Ha Giang Travel Guide

Ha Giang is a mountainous province in the North of Vietnam in which the Vietnam-China border extends more than 274km long. This spot attracts millions tourist by spectacular and stunning mountainous sightseeing and delicious traditional food of ethnic minorities. This mountainous province’s residents consist mainly of ethnic minorities with a major of Hmong, Tày, Yao and Nùng ethnic groups.

The best time to visit Ha Giang

The most appropriate time to come to Ha Giang should be around or after the Tet Holidays, which is from February to May.

How to get to Ha Giang

Transportation: Ha Giang is about 320km to the north of Hanoi, following Highway no. 2. Travelers can only reach this destination by car or motorbikes along the High Way No. 2 to the north of Hanoi. It’s excellent if one has a private car or if not, you can go to some coach station in Hanoi like Giap Bat, Gia Lam, My Dinh, Luong Yen or Ha Dong to get a coach with relatively low fair, varies from VND 100,000- 150,000/ per one- way ticket.

Things to do and top deep attractions in Ha Giang

Dong Van Karst Plateau

Dong Van is the northernmost district of Ha Giang province. It is located in the rugger rock upland of our nation. Here, visitors will have opportunity to admire the beautiful scenery and know more about everyday life of Dong Van people, one of the points that visitors should visit the Dong Van market

Dong Van karst plateau was recognized as the first geological park of Vietnam and Geoparks of the world. Dong Van karst plateau is one of the special limestone mountains, including the marks of the history of the earth’s crust process and tradition of indigenous communities.

Ma Pi Leng Pass

Ma Pi Leng pass is considered the unique regional heritage about landscape and geomorphology; pass peak area is considered as one of the most beautiful viewpoints to enjoy the panoramic in Vietnam; alley Nho Que River is one of the unique tectonic valleys in Vietnam. The path length is approximately 200 kilometers. Ma Pi Leng Pass is located in the Dong Van Geoparks which is recognized as the global geoparks. The road along the mountainside has romantic, spectacular scenery that is ideal destination for tourists

Dong Van Old Quarter

Dong Van old quarter-100 years old located in Dong Van District, Dong Van, Ha Giang. With the ancient architecture, it still keeps intact contour. It was built on early years of the 20th Century and is a combination between architectural styles of local people with people from Hoa Nam – china. At first, the Old Quarter only has Tay and Hoa people. During years 1940, 1950 of the 20th Century, there are some ethics like Kinh, Dao and Nung also settled in these areas. It has distinct identities of local people.

Lung Cu Ha Giang

Lũng Cú is located in Dong Van, 200km from the center of Ha Giang Borough with a natural area of 3,460 ha. This spot is really attracted by magnificent mountains hiding in the cloud as well as the Flag Tower on top of Dragon Mountain (Long Son), terraces of the local resident and Lo Lo Lake. Also, the winter in this place is very cold so that visiting Lung Cu in that time can give tourists a chance to witness real white snow covering the forests and mountains here.

Nam Dan Old Stone Filed

This stone field is located between Mount Tay Dan and Nam Dan hill, adjacent to Nam Khoong stream and was investigated in 2004 by scientists from the Institute of Archeology and the Ha Giang Museum. This place has a lot of value in terms of culture, history, religion as well as science.

The Mansion of Vuong Family

The house of Vuong Family, the king of Miao ethnic, is located in Xa Phin, Dong Van, and Ha Giang. This mansion is impressive not because of its gigantic size, but its magnificence and unique design. As it was created by the Chinese stone artists from Yunnan (China) and the skillful Mong builders, the place’s design is influenced by the traditional architecture of the Qing dynasty in China in the late 1890s, as well as some element from the local Mong culture

Khau Vai Love Market

The market-day is held monthly only on the 26th and 27th of a Lunar Year. In there, both single and married people in different ethnic groups can come to find ones’ ideal life-partner and sharing their feeling and understanding to each other. Lunar New Year seems to be the best time to visit Ha Giang when ones can see a wide variety of traditional customs of ethnic minorities here, such as celebrating success, rain ritual, sons ritual, crossbow shooting competition, pan-pie performance or “Còn” Throwing competition.

Specialties in Ha Giang

Shan Tuyet tea

Shan Tuyet means “Snow on the mountain”. Shan Tuyet tea trees only can be found in the rainforest in Ha Giang where is high 300-1000m such as Lung Phin, Phin Ho, Tham Ve. Shan Tuyet tree has attractive flavor and good for health.

Corn liquor

This is a kind of drink made from corn of highland by traditional methods, without any chemical additives. The flavor is typically delicious and totally wholesome.

Thang Co

Thang Co is likely the most popular dish in Ha Giang, which belongs to Mong ethnic’s culture. The dish is a kind of soup made from horse and cow. It may surprise the tourists, especially foreigners due to ingredients are also included organ such as heart, lung, liver… severed with chili, pepper and corn liquor. However, the smell is good, eating this dish would be a new unforgettable experience.

Ha Giang Smoked sausage and smoked meat

Sausages made in Ha Giang have its own particular taste because of traditional cooking technique. The ingredients are carefully chosen; include pork, chicken and some local herbs. Sausages is hooked up above the stove for being smoked, heat from the traditional kitchen which only use wood and straw as fuels often takes 3-4 days to finish the process.

Lam rice

This dish is considered as a special characteristic of Tay ethnic in Ha Giang. The recipe is quite simple. The best glutinous rice is sprinkled with salt, and then put the mixture with water into the bamboo tubes. After that, the tubes are covered by banana leaves. Grilling the tubes by heating them on fire as long as the fragrant aroma coming out, which is the indicator that the dish is perfectly cooked

For further information about other destinations in Vietnam, please visit Vietnam Travel Guide and make sure you get enough information about Vietnam visa requirement .