Dong Van Town

Ha Giang locates at the highest latitude of Vietnam , just 320km from Hanoi . Despite still being poor, this province boasts beautiful tourist sites with dozens of rivers and streams, fascinating caves and grottos, historic and cultural relics and a treasure of traditional cultures of the ethnic groups, which all enchant the visitors. The people and natural scenes here are unlike anywhere in Vietnam . One of Ha Giang’s ideal spots that lure the eyes of visitors is Dong Van Highland – it is 146km away from Ha Giang Town and situated on the border between Vietnam and China .

Dong Van is situated 1,025 m above sea level and inhabited by the Tay and H'Mong ethnic groups. The temperature is approximately 1oC in winter and reaches 240C on the hottest days. The plateau provides famous products such as Hau plums, peaches, and persimmons without seeds. Dong Van apples are as big as pears.

In Dong Van, numerous valuable plants used for their medicinal value are found, including ginseng, anise, and cinnamon. Moreover, Dong Van has a lot to offer: mountains, forests, hidden grottoes and caves, multicoloured orchid forests, plum and peach trees, persimmon orchards, and more. Visiting Dong Van, one can see Pho Bang, also called Pho Bang Street, which was built a long time ago and features multi-storey houses made of clay bricks and tile roofs. Visiting Dong Van on Sundays, one can shop in a very original mountain market where all kinds of goods and multicoloured clothes can be purchased.

Particularly in this area, there is a mountain named Rong (Dragon) whose peak, Lung Cu Peak, is marked by the flag station, a sacred symbol of Vietnam . According to Vietnamese people, it should not to be missed by anyone visiting the Northern Province of Ha Giang.

Lung Cu Peak is the extreme Northern-most point of Vietnam at 1,800 meters above sea level. Well-known for its unique and important location, it has been dubbed “Noc nha Vietnam ”, which translates as “the roof of Vietnam ”. Climbing to the roof-top of the country is very easy. Travellers can travel by car to within approximately 600 meters of the top of the mountain.

The panoramic view from Lung Cu Peak is very exciting as much of the Northern-most province is made up of forests, mountains, high-degree slopes, hills, valleys and streams.  China is visible on a clear day, as it is just a stone’s throw from Lung Cu. The mighty and beautiful scenery viewed from the peak will truly remain forever in the mind’s eye of the visitor.

Stationed at the base of Rong Mountain is a very poor village with 100 homes of the Lo Lo ethnic people. They raise maize, rice and cows, pigs and chicken. Although the living standards are very low, the children are reluctant to take money.  Instead visitors can give them rice, candy, school notebooks and pencils.

The huge, 54 square meter flag on Lung Cu Peak represents 54 groups of people of Vietnam . A border guard of Lung Cu Border Post said that the flag is everlasting, as is the country.  On windy days, the flag is sometimes changed twice to make sure it never stops moving.

When in Lung Cu be sure to bring a camera or camcorder on your trip to Ha Giang.  If you don’t, you will certainly regret it.

St. Augustine, an early Christian priest and author said: “People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering”. What will you wonder while on Lung Cu Peak?

Dong Van and the ancient town..........

On the way upwards to the skygate Quản Bạ from Yên Minh - Mậu Duệ, the pass Cản Tý, through dense forests of pine-trees, zigzagging slopes that look like long sheet of silk, we arrive at the highland of stone, the ancient town Đồng Văn (Hà Giang) only to be taken by surprise. It’s a destination in the top Northern tip of Vietnam where age-old customs and habits, intangible cultural values of the ethnic minority groups remain well-preserved.

The town was built in the early 20th century, home to Kinh, Tày, Mông, Hoa, Lô Lô, Giáy... minority groups. It’s not the oldest, or the largest but the most specific in identities of the highlanders in Vietnam . Đồng Văn market is an architectural project of stone, the harmony of China – Vietnam construction style in conformity with highlands Fengshui. Stone pillars, well-sculptured and so big that two or three people could embrace. It’s a touch of beauty in the highland valley.

Đồng Văn market is the business exchange of the locals. On market day, it’s very busy and crowded, young girls of Mông, Pu Péo, Lô Lô... look more pretty in their new costumes. They came here from distant places to buy something, to meet their friends or to exchange their brocade products or just to eat a bowl of thắng cố (their special soup), to drink some alcohol and to talk their heart-talk.

Visitors who have chance to meet on “ancient street nights” (14, 15 and 16 every lunar month) will join in such activities: artistic performance, production by craftsmen... In light of red lanterns, the market looks like a pearl of multi-colors in the grey immensity of mountain. The local authority plans to build Đồng Văn into cultural destination in order to preserve and develop it as a beautiful spot in the border area.

Đồng Văn is the pride of the people, not only for its famed architecture but for its age-old customs and habits that have handed down for generations historically.