Ha Giang is in the North pole of Vietnam, interesting with majestic limestone mountains, the legendary Dong Van plateau on the banks of Lo River, winding roads, picturesque terraces, the Wang Dynasty, and the old Dong Van Town, Khau Vai market for unfinished relationships. When mentioning these flat scenes, many people will be eager to plan a trip to Ha Giang for themselves, right? For those who have never been to Ha Giang, you should consult the destinations and the time in advance to fully admire the beauty of this place.

You can visit Ha Giang at any time of the year, each season has its own characteristics. In January there are plum blossom, peach blossom, yellow broccoli. In April there is a Khau Vai love market. September and October rainy season, November is the season of triangular flowers.

There are many festivals in Ha Giang in Spring season. The beginning of the year is the occasion to rest for the New Year. This is also a suitable opportunity for you to discover the unique culture and people of the land territory. Ceremonies, Buffalo Fighting Festival, Horses Fighting Festival … are Spring Festival in Ha Giang you should explore.

PEACH BLOSSOM BLOOM ON KARST PLATEAU – HA GIANG HIGHLAND

In March, this is most beautiful time in Ha Giang when the flowers are full of pink peach blossom of peach blossom, pure white of apricot blossoms, plum blossom is suitable for people who love to take flower picture.

Peach blossoms, plum blossoms in Ha Giang concentrated much along the road from Quan Ba to Yen Minh, especially focused areas Dong Van, Lung Cu and Meo Vac. It will be great if you spend time with your love coming to Ha Giang in March.

COLORFUL DONG VAN MARKET IN HA GIANG VIETNAM

April is the time to market Khau Vai market. The market only took place in a day. On this day men and women everywhere poured on the love market to meet the old people, chat, even overnight together. The activities of the day are forgiven,the next day. They resume normal life.

During the month of May, June is the season to prepare for a new season. Go to Ha Giang at this time you will admire the winding terraced fields with all the colors reflecting from nature, the beautiful submerged fields.

What is the best time to travel to Ha Giang? Autumn in Hoang Su Phi is considered the best time to explore Ha Giang during this time. The rice fields began to ripen yellow gold, combined with light sunshine to create a light, mysterious beauty.

Terraced fields have almost all the communes in Hoang Su Phi, but the most concentrated ones are Ban Luoc, Ban Phung, Thong Nguyen, Ho Thau, Nam Ty and San Su Ho with a total area of nearly 765 ha. The main feature is that terraced fields are often higher than Mu Cang Chai, as the rice in Hoang Su Phi has longer stalks.

Ha Giang in October & November, is the time when buckwheat flowers blossom and most beautiful with pink purple everywhere. Pho Cau, Soc Son, Pho Dau, Lung Cu … are the most beautiful buckwheat sightings in Ha Giang.

Go to Ha Giang in December, you will admire the blooming yellow flower field. This is also the time when the winter is coming, the air is cold, the mist blends with golden color of wealth, the imposing rocky mountains of the traditional land as a beautiful picture.

In addition, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Lung Cu flagpole, Vuong Palace, Quan Ba Heaven Gate … are also Vietnam special popular destinations, many visitors love to go to Ha Giang.

When is the best time to visit Ha Giang?
Nguyen Thanh Van

Are you an adventure seeker? If so, you may love trekking in Vietnam. The country offers excellent trekking with remarkable sceneries.

PREPARE FOR TREKKING AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. Sapa (Lao Cai)

Highlights: Located quite far from Hanoi and right next to the neighboring country, China, Sapa is famous for its spectacular mountains, jade hued rice paddies and unique culture as a home of some of the Vietnamese ethnic minorities. It offers diverse and beautiful hiking trails such as Cat Cat village, Y Linh Ho village, Ta Phin village, Muong Hoa Valley, Ham Rong mountain, Sky Gate, etc. Especially, Sapa is the home of the highest peak in Vietnam: Fansipan mount (3143 m).

Best time to trek: from March to May when it is dry and clean; and from September to November if you want to enjoy the terraces

2 DAYS TREKKING TOURS IN SAPA – OVERSTAY AT HOMESTAY TA VAN

Popular treks in Sapa:

There is no specific map if you choose to trek by yourself in Sapa. Most people get lost in the beauty of the land and cannot find the way out. So, there are some recommended trek routes for you if you want to experience quite easy trekking tour level:

• Lao Chai Village (5 km from the town of Sapa)
• Sin Chai Village (5 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ta Van Village (10 km from the town of Sapa)
• Hau Thao Village (11 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ta Phin Village (12 km from the town of Sapa)
• Ban Ho Village (21 km from the town of Sapa)

Things to keep in mind: 

• Before taking photos of local people, ask them. In some cases, you must pay money for them.
• Make copies of all your documents in case you lost the original ones.
• Bargain half prices for anything.

2. Mai Chau (Hoa Binh)

Mai Chau is well known for easy trekking. If you are a beginner, this is a place to go.

Highlights: Only 150 km far away from Hanoi, Mai Chau seems like a totally different world with the idyllic, rural valleys, peaceful atmosphere and laid back ambiance. There are some places to visit: Thac Bo Temple, Thung Khe pass, Mo Luong lake, White Rock pass, Chieu Cave, Go Lao waterfall, Hoa Binh lake, etc.

Best time to trek: from late September to early May

2 DAYS 1 NIGHT CYLING MAI CHAU – MAI CHAU ECOLODGE

Popular treks in Mai Chau:

For experience the slow life of the Thai and H’mong people: Ban Buoc, Cun Pheo, Hang Kia,…

For more challenging trek: Mai Chau valley, Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Cuc Phuong National Park

3. Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Thanh Hoa)

Highlights: If you are heading back to Hanoi from the middle of Vietnam, you must add Pu Luong nature reserve to your list. It is the combination of Northern Vietnam’s beauty with beautiful terrace rice fields as Sapa, the magnificent passes as Ha Giang and large fields as Mai Chau. Visiting Pu Luong reserve, you also have the chance to experience the daily life and culture of the Thai and Muong people.

Best time to trek: during rice harvest season, from September to October and from February to May.

3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS MAI CHAU VILLAGE AND TREKKING PU LUONG

Popular treks in Pu Luong: A popular trekking adventure will take you to Pu Luong jungle and beautiful small villages like Hang, Kho Muong, Kia villages. Some popular trekking routes: Hieu village – Nua village, Nua village – Son village.

Things to keep in mind: 

Although Pu Luong is a huge national forest, there are still restaurants and accommodation service areas. Therefore, you don’t need to worry about staying overnight there.

4. Ha Giang

Highlights: Ha Giang is also known as the “Final Frontier of Vietnam” for its sweeping views of carpets of flowers, karst mountains and colorful markets of ethnic minority communities. Their highlights include Yen Minh, Meo Vac valley, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Duong Lam village.

Best time to trek: October to December

How to get there: catch a bus in My Dinh bus station, it takes 6 hours to 8 hours

TRAVEL TO HA GIANG WITH RUBICON TOURS VIETNAM’S TRANSFER SERVICE

Popular treks in Sapa:

• Dong Van valley
• Si Phai Mountain Village
• Trung Son – Bo Dot – Hop Nhat
• Tam Son town (Heaven’s gate)
• Sky Path: Col de Ma Pi Len

Things to keep in mind: on the map, there is a road between Niem Son and Yen Minh, which is noted as a big road, but it’s actually a mountain track. The best route would be going from Meo Vac through Lung Phin.

3 DAYS 2 NIGHTS HA GIANG LOOP TOURS

5. Cat Ba National Park (Cat Ba Island) 

Highlights: Located on Cat Ba island, Cat Ba National Park attracts tourists not only thanks to the beautiful sea but also a number of highlights and attractions, which make your trip promisingly enjoyable. Inside the national park, there is also a museum, a rehab center, a small zoo, etc. And, some viewpoints that you can find while hiking would be worth your going.

Best time to trek: from September to October

Popular treks in Cat Ba National Park:

• Kim Giao Forest – Ngu Lam Peak (1.5 km)
• Trung Trang & Uy Ban Grottoes (1.2 km)
• National Park HQ – Ao Ech – Viet Hai (14km trekking and walking)

Things to keep in mind: 

• Fires, tree felling, branch cutting, and hunting are not allowed in the forest
• Watch the time out because the national park closes at 5 pm.

6. Cao Bang

Highlights: Cao Bang is a frontier region of North Vietnam with immense beauty. The landscape here is famous for jagged mountains, thin winding roads, and sporadic rice paddies. Choosing Cao Bang as trekking trails, you should not miss these places: Ban Gioc Waterfalls, Nguom Ngao cave, Thang Hen Lake, Pac Bo cave, and Ky Sam Temple.

