Located at the highest latitude in northernmost of Vietnam, Ha Giang is bordering with Cao Bang on the east, Tuyen Quang on the south, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai on the west. Topography of Ha Giang province is complicate; it has many high rocky mountains and rivers. Located in the humid subtropical climate but due to the high terrain, the climate of Ha Giang nuanced the temperate. The climate is divided in two distinct seasons, rainy and dry, vary depending on altitude. The annual average temperature varies between 24 and 28ºC. In winter, the temperature is sometimes down to -5ºC.
The land is not only beautiful in the mountains, Ha Giang – beloved land still outstanding with abundant vegetation and diversity of trees. About plants, Ha Giang has many primitive forests, many precious woods, and as many as 1,000 kinds of medicinal plants. Animals have tigers, peacocks, pheasants, pangolins, and many plentiful kinds of bird.
Coming to Ha Giang, tourists will have the interesting experiences feasting your eyes upon the captivate beauty of this land. Ha Giang is best known for Dong Van Highland that was recognized as a Global Geopark in 2010. Dong Van Highland is located at an average altitude of 1000 – 1600m above sea level, in an area near 2.356km². This is one of the special limestone areas, containing the typical imprints of the Earth’s crust development history, the natural phenomenons, unique landscapes, high biological diversity and longstanding cultural traditions of indigenous communities like the Mong, Lo Lo, Pu Peo, Dao.
You cannot ignore the happiness for couples in love, the romantic, gentle, subtle blend of natural beauty, giving the couple love each other a most wonderful paradise. That is Khau Vai Love market, an annual open on March 27 lunar calendars also attracts many tourists to Ha Giang. Originating from the one love story, Khau Vai became a dating place for all lovers of the region. Tourists can buy handkerchief embroidered, haversack, and dressed with colorful, fine patterned. They also participate in interesting market day of local ethnics. The people and the natural landscapes here unlike anywhere in Vietnam.
For romanticists, Ha Giang will be the ideal place to visit because it has the beautiful buckwheat flowers fields that stretch over rocky plateau of Dong Van – Ha Giang province. The tiny white and pink petals bunched up into a cone shape, with three triangular faces, keep a seed in the middle. The little leaves also gently swaying. The local’s ethnics often use the powder of buckwheat to make cake or make wine with very particular flavor. Come here to enjoy these beautiful things.
Contemplating the terraced rice fields is an experience that can not to be ignored when visiting Ha Giang. Especially, the field is located in Hoang Su Phi with endless beauty that was recognized as National relic. In addition, the most beautiful areas in the Thong Nguyen, Ban Peo, Nam Son, Ho Thau, Nam Dich communes. The rice fields here are created by the industrious hands of the local ethnics that to improve the harsh natural conditions. Coming to Hoang Su Phi, tourists will admire thousands of terraced rice fields spread and winding around the hillside, halfway up the mountain, shimmering under the blue clouds.
Ha Giang is a place has many unique cultural products from a long tradition of more than 20 ethnics. Coming to Ha Giang, tourists can see the crystallized products from the unique cultural traditions of the mountain ethnics, which are embroidered cloths, cloth bags, dresses with brightly patterned types. Especially, festival is one of the unique features there. Due to the variety of ethnic groups, festivals here are very diverse and have them own unique features. May be mention as New house celebration of Lo Lo ethnic. It lasts about two days and two nights at the new house of the Lo Lo ethnic people. All people of the village will come to the new house to celebrate. The shaman will sing, then they dining and entertain, etc. Another festival is Spring Festival of the H’mong and Dao ethnic groups, it is usually held on the days after the Lunar New Year and lasts from 3 to 7 days. The festival general nature is to celebrate, pray for rain, pray for son. There archery contests, singing, throwing pa páo, drinking, and parties.
Ha Giang cuisine is a thing makes visitors come here want to discover. If you have come to uplands markets, you should taste “Thắng Cố”. The aroma of cardamom and lemongrass, mingled with the greasy of meat will make the weather is warmly. Ha Giang is known for many kinds of precious medicinal herbs. In which “Ấu Tẩu” is not only filling medicine but is also processed into an unique dish: “Ấu Tẩu” soup. “Ấu Tẩu” usually grow in the high mountains, cold climate. According to medicine “Ấu Tẩu” is spicy, hot and has very good healing effects. Long time ago, Hmong people used “Ấu Tẩu” to massage when painful or treat colds very effective. “Ấu Tẩu” soup originally knows as a soup to treat colds of Hmong people. Later, the people of Ha Giang add some spices, additives, cooked into “specialty” porridge, strange appetite of the misty land.
Come and experience the interesting things in Ha Giang – a memorable tourist destination by the natural landscape and its people. Not like any other tourism places in Vietnam.
Ha Giang – a subtle blend of beauty is waiting for you!
