoong Long Mountain, whose name means “big waterfall” in the local language. The water is forced over the rocks, forming Co La Waterfall.
Beyond the falls, the river grows gentle again, winding past bamboo hedgerows and fertile fields enriched by its silt as it flows toward Tha Lung, meaning “wide river.”
Three Tiers in a Watercolor Landscape
Co La Waterfall stands about 30 meters high, with three distinct tiers. At each level, nature has arranged rocks of every size into steps over which water cascades in white torrents. Viewed as a whole, the falls are not especially steep. Instead, they feel gentle and soothing, like an emerald stream embracing the foot of Thoong Long Mountain.
At the foot of each tier, crystal-clear water gathers in small, still pools that mirror the blue sky and white clouds above.
Sound is what makes Co La especially captivating. In the near-silence of the mountain forest, the waterfall shifts from a deep roar to a rippling rush, like a vibrant symphony echoing through the landscape. Its beauty has been likened to a woman from the highlands: passionate, strong, and untamed.
From Untamed Waterfall to Film Set
Co La’s watercolor beauty has drawn filmmakers to the site. Directed by Hoang Nam, the film “Den Am Hon” began shooting in Trung Khanh in August 2024, with most of the movie filmed at Co La Waterfall.
Inspired by “The Story of the Woman of Nam Xuong,” the film retells the story of Vu Nuong in a northern Vietnamese village during the feudal era, weaving in elements of folk spirituality. The area beside the falls served as a filming location, including for a village market scene. In addition to Co La Waterfall, the production filmed at several other sites in Cao Bang, including Mat Than Mountain, an ancient chestnut forest, and a bamboo forest.
“Den Am Hon” premiered on February 7, 2025—the tenth day of the Year of the Snake’s Lunar New Year holiday—and went on to earn more than VND 100 billion. Although audiences were divided over the story, they shared one impression: Cao Bang’s scenery was beautiful, majestic, and poetic.
Since the film’s release, many visitors have come to Co La to see the locations for themselves. Standing amid the three tiers of white water, you may recognize scenes from the movie.
Please note: Ask local residents about the current state of the filming locations before you visit, as sets built for the movie may have been removed or changed over time.