Prepare for a wonderful trip to northwest

Spectacular scenery, peaceful hill tribe villages, magical rice terraces, smiling faces...all combine to make northwest Vietnam an attractive region. Travel northwest Vietnam in a wonderful loop from Hanoi to Yen Bai, continue to Bac Ha, up to Sapa, further to Lai Chau and Dien Bien Phu, cross Pha Din pass to Son La, down to the valley of Mai Chau and back to Hanoi for a full circle. Northwest Vietnam is most beautiful in Spring with Peach, Plum blossoming all the forest and mountain, the sounds of bird singing, flute coupled with passionate cups of wine make the Northwest bustling, brilliant. In addition to sightseeing, the northwest also offers you the unique highland culture.

Best time to visit the northwest

Northwest Vietnam adventure travel

Each season northwest has it's own charming, however there are 2 seasons the northwest region is most beautiful is Spring and Autumn, Spring time is from January to February on lunar calendar, this time all kinds of flower blossom and it is in this time ethnic minority groups in the northwest open their festivals with many activities such as singing, dancing...

October is Autumn in the northwest, the rice terraces shine a picturesque yellow. Autumn sunshine in the northwest is bolder than other regions. The weekend markets usually take place on Saturdays or Sundays, it's a chance for you to have more memorable experiences, the sounds and colors of hill tribe markets is something travelers cannot ignore.

If your time is limited you can follow the route Hanoi - Mai Chau - Moc Chau - Son La, if you have more than 7 days you can take an itinerary from Hanoi - Yen Bai - Thac Ba lake - Mu Cang Chai - Bac Ha - Sapa - Lai Chau - Dien Bien Phu - Son La - Moc Chau - Mai Chau and then back to Hanoi. This itinerary is strongly recommended as it brings you unforgettable experiences in the whole northwest area.

Transports:

As a base, there are many public buses to northwestern provinces, however if you travel by bus you can visit the town centres while the most impressive part of the trip is the journeys between destinations, you will miss most of the beautiful places as the buses only travel on the main roads, away from inhabited areas where the villages are located. The best way to travel norttwest is by car or motorbike, you can keep the cost down by traveling with friends or rent a private car for the whole trip.

If traveling by motorbike remember to make sure that your bike is in good condition, check the fuel, brake, engine carefully before the trip, note that there are few petrol stations in remote areas and you need to fill the tank anytime you see arrive at a place.

If traveling by car, you should not go more than 60 km / h while driving uphill. Best speed is 40-50 km / h, you can just might admire the scenery and ensure safety. For motorcycles, the speed should be kept from 30-40 km / h when up and down the pass. Every time getting on top of the pass you need to take a few minutes break before going down. Every day should not exceed 200 km. The last days will be more tired. Driving about 150 km and stop for overnight stay is the best. Travel northwest needs leisure to enjoy the scenery, discover life.

Every day should depart from early morning when your mind is fresh, excited, have enough time to get to the next destination, have accommodation before dark. Don't cross the mountain pass when it is dark or twilight, this is extremely important, to avoid the risks and ensure safety.

Sleeping and eating

In the northwest, there is a small town almost every 50km, there are motels and guesthouses in these places however mostly basic and restricted facilities. We recommend that you calculate your itinerary to get to the centre of town on time, and you can always refer local people for accommodation, hotels in northwest Vietnam of high standard are usually in big town or tourist centres such as Sapa, Dien Bien, Son La, in small town you can stay at motels or state guesthouses, another choice for backpackers is homestay in the village, this is a good way when you budget is tight, however remember that in some areas foreign travelers need to apply for permit to stay the night in the village.

Most motels and guesthouses are located in the central areas or near the market, it is also easy to find food and take a walk in the evening. Travelers can have a room at a guesthouse for about 200.000 Vietnam Dong (9 usd), the rooms are equipped with basic facilities such as air conditioner, en suite bathroom with hot water. It's a good idea to check the room before you pay.

There are not many choices for restaurant to eat in the northwest, especially when you are out of town, if you find a restaurant on the way just stop to eat, don't be too picky and wait or you will be hungry. Most restaurants have a few customers and the food is not always ready, only when you come and order they will cook for you, don't hesitate at a poor-looking restaurant, just ask what you want and you will have a good meal before continuing the trip.

Local specialties in the northwest is tofu in tomato sauce, beef with garlic, vegetables with pickles, these dishes are popular and they are fresh. In Moc Chau some restaurant also serve river fish, from Son La to Dien Bien you can try sour bamboo shoots or salty fried chicken...

Special hill tribe markets in north Vietnam travelers cannot miss

Those who have visited the hill tribe markets in northern mountainous region of Vietnam would never forget the special impressions of the markets in the area.

hill tribe market in Vietnam

For a very long time, the weekly markets of ethnic minority groups in northwest Vietnam have become an indispensable activity in the life of ethnic peoples. Besides trading the market is also a cultural activity for the ethnic groups.

Almost every district has a market day on a specified date of the month (on the lunar calendar) such as Quang Uyen market on 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th...Lung Phin market on the dates of the Tiger and the Monkey. Each time when the market day comes the streams of people from villages in the mountains and valleys flock to the market and make it a bustling place. The markets in the highlands have become the lifestyle of local people.

Coming to a district visitors would feel the special of each market, such as the colorful brocade clothes of H'mong people in Ha Giang, the iron knives and agricultural tools in Cao Bang markets or the buffaloes and dogs in Mu Cang Chai. Joining the market-goers one would feel the beauty and attractions hidden behind, it's not prominent and sophisticated but simple and rustic. Goods at the markets are the labor and hardworking products of highland people. Furthermore, these products also reflect the "breath of life", the traditional culture of each ethnic group, such as working tools (knives, hoes in Quang Uyen), traditional musical instruments (H'mong flutes)...

People go to market with different purposes, to buy and sell products, to meet friends...All have made a particular beauty of the hill tribe markets. Young girls wear the traditional colorful costumes with charming smiles on their faces, the H'mong boys play music and dance, many of them have become husbands and wives from the markets, they fell in love from the sounds of music and dances and the market days have become an expected time for young people.

In the old days when the traffic was difficult, people went to market on horseback or on foot, many had to walk overnight to go to market, people came to buy food for the whole week, now everything is much easier, from road condition, transportation and food, people can go shopping at cities but never miss a weekend market.

As the quality of life improves, the weekend markets also change, but the traditional beauty, the cultural identity of all ethnic groups are still very well preserved in the markets.

Some special hill tribe markets in north Vietnam travelers cannot miss:

Can Cau market in Si Ma Cai

Located about 100 km from Lao Cai city, the narrow road is not easy to go with sharp curves and steep slopes. But it is the hard way that makes visitors more excited. Most people to Can Cau market are Flower H'mong and Dzay. Can Cau market opens on Saturday mornings. From early morning crowds of people in colorful clothes hurry to the bustling market by all means of transport, along with them are herds of cows, buffaloes, dogs...Although Can Cau is not as famous as the nearby Bac Ha market it still retains the characteristics of an authentic hill tribe market, not as touristy as the market in Bac Ha. Visitors to Can Cau market will also have a chance to enjoy local dishes such as Thang Co soup, Pho with different taste.

Muong Hum market in Lao Cai

Muong Hum market opens on Sunday every week. This is the busiest day in the mountainous district Bat Xat of Lao Cai province, the market is located in a small valley just beside a stream, surrounded by sheer mountains, the Sunday market is a place to meet, exchange and purchase goods as well as a festival for ethnic people from Ha Nhi, H'mong, Dzay, Red Dzao...On market day the most attractive sight is the ground beside the stream where the horses are waiting with the hair of all colors, every now and then the neighing sounds can be heard all over the place making the painting of mountains and forest more lively, the stone bridges are busy with people walking up and down with horses. Inside the market is very noisy, the young boys and girls come here not only for trading but also to have fun, find partners and everyone wear their most beautiful clothes. Goods are displayed on the sheets of cloth on the ground, in the plastic bags or in the rattan baskets.

Dao San market in Lai Chau

Dao San market is in Phong Tho district, about 60 km from Lai Chau town. Dao San market comes every six days, the market is located at an elevation of 1500m, this is a typical highland market in Lai Chau and northwest Vietnam. From dawn, on the paths hidden in the mist are the sounds of footsteps, horses and motorbikes, the mountains seem awake with groups of young people from Ha Nhi, Dzao, Black Thai, H'mong all heading to the market. Dao San is not merely a market where people buy and sell products from the forests as well as traditional crafts...The special thing in this market is the "market culture", this is where the cultural values of ethnic groups reveal, people go to market like in a festival or New Year, visitors can see H'mong boys walking by a horse with a flute on one hand and a radio set on the other hand, singing the folk songs in H'mong language and perform a flute dance, the Dzao women with their babies on the back walking and weaving brocade at the same time. Coming to Dao San market visitors can also admire the beauty of the mountains and forests, sparkling waterfalls, terraced rice fields, streams, suspension bridges, villages hidden in the cloud along the winding mountain road.

Tra Linh market in Cao Bang

Tra Linh market is located in Hung Quoc township, Cao Bang province. Tra Linh market opens every five days on 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and 29th of lunar months, the market is held on a large open ground in Hung Quoc commune. Tra Linh market is divided into three zones, one to sell local produce such as brocade, embroidery, clothes, vegetables, one zone to sell food and household tools and one zone for the cattle including cows, horses, this is really the unique feature of Tra Linh market.

On market day, from 4 am, around the paths, groups of people carrying goods and animals walking to market, each day about 60-70 buffaloes are sold, a male buffalo may cost 40 million Vietnam Dong (1800 US$) while a calf is worth 15-20 million VND, a beautiful female buffalo may cost up to 30 million. Tra Linh market attracts a lot of traders from other provinces, some of them come here to look for strong calves and train to be fighters to participate in buffalo fighting festivals, it is also where people exchange experience on how to choose and breed a buffalo, learn about market prices...Tra Linh market is a special cultural activity of ethnic people in the northern border areas.

Xin Man market in Ha Giang

Xin Man market is also known as Coc Pai market, for a long time Xin Man market has become an indispensable cultural activity of H'mong people in Ha Giang. The market is located right in the centre of town and is held every Sunday morning. Perhaps the most interesting thing after a long and dangerous journey to Xin Man is the food zone with unique dishes, what could be more enjoyable than to taste the pork barbecue by a cup of corn wine in the cool weather of a highland region!. Like other markets in the remote north, Xin Man market sells agricultural products such as corn, rice, soya bean grown by the hands of local people. The market is rather simple with the feeling of a remote place, some people come to market with a pig or dog in hand, some bring chili, pepper and roots, some come to market just to enjoy a bowl of Thang Co or a cup of corn wine...

Ta Sin Thang market in Tua Chua district, Dien Bien province

Ta Sin Thang market opens every six days on the dates of the Mouse and the Horse on lunar calendar, this is the place to exchange, trade goods, agricultural products of ethnic minorities in 5 communes of Tua Chua district. Ta Sin Thang market bears the typical features of ethnic minority groups in the northwest highland. The products for sale in the market are mostly local agricultural produce such as fruits, vegetables, young bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, pigs, chickens...in addition there are traditional handicraft items like brocade, colored thread, dyes and other stuff made from very strong and beautiful fabrics. Like any other market in the northwest the pans of Thang Co soup can be seen at every corner and especially the famous Mong Pe wine made from corn. Besides the wine, Shan Tuyet tea is also a specialty of Ta Sin Thang market, this region is home to nearly 4000 ancient trees of Shan Tuyet tea, the cool climate makes the tea strong with very special taste.

Enjoy splendid beauty of mountain passes in north Vietnam

Despite the dangerous roads and the obsession of the drivers, the top 11 mountain passes in northwest Vietnamnorthwest Vietnam always attract travelers by the wild beauty and imposing scenery

1. Ma Pi Leng pass in Ha Giang

Vietnam mountain pass

One of the "Four Greatest Passes" of the North, the name Ma Pi Leng means' Horse Muzzle, this is a 20km stretch of winding road running around Ma Pi Leng peak, 2000m above the sea level, connecting 2 towns Dong Van and Meo Vac. Ma Pi Leng pass is considered the king of the most dangerous roads in Vietnam. It is understandable why this pass became a popular place of enthusiastic photographers.

2. O Quy Ho pass in Lao Cai

Dubbed as the most spectacular gorge in the north with a length of nearly 50 kilometers connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau, O Quy Ho pass situated at an altitude of 2,000m, winding through the sky-high cliff and deep chasms. However, overcome the fears and climb to the top of the pass you will have the opportunity to admire the sky with floating clouds like a fairy realm. Because of that, it also has the name of Heaven Gate.

3. Pha Din pass - Son La, Lai Chau

Pha Din pass is in the in Ta Phin plateau system, with two ends located in the provinces of Son La and Lai Chau. Pha Din pass has a total length of 32km with very rugged terrain, one side is cliffs, one side is the deep chasms. Pha Din pass is famous not only for dangerous roads but also for stunning scenery. The highest point of the pass is 1.648m above the sea level.

4. Khau Pha pass in Yen Bai

The road to Khau Pha pass leads to the highest mountain peak in Mu Cang Chai - Khau Pha peak. It is ranked as the most crooked steep pass in Vietnam. This pass is particularly dangerous on foggy days because there is no barrier or any public warning signs. Khau Pha pass is located in between Van Chan and Mu Cang Chai districts, Yen Bai province, passing through many famous landmarks such as La Pan Tan, Mu Cang Chai, Tu Le, Che Cu Nha, Nam Co...at an altitude from 1.200m to 1.500m above sea level.

5. Ma Phuc pass in Cao Bang

The reason the pass is named Ma Phuc because on the two sides of the road are two blocks of limestone rocks standing like two horses bending on their knees. This is the most beautiful pass on Highway 3 from Phu Lo to Ta Lung bordergate, about 22 km from Cao Bang town. Scenery on the sides of the pass is very beautiful, especially when the Tam Giac Mach flowers are in blossom and the green corn fields in summers.

6. Xa Tong pass in Dien Bien

Xa Tong pass is located in a dangerous position from Tuan Giao to Lai Chau. The 25km long pass with no marker nor mirror. Road is in the isolated area as there is no houses around. Xa Tong pass has been abandