Speaking with us, photographer Truong Anh Tuan, 35, from Tay Ninh, shared that he spent the early mornings of August 1 and 2 cloud-hunting on the peak of Ba Den Mountain. Between 5:15 AM and 6:30 AM, as the first rays of dawn bathed the landscape in gold, he captured the surreal cloud ocean waking under the morning sky.
This was far from his first time documenting the phenomenon, yet each occurrence revealed a distinct form and mood. Layer upon layer of dense cloud stacked vertically, creating the illusion of colossal flying saucers suspended in mid-air—a rare and mesmerizing visual spectacle.
Ba Den Mountain is an extinct volcano situated mainly in Binh Minh Ward, Tay Ninh Province. Standing nearly 1,000 meters tall, it is the highest peak in southern Vietnam, earning the title “The Roof of the South.” Since hiking routes reopened in December 2025, visitors can trek along the Power Pole trail (Cot Dien), traveling from the mountain base to Ba Pagoda and back. In the early morning hours or during favorable weather, the summit serves as a premier destination for landscape photography and cloud chasing.
According to the Hanoi Astronomical Society (HAS), this phenomenon—known scientifically as lenticular clouds, or disc-shaped/cap clouds—frequently forms around isolated high peaks. They develop when moist, stable air flows across a mountain barrier, generating standing waves on the leeward side. When temperatures at the crest of the wave drop below the dew point, moisture condenses into smooth, lens-shaped clouds.
Earlier, on the morning of July 1, Tuan captured similarly stacked cloud layers resembling giant saucers hovering above Ba Den Mountain directly from his rooftop terrace.
Every time the cloud sea blankets Ba Den Mountain, Tuan still feels the same thrill and anticipation as on his very first shoot. The most magical lighting typically lasts only 15 to 20 minutes right as the sun breaches the horizon, requiring quick setup and sharp focus to seize the moment.
The photographer shared that he never tires of shooting Ba Den Mountain because the natural elements are constantly shifting and never truly repeat. The same mountain from the same vantage point offers a fresh sky, new cloud textures, and entirely different emotions each morning. In his photos, vast green grasslands at the foot of the mountain emerge as water levels recede at Dau Tieng Lake.
Tuan also documented clouds swirling around the summit earlier on February 27. Each appearance of the cap cloud takes on a unique structure that cannot be staged or predicted. This unpredictable rhythm keeps landscape photographers waiting patiently to capture fleeting vistas that vanish within minutes, fueling their ongoing passion for nature photography.
Source: Vietnam Insider