Ha Giang

Ha Giang: Ha Giang is a province of northeastern Vietnam. It is located in the far north of the country, and contains Vietnam’s northernmost point. It shares a 270 km long border with Yunnan province of southern China. Hence it is known as the final frontier of Vietnam. The provincial capital is also called Hà Giang, which is connected by Highway 2 and is 320 km away from Hanoi. The border crossing is at Than Thui, 25 km from the Ha Giang town. It is one of the poorest provinces of Vietnam as it has highly rugged but scenic mountainous topography with least potential for agriculture development.

The province borders China with a length of over 270 kilometres (170 mi); the border gate is known as the Thanh Thuy. In addition there are three smaller gates namely, the Pho Bang, the Xin Man and the Sam Pun.

Ha Giang is bounded by Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai provinces and has common international border with China in the north. Hà Giang has many high rocky mountains (lime stone formations) and springs; the important mountains are the Cam and Mo Neo. The major rivers of the region are the Lo River (Ha Giang town is located on its left bank) and Mien River.
Hà Giang is a highly mountainous region, and travel around the province can be difficult. Much of the province is too mountainous for agriculture, leaving much of the land covered by forests. Hà Giang’s central plateau is good for growing plums,peaches, and persimmons, which the province exports.

Ha Giang is one of the poorest provinces of Vietnam. Traditionally, the vast majority of its economic activity revolved around agriculture and forestry. However, in recent years, there have been attempts to establish a manufacturing industry. Infrastructure in Hà Giang has seen improvement, but remains poor – roads, schools, and health services are less developed than in many other parts of Vietnam.
Ha Giang Province also has large areas of green tea, apart from terraced rice fields. Particular tea plantations of quality tea are the Shan Tuyet strain in the Lung Phin in Dong Van District and Nam La in Yen Minh District. Ha Giang tea is not only popular in domestic market but also in foreign markets.

The province is rich minerals; 149 mines with 28 categories of minerals are spread in all districts of the province. Mineral deposits explored in the provinc are: Antimony, ironore, manganese, ferrite, zinc, tin, copper, bauxite, gold, gemstones, kaolin and mineral water.
As Ha Giang is a mountainous region, the population is not large, and the majority of inhabitants are ethnic Vietnamese. The remainder are Thổ, Hmong, Tay, Dao, Mán,Nung, Giấy and Lô Lô. The majority engages in ancestor and spirit worship.

Top things to do in Ha Giang:

1.Impressive view of Dong Van Limestone Pleataux.
Ha Giang is the land of mountainous & hilly topography, especially the up-northern districts of this province including Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac & Dong Van – the stretching length of Dong Van Limestone Pleataux creating the main majestic scenery with towering mountains & immense valleys in the region.This pleataux is known as one of the unique limestone regions in Vietnam, carrying the clear imprints of the evolution of the earth’s crust.There are 80% limestone formations at Dong Van Plateau, which are created from different evolution stages of nature and environmental conditions through millions of years.Thanks to this geological values, Dong Van Rocky Pleataux was recognized as the Global GePark by UNESCO on 3rd October 2010 and has become a tourist attraction in Vietnam tourism.

2.Enjoy the beauty of flowers : buckwheat, plum, daisy, kale flowers…in different time of year
Plan your trip to Ha Giang, if you would like to enjoy the fragrance & the beautiful colors of different kinds of flowers, you must choose the right time to visit. Elsewhere are coloured with mosiac of beautiful flowers in certain periods, which make Ha Giang’s landscapes miraculously.For the best moment of pink buckwheat flower, you should visit Ha Giang between the end of October & the beginning of November each year..Taking photos on the fields of buckwheat flower is actually a memorable experience when visiting Ha Giang. Why is this one of the thing to do in Ha Giang? Because,the buckwheat flower is considered to be the symblic one in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam and Ha Giang is the best place for buckwheat flowers. Morover, you can experience Ha Giang beauty on March – the spring time in full of life with many types of flowers blooming such as pure white plum flower, wild peach flower in a cool & fresh climate. How romantic & lovely to visit Ha Giang with your lovers in this time of year. For the beautifully yellow colour of valleys or foothills in Ha Giang, your trip to Ha Giang should be on December – the time of golden or yellow kale flowers blooming everywhere.

3.Reach the northernmost point of Vietnam – Lung Cu flag tower
As the starting point of Vietnam, journey to Lung Cu flag tower offers you very scenic landscapes on both sides of the road – beautful mountain backgrounds & local traddional villages of Hmong, Lo Lo that you can stop for a visit.Reach Lung Cu flag tower, and walk up to its top points of 1700 metter high, you can extend your view to the horizon of local villages, their standing-out rice terraces, china side & stunning mountains near & far. For Vietnamese, reaching this point of the country – an emblem of Vietnam’s territorial sovereigty, one will feel its sacredness and one’s love to the country.

4.Pay a visit to Vuong Family’s House
Built in 1914, Vuong mansion is a special building of old & beautiful architecture for the king of Hmong – Vuong Chi Sinh & his family.It was constructed by Chinese engineers & skilful local Hmong workers at that time so the architecture of this house is the harmonical combination of Chinese & Hmong’s styles. By the visit to Vuong’s house, you can understand about the life of Hmong ( the rich & the poor) in the past – when the happiness road was not yet opened, and wonder how come they can built such a beautiful houses with such a big fortune !

5.Experience local lifestyle of ethnic groups.
There are 16 ethnics groups in Ha Giang with their own lifestyle & cultures.They live scatteredly on the valley & on the slopes of mountains.Along with contemplating beautiful landscapes in Ha Giang, you can visit different ethnic minority groups who are very friendly,well-preserved with cultures & colorful in their unique dresses.In your Ha Giang adventure, it will be more momorable to take part in treks to visit remote tribal villages, homestay in their houses, eat their home-cooked dishes or join them in local weekly markets, notably Dong Van market, Meo Vac maket ( every Sunday), Quyet Tien market in Quan Ba ( on Sarturday)…. or interesting Khau Vai love market (on 26th of lunar March ) – anthentic &romatic events to take part – another top things to do in Ha Giang.

6.Conquering Ma Pi Leng Pass – the king of all passess in Vietnam
This adventure is one of the top thing you have to do in your Ha Giang excursion.Without doing it, you,it is like something not complete in your Ha Giang trip.Ma Pi Leng Pass connects two remote frontier districts of Meo Vac & Dong Van, is the highest point of the “legendary happiness road”. Conquering this pass, you can understand how hard it was for local ethnic workers & volunteers to build up this part of “happiness road” without modern equipments, but by simple working tools of hammers & hoes, shovels…..and show your admiration to what they did before.A great sense of adventure you will have when zigzaging up & down along mountain slopes and be rewarded with the most breathtaking landscapes of magnificient mountains, deepest valleys and Nho Que river running between the cliffs. What a paradise on earth you may exclaim when standing on the top of this Ma Pi Leng Pass !

7.Stop at Quan Ba Heaven Gate & viewing Quan Ba Twin Mountains or Fairy Mountains
After 45km rom Ha Giang city, you drive up & up on winding Quan Ba Pass & reach Quan Ba Heaven Gate.Trekking to the top of Heaven Gate & having a panoramic view of surrounding regions : highlighted one is Twin Mountains on the side of Tam Son town.It is an unique art of the nature with interesting fairy tales narrated by locals…..Please, read more in this article.

8.Enjoy beautiful rice terraces in Hoang Su Phi area.
Meanwhile Dong Van Geopark is famous for its breathtaking grey limestone mountains & zigzag winding passes, Hoang Su Phi make its fame for its stunning rice terraces – recognized as a National Heritage by the Ministry of Sports, Cultures & Tourism.For the most beautiful landscapes of rice terraces in Hoang Su Phi, you must visit this district between “May & June” – the time of falling water into the fields; and between September & October – the moment the rice gets ripe and makes its fullest beauty of golden colors to the horizon….. Stunning & impresive beauty for photo & scenery lovers.