Best time to trek: from October to April

How to get there: You can take a bus in My Dinh or Gia Lam bus station in the morning or evening.

Popular treks in Cao Bang

• Ba Be National Park
• Pac Po cave – Trek Nam Nhung
• Tong Cot Village
• Ta Lung border town

Source: Vietnamdiscovery

Top trekking places in Vietnam (Part I)
Nguyen Thanh Van

Arriving in Dong Van, tourists will have the chance to admire the majestic beauty of rolling mountains and forests as well as to learn more about the daily life of Dong Van residents.

The ancient Dong Van Town is a must-see in Ha Giang which takes the scenic ride to reach the destination. You will ride on the “Happy Road” (which is 14km from the town) to pass by the Uncle Ho Statue, the heavenly terraced rice fields, the Vuong family remnants, the blossoming buckwheat paddies, etc. In fact, Dong Van is one of the most beautiful stops on the Ha Giang Motorbike Loop, which secures the great motorbike riding adventure.

Getting to the town, you are likely to meet other local and foreign guests who travel North Vietnam to admire the intact Ha Giang in general and the antique Dong Van in particular. Besides the age-old houses, the town preserves the areas for hill-tribe market gatherings filled with the colorful costumes of the minorities and their products. The market is renowned for it’s cultural diversity but extremely difficult to access for the regular tourist or backpacker due to its steep, long, time consuming hair pin roads. Dong Van market beckons ethnic groups living roughly within a 25km radius of the town. This primarily consists of White Hmong, Black Dao and Tay people living high and secluded up in the mountains.

For meeting the minorities who live in the northern hills of Ha Giang Vietnam, plan a trip to Dong Van and be ready for unique surprises!

3D2N~ Ha Giang Loop Tours

Colorful Dong Van Market in Ha Giang Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Van

Ha Giang Tourism offers fantastic sightseeing of the natural highlights, interesting ethnic culture, uniquely historical Hmong King Palace, etc., and especially Meo Vac Hill-tribe Market held every Sunday. Among the most iconic hill-tribe markets in Ha Giang Vietnam, Meo Vac always ranks top and can feast visitors’ eyes with the colorful traditional costumes of the Hmong ethnic minority and exciting crowds of buyers and sellers in and out.

What to Do in Meo Vac Hill-tribe Market

People keep sharing about the free-of-charge fun in Meo Vac that appeals to new guests who are wondering what to do in this place. First of all, set a target to attend a market session in the early morning (around 5:00 AM) though we know that there might be more other great things to do in Ha Giang. The visit will not disappoint you, for sure. In the beginning, you can expect to meet many happy, smiling faces accompanied by yours toward the cattle market.

Upon your arrival, the colorful booths of various local products will strike to the eyes. It’s your call to buy the cute items! And if you don’t want to buy, it’s perfectly fine to enjoy this valuable fun by watching and taking pictures of the Hmong symbolic costumes, bracelets, small glasses, turbans, etc. While men wear the long black dresses, women get on their most colorful tops, skirts, and scarves. Note that the natives sell things in a simple way; some merchants display their products on a small tray. If interested, you can try bargaining to get better deals. An interesting conversation or bargaining often results in a happy deal. Meanwhile, look around the livestock section, you can see the locals getting deals on the cattle, mostly the cows, piglets, chickens, ducks, and goats.

Next, place your focus on the food court with booths and counters of the delicious dishes. Located inside the market, these food stalls delivers the coziest and busiest atmosphere that exhilarates all market goers. Also, it offers the picturesque background with the ideal light conditions for photography. You’re likely to meet many Hmong people who are wearing the brightly-colored costumes and sharing the space in a delicious food stall. Opportunities to take pictures, learn the culture, and mingle with the locals are limitless. Not only does the market serve food, but it is also a venue for people to enjoy chatting after a long working week. Once a week, every Sunday, many individuals are looking forward to this gathering. The typical and indispensable food is “Thang Co” (a kind of the stewed horse meat). Besides, most men want to sample the corn wine before they leave.

Meo Vac Sunday Market is a Must to See in Ha Giang

It’s said that we should visit the local markets to understand how the locals live and work. And, this saying is absolutely correct for Meo Vac Sunday Market Ha Giang. This attraction is exciting, photogenic with the brightly colored outfits and the big livestock section, making it the largest hill-tribe market in the region and a must to see. Meo Vac is worth checking in for numerous great experiences that all city travelers might not find elsewhere.

Source: Indochinacharm

Meo Vac Hill-tribe Market Ha Giang for Valuable Fun and Great Pictures
Nguyen Thanh Van

Ha Giang is a province with majestic and wild natural beauty. Besides that beauty, the festival is a unique cultural feature, making the identity of the upland area. Let’s explore the Pa Then fire dance festival, the private soul of the Pa Then ethnic group.

Pa Then is an ethnic minority, scattered in two districts of Bac Quang and Quang Binh in Ha Giang province and Chiem Hoa district in Tuyen Quang province with a population of just over 5.000 people. Although being an ethnic minority group, Pa Then is still an ethnic group with the diversity in cultural identity. Cultural characteristics are shown in costumes, musical instruments, songs, and especially the Fire Dancing Festival.

Fire dancing festival is usually held every year in new year’s eve, which lasts from the harvest of the season in October and November of the lunar calendar to the full moon day of January. The Fire Dance Festival is held to thank heaven and earth, the gods for giving a good harvest, and also pray for a bumper crop in the new year. The fire that is lit up will bring warmth and luck and dispel the harshness of the coming winter.

Fire Dancing Festival is held on a large yard. The shaman must prepare the offering and begin the ritual of worship, asking permission from the ancestors for the villagers to organize the game. The shaman sits on a bench, holds a stick and knocks repeatedly on the instrument which is a common sacrificial instrument of the Pa Then ethnic group. The shaman is not allowed to jump into the fire but is only allowed to transfer the secret to others and knock the instrument for them to dance. The shaman sings the songs with the content opening the way to the sky to find the “ghost” and call back to join the participants of the fire dance.

When the initial rituals end, the fire begins to weaken, leaving a glowing coal pile and the bodies of the dancing participants begin to shake. This is the time to signal that the power comes to them, the dancers will bravely jump into the hottest and the most glowing coal pile. The shaman ‘knocks become the source of the power of the boys’ steps to jump into the glowing coal pile. That scene creates a beautiful, fanciful and strange painting.
The bare feet of the Pa Then boys jump in the fire without burns or fear. They do not use any items to support their feet. The bare feet that jump into the fire symbolize the strength and courage of the boys. Fire Dancing Festival is a unique, wild and mysterious cultural activity of the Pa Then people. Why do the boys with bare feet dance in the fire without burns and aren’t their hair and clothes burnt? It is still a question which is difficult for scientists and cultural researchers to explain.

When the fire dies, the coal cools, the shaman will perform the ritual of withdrawing soldiers, see off the gods and ghosts to their place. The ceremony ends, the boys return to their normal state. The Fire Dance Festival ends in the echo of the laughter and excitement of the Pa Then people. The Fire Dance Festival has become a traditional cultural festival, an indispensable custom in the daily life of the ethnic people here.

Although there are also spiritual and mystical elements that cannot be explained, it cannot be denied for the cultural value brought by the Fire Dance festival. Let’s travel to Ha Giang to visit Bac Quang and Quang Binh districts to experience the unique features of the fire dance festival of Pa Then people.

Source: theterribletourguide.com

Unique Pa Then Fire Dance in Ha Giang
Nguyen Thanh Van

For those who are seeking adventures to indulge in heart-touching mountainous Vietnam’s nature, Ma Li Peng Pass is the most impressive one. Conquering Ma Li Peng Pass will offer you the most ultimate experience, thereby making your adventure more exciting than ever.

Brief Information of Ma Li Peng Pass

With a length of over 20 kilometers and a height of 2, 000 meters located in Happiness Road, Ma Pi Leng Pass in Ha Giang Province is currently one of the most imposing passes connecting Dong Van District and Meo Vac District. Built from the 60s of the 20th century by H’mong workers, Ma Pi Leng Pass in H’mong language means “Horse Nose Bridge” as it is a dangerous road that horses are afraid of passing it. Ma Pi Leng is special in every angle, especially its ancient sediments existing for hundreds of years.

Also known as Vietnam’s Great Wall or the Pyramid of the Meo, Ma Pi Leng, with no doubt, is regarded as the most dangerous road of the northern mountainous area. However, the well-known pass owns its breathtaking and splendid beauty, representing the sights, sounds, and tastes of the whole region.

Attractions of Ma Li Peng Pass

There is nothing quite like looking down from Ma Pi Leng to take in the spectacular view of the zigzagging Nho Que River and Tu San Deep located at the foot of Ma Pi Leng Pass. Ma Pi Leng, for sure, offers travelers a chance to experience the greatness of nature. Gaze out at surrounding soaring mountains and deep in fantastic canyon to marvel at stunning vertical cliffs as well as rock deserts around. Besides being captivated by magnificent scenery, you can obtain amazing experience to deep in exploring karstification, karst, and non-karst landforms.

Do not hesitate to take adventurous experience by climbing to the top of Ma Pi Leng and immersing yourself in a huge space surrounded by endlessly stretching ranges of soaring mountains accompanied by refreshingly cool weather to sense the strong vitality of the region development.

Actually, thanks to the great natural landscape, Ma Pi Leng has become a source of inspiration for many artists generating artful works and thus depicting the cultural and traditional values of Vietnamese people in general and local people in mountainous areas in particular.

With Rubicon Tours Vietnam explore Ha Giang:

3 Days 2 Nights Ha Giang Loop Tours

Source: vietvisiontravel.com

Ma Li Peng Pass – The Iconic Destination for Adventure in Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Van

In the rugged mountains of northwestern Vietnam, the town of Bắc Hà holds a big, bright and busy market every Sunday. Attracting hundreds of colourfully dressed ethnic minorities from the surrounding countryside, this market is not only a draw for locals, it’s a big hit with foreign and domestic tourists too. On the one hand, Bắc Hà market is a fascinating spectacle: a superb example of a traditional minority market in Vietnam’s wild northern mountains. On the other hand, it’s a tourist circus, where minority peoples are often treated like performing animals, and much of the financial profit finds its way into the hands of the majority ‘Kinh’ Vietnamese, not the minorities. It can be a confusing and, sometimes, unsettling experience. One thing’s for certain: the increasing number of tourists is changing Bắc Hà Sunday market. It remains to be seen whether this will be for better or for worse.

Early mornings in Bắc Hà, around 800m above sea-level, are often misty and cold. Whatever the weather conditions, the activity starts shortly after dawn at the marketplace. A two minute walk from the town square, Bắc Hà market covers a larger area than any other minority market in Vietnam. There are thousands of people and hundreds of stalls. It’s a unique spectacle. The produce is varied, fresh and colourful. The minority women and girls look fantastic in their traditional clothing. The men are just as intriguing: drinking various local liquors, smoking local tobaccos from bamboo pipes, slurping local noodles, and exchanging local gossip. It’s impossible not to be drawn into the vortex of this lively, dazzling Sunday market.

The breakfast crowd: soup, rice liquor, and ‘Lao’ tobacco at 7am, Bắc Hà Market

But it isn’t just a local market anymore: it’s a tourist market. Now days, trinket and garment kiosks surround the original market stalls. The products – including crockery, scarves, statuettes, and shawls – are very attractive and beautifully made. But, it’s immediately apparent that these kiosks are managed by majority ‘Kinh’ Vietnamese people, not ethnic minorities, and that their customers are tourists, not locals.

Calls of ‘You buy something!’ echo around the market, shouted in English every time a foreigner passes by a stall. Brief bargaining takes place between foreign tourists and Vietnamese stall owners. After the sale is made the Vietnamese stall owners shout to each other in Vietnamese, bragging about how much money they fleeced the foreigners for.

Lots of fun and interaction with locals can be had at the superb hot food section of the market

In general, I don’t feel comfortable at Bắc Hà Sunday market. I like it and loath it. After all, I am one of the hundreds of camera lenses at this market (the photos in this article are proof of that). I didn’t buy any red chillies from the minority woman I offended, and I was tempted to purchase one of the souvenir trinkets from the ‘Kinh’ stalls. Like most tourists, I don’t like to think of myself as a tourist, but Bắc Hà market reminds me that I am. It would be nice if more tour companies employed local minority people as guides around the market. This would produce a few jobs for local people and it would encourage foreigner-minority interaction through translations provided by the local guides. To see the market at its best, get here before 9am. To give something back to the market and the people who make it happen, buy some of the exotic fruit on offer, try some of the local liquor, wolf down a bowl of the local soup, and ask before taking a photo.

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Bac Ha Sunday Market
Nguyen Thanh Van

Red silk cotton trees are covering Ha Giang Pass
Nguyen Thanh Van