Ha Giang is always one of the most attractive places appreciated by not only inland visitors but also abroad adventurers. Thanks to the picturesque landscape of impressive mountains, Ha Giang is always a favourite tourist destination, especially discovering the stone plateau by motorbike is an interesting activities of the youth because of delightful experience as well as activeness. Consider the following article a gift from Hello Vietnam Travel to you to have some experience and recommendation for your intended trip to Ha Giang.
If your intended trip to Ha Giang is the first time you visit this destination, you can go in free time because Ha Giang is evaluated to be beautiful all year round by experienced travelers.
- The period of October – November is flourishing time of buckwheat, you should travel in the time of the third week of October to beginning November.
- Plum flower and blossom are blooming before and after Tet Holiday – Lunar Year Festival respectively.
- Ha Giang in summer (June-August) offers sunshine for amazing photos of stone plateau but sometimes, it rains.
- In September when the terraced rice fields are ripen and the locals begin harvesting, don’t miss the chance to visit Hoang Su Phi.
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Vehicles to and in Ha Giang
• From Hanoi to Ha Giang
The distance from Hanoi to Ha Giang is about 300km. If you feel interested in conquering Ha Giang by motorbike completely, it takes you 8-10 hours to transfer (depending on speed and the number of pax). If not, you can go by sleeping coach.
• Transfer in Ha Giang
Travelling by motorbike is the best way to conquer and explore Ha Giang. If you want to bring your bike with you, you can rely on coach. Or you can hire a motorbike in Ha Giang.
Another popular way now is transferring from Hanoi to Ha Giang by coach and then, catch other bus to some districts like Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac. Once being the centre of districts,you can hire motorbike taxi to tourist destinations (suitable for a group of 1-2 pax, especially women who cannot drive by yourself in mountainous area).
Coach information from Ha Giang to Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac
Although Ha Giang is a popular tourist destination, hotel service has been limited as well as increasing-price problem in public holiday. To avoid this, you had better book hotel room before you go. Consider the following information about hotel in Dong Van to have a desired journey:
Hotels in Ha Giang
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Tourist Attractions in Ha Giang
Ha Giang is always one of the most attractive places appreciated by not only inland visitors but also abroad adventurers. However, beside some popular destinations like Lung Cu Flagpole, Dong Van ancient town and Bi-mountain of Tam Son, there are many other delightful destinations.
• Thanh Thuy Border Gate
Located 23.5 km from centre of Ha Giang, this border gate is connected with Thien Bao Border Gate (Van Nam – China) and also an attractive place for tourists. Established in November 2001, Thanh Thuy Border Gate is used to exploit geographic advantage between two gates situated on National Road 2 passing Lo River. From this place, you also can connect the trip to visit Chau Van Son tourist landmark in China.
• The fair of Quyet Tien Commune
An excursion in Ha Giang will not be complete without a visit to a traditional fair, where all characterictics of cultural life concentrate and where the feeling of being lost like a child, who is trying to know what all these brand-new ambiance are?
And there is a landmark called Quyet Tien Commune located at the foot of Heaven Gate Mountain. This tranquil place is the home of a weekly market taking place on every Saturday, it’s Quyet Tien fair which you should pay a visit at least once.
• Heaven Gate and Quan Ba Bi-Mountain
Located about 46km to the north of Ha Giang, Quan Ba is celebrated as a paradise of nature with many favourable conditions: fresh climate; diverse natural tourist attractions such as: Heaven Gate, Fairy Mountain, Kho My Cave; particularities of H’mong, Dao, Tay, Bo Y ethnic culture; as well as some specialties like no-seed diospyros kaki, Thanh Van corn wine and so on. Two strange-shaped mountains you see here are associated to a very interesting legendary story about Fairy Mountain:
One upon a time, there was a handsome H’mong man living in this region who was very good at playing “lip lute”. At the same time, on the heaven, a very beautiful fairy named Hoa Dao was fascinated by his talent. She decided to follow the wind, escape from heaven to find him and then, she fell in love with this man. Evenly, she made a decision to stay here with him, they got married and gave a birth to a nice boy. Unfortunately, after knowing that she had escaped to marry a human, the Jade Emperor was so angry that he demanded his Mandarin to require her back. She just knew to cry and cry, asked to stay here to raise her child but every one were inexorable. Being afraid that her husband cannot raise the boy alone without mother milk, she left her nipples back for her for breastfeeding her child. They were biger and biger and the boy grew up more and more day by day. Laterly, her nipples were transformed into two mountains shaped like breasts that the local in Tam Son, Quan Ba called it “Fairy Bosom”. It was said that thanks to the Fairy milk from them, the regional climate has been always pleasant, the local fruits such as peach, plum and pear have been particularly tasty, the crop has been in favourable condition that make this land fertile and the girls are always beautiful. The Fairy’s tears created the poetic Mien river stretching behind the legendary Heaven Gate.
• Dong Van Stone Plateau
Daily activities of ethnic people in Dong Van Stone Plateau
Dong Van Stone Plateau is a large plateau stretching along 4 districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac in Ha Giang. On 10th March 2010, the Geopark of Dong Van Stone Plateau was recognized as a Global Geopark by Global Geopark Network (GGN) of UNESCO. This title is the unique in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia.
• Sung La
Sung La is a landmark associated to a famous film named “Pao story”. Originated from a hidden oasis in Dong Van stone plateau complex, Sung La now is an authentic charming “Rose” for any natural lover.
• Pho Bang Town
Obscured behind high mountains, Pho Bang is also known as an overslept town. However, visiting Pho Bang is the only way to know that among the craggy mountains, draconic nature and unexpected rains, there is still a life here. Without worrying about what will come tomorrow, the locals always keep their tranquil and simple life where there is no hustle and bustle of a modern life.
• Lung Cu Flagpole
Lung Cu Flagpole is a national flagpole situated on the summit of Lung Cu, or Dragon Mountain. The summit is about 1700m over the sea level and exactly the northernmost spot of Vietnam. From here, you will see two ever-filled ponds called Dragon Eyes supplying water for local consumption.
• H’mong King’s Mansion
After the road filled up by trees, the impressive stone gate of H’mong King’s Mansion is easily recognized on the summit of a hill. That’s King was Vuong Chinh Duc, the head of Vuong family of H’mong people about 1 century ago.
• Dong Van Ancient Town
Dong Van Town is in the stone plateau at the average height of 1000m-1600m above sea level, 160km from Ha Giang City. The thousand-year-old architecture of ancient town and market seem to dispel all jet lag of visitors after long journey to reach here.
• Ma Pi Leng Pass
Ma Pi Leng Pass in Ha Giang
The cliff on the summit (2000m over sea level) of Ma Pi Leng Pass (20km) connecting Dong Van District with Meo Vac District. Surely once you traverse along this pass, you totally will be overwhelmed by its grandeur and the poetic Nho Que River below.
• Son Vi, Xin Cai, Thuong Phung
These are 3 farthest communes in Meo Vac with the Vietnam’s highest border gate of Sam Pun. In each area, there are also systems of Vietnam-China border markers.
There are many other interesting tourist destinations in Ha Giang, just take time reading about them to add in your short list!
• Ha Giang fairs
For centuries, fair is an indispensable part of local cultural life in Ha Giang. Fair is not only for traditional selling, buying ritual and barter but also for cultural exchange of people here. Once visiting fairs in Meo Vac, Dong Van, Quan Ba, Hoang Su Phi, Xin Man and so on, surely you cannot forget their particularities.
Ha Giang is fascinating to visitors thanks to not only grandiose scenery with impressive mountains, unique customs and diverse festivals but also being the culinary paradise of cuisines made from natural ingredients. If you want to see all of the above, you have no choice but visiting Ha Giang to find yourself interesting and special experience.
Referring to particular festivals of minorities in this land, every one often mention about “Long tong” festival of Tay and Nung group, "Cap Sac" festival of Dao people, Gau Tao of H’mong or Fire Jumping of Pa Then minority.
"Cap Sac" festival of Dao people
Maybe the traditional festivals in Ha Giang are not as large as ones in lowlands but thanks to original culture, it created their own unique value.
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