Yen Trung Lake in Quang Ninh Province, home to Ha Long Bay, has a charm reminiscent of  the 'town of love' Da Lat. 

Yen Trung, a large freshwater lake in Uong Bi Town of Quang Ninh Province, is dubbed "mini Da Lat" by many tourists. It is about 100 hectares in size and surrounded by mountains and lush pine forests.

Da Lat in the Central Highlands is much loved by its year-round cool climate, green pine forests and misty landscape.

A path through the forest along Yen Trung Lake.

Situated six kilometers from Uong Bi Town, the lake and its surrounds make for a great tranquil getaway away from the bustle of urban life.

When you pay a visit to the lake, pay attention to how locals extract resin from the pine trees. They place bowls and bottles under a nail they hammer into the trunk to capture the resin.

Yen Trung Lake is still an uncharted tourism spot for people from other parts of Vietnam but not for Quang Ninh residents. Many go to the lake for a picnic. Visitors can camp under the forest canopy or rent boats from locals to paddle to the lake’s two islands.

Ecotourism site Eden Garden, which opened in September last year, offers options such as kayaks and water bicycles for around VND100,000 ($4.3) for 30 minutes.

Love locks on an arc-shaped bridge named "love" over a section of the lake.

Gardens offer free entry and spots to take photos and rest huts where food and refreshments are sold.

A visit to the dragon fruit orchards by the lake is recommended. Lai Thi Thuy, owner of one of the orchards, says the harvest season lasts from April to the end of December.

A dragon fruit flower.

If you arrive at the right time when the fruit is ripe, you can buy and have some right at the place or buy them as souvenirs for VND35,000 a kilogram ($1.5).