The legend of the "Happy Road" in Ha Giang

With a length of 185 km, the road named "Hanh Phuc" is connected from Ha Giang city through Dong Van stone plateau which is the way to start and form from the effort and the blood and bone of thousands of youth volunteers from the 50-60 centuries ago. The road has brought a prosperous life for ethnic people on the Ha Giang rocky plateau, expressing the strength of the human before the harshness of nature.

• Ha Giang's local cuisine - rustic but full of value
• Discover the wilderness and mysterious beauty of Ha Giang

Photo by Maxpixel

Back in the old days, people in this region travel either on horseback or on foot. When the French colonized Vietnam, they tried to build roads and bridge in Ha Giang but after half of century of occupation, no modern vehicles could have reached their outpost. During the opium hay day, the Hmong King riches were unmatched; he had also tried to improve traffic and communication in Ha Giang but ultimately failed.

It wasn’t until 1959 that the Vietnamese government and the Northern autonomous region had decided to construct roads to bring a better life to the people of Ha Giang, to develop traffic, trade and later on, tourism for those who about to take part in the Ha Giang tour.

After the battle of Dien Bien Phu, this was the campaign that attracted young men and women all over the country. Over 1600 volunteer plus more than 1000 local worker headed to the mountain of Ha Giang, with very basic tools and living condition, to carve out the mountain in the harsh highlands weather.

The constructing process was dreadfully long and difficult. Just about 2 months in, General Chiang’s defeated army plagued the land.  Despite that Ha Giang had had an elected representative system; power in the region was still under the old feudal families. Knowing this, the bandit conspired with them, spread propaganda and fear to form the separated Ha Giang.

Food shortage, power shortage, extreme weather, bandit… But nothing seemed to destroy the hope of those who left their everyday life to travel to this hard land. In 1965, after years of labors and at the cost of many good men lives, 200 kilometers of asphalt road was completed. From them, mountainous villages and hamlet could expect buses and supply truck, their children could go to school easier… And this is why it was named “Happiness”. It brings joy not only to the mountainous folk, but also the volunteer who built it… Or I could mean that you’d be extremely happy if you come out of its curves in one piece.

Afterward, from 1998 to 2006, the road is upgraded with more electric light and sign to improve safety while travel. All who want to take a Ha Giang tour should come to conquer this road either by bike or bus. For the best support on the journey discover Ha Giang please contact us:

Viet Nam Typical Tours

Hotline: 0084 974 861 652

Email: info@vietnamtypicaltours.com