Ha Giang Overview

Ha Giang is said to be a land of the natural majestic landscapes, the sharpness of long-standing living tradition of the hill tribe people that many tourists have not known. Located about 350km to the north of Hanoi, Ha Giang town sits in a valley surrounded by four mountains and the Lo River bending in its flow.

Located about 40 km up north is Quan Ba district, a mountainous region with cool climate year-round. Continue the journey, visitors can stop at La Sung valley whose beauty is difficult to be matched. The valley offers a magic appearance of rocky mountain and green forests.

In Dong Van district, visitors are immersed in the mountains and the colors of hill tribes in every step. The district lies at the height of 1,100m, of which there is Lung Cu peak at the height 1600m to 1800m compared to sea level. This is an extreme north, considered to be the rooftops of Vietnam. About 12km from Dong Van, under a small beautiful valley, low-ventilated under the Green samu trees is of mansion with the Chinese original architecture of Wang Chi Sinh (regarded as the Mong's King who dispenses the entire plateau area Dong Van - Meo Vac).

From Dong Van to Meo Vac, travelers have to overcome the peak of Ma Pi Leng. On beautiful days, its pass seems to collect all the beauty of nature, with the windy hill sides, the eyes spread to horizon. Nho Que river as a small thread in the beautiful valley. Standing here offers travelers the feeling of standing between heaven and earth, the scenery of wildlife, golden sound Hmong flute to enjoy the immense of the mountain area.

Coming to Ha Giang, all travelers wish to visit Khau Vai love market, which is made only for those who fail their love to come and see their old lovers. They come together and then again return to the family when sunset falls.

To Ha Giang, tourists also have a chance to enjoy the beauty of step rice field in Hoang Su Phi. To a small path going up, visitors can see the ancient tea trees with hundreds of years old of ethnic Dzao people.

Ha Giang's Specialties

It can be said that Ha Giang is a land of several specialties which cannot be forgetten by those who once enjoy.

The first one to be mentioned here is Bee's honey mint flower. This is natural honey extracted from the flower of mint tree. Bee's honey mint flower is one of the most famous specialties of Dong Van karsts plateau which everyone tries to find to buy when coming here. Its sweet taste from mint flower is especially attractive. This kind of specialty in Ha Giang is produced from honey of traditional bee feeding on nature food material zone. It is mainly taken mainly from flowers of mint and some other medicine plants which freely grow only in Ha Giang highland.

The second is Thanh Van corn wine which is made of corn grown in the highland in the traditional methods. The flavor is typical delicious, non - toxic compared with other local wine.

Next is smoked pork meat which is made from three-slice pork. After being mixed with spices, the pork is hang on the fire until dried (normally hang from half a year to a year). Its taste is good and non- fat. Smoked pork of Ha Giang ethnic groups has become the famous local specialty with the deeply forest taste. Annually, when the winter comes, the locals will select delicious pork, slice and hang all on the top of kitchen. Above the heat of fire, the meast will become smaller, fatty run out. This kind of smoked meat is processed into many different dishes such as boiled, baked, fried, or store the beets.

Dried beef: The main ingredient of this dish is fresh beef with nutritious high level of Dong Van plateau. Fresh beef after mixed with different flavor will be hanged on the wood floor kitchen to get dried. The most important thing as making this dish is to choose delicious one, chilling spices with enough quantity, hang on kitchen ceiling with enough temperature in order to make the slice of beef smaller. Dried beef is often cut sliced and fried with garlic, chayote, cauliflower and kohlrab. In addition, it can be dried in a wood coal and then made into small ones to eat. This kind of specialty as eating with chilly salt and a little of corn wine will be an unforgettable nibble.

Men Men is made from grinded corn flour at upland areas. After many processed stages, Men Men became a very unique and attractive dish with nutty and greasy flavor. This dish is used in everyday life or in the traditional Tet holidays. Men Men is a dry dish; thus, a bowl of soup is necessary in the meals (such as pumpkin soup, soup of chicken or cabbage soup).

The most impressive specialty in Ha Giang maybe is 'Thang Co' which is traditional and popular dish of Mong people in many mountainous areas of Ha Giang. Thang Co is made of different parts of beefs and goats including heads, legs, internal organs, and all meat together cooked with herbal and eating with 'Men Men', Corn cakes. It will be more delicious when enjoying with a bowl of corn wine.

Transportation

Getting there and away

Ha Giang is 320 km north of Ha Noi via Road No.2. The road conditions are fairly good traveling through Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho and Tuyen Quang Provinces.

Getting around

Ha Giang Town is a pristine valley surrounded by mountains and can be explored easily on foot. Alternatively you may want to get around by taxi motorbike which is ubiquitous in town.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Ha Giang is maybe around or after the Tet holidays, which is from February to May. During this time, the scenery in Ha Giang is magnificent with mountaintops hiding in the cloud and wild peach flowers blooming everywhere. In addition, the weather during the Tet holidays is very comfortable with little rain and cool air. So, travelers do not have to carry raincoats or umbrellas with them. There are also many unique and attractive festivals celebrating the New Year during this period of time, then visitors can have a chance to know more about the ethnic culture in Ha Giang province and enjoy the festive atmosphere of various ethnic groups. Finally, in this time of the year the roads are much safer to travel on because as this is the dry season and the routes to Ha Giang mostly go along the side of mountains.

I would be happy to share my travel experience to you I kindly to get acquainted with you, please contact me so that we share together.

Cindy Mill(Ms.)

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Mobile: 84 1668 910 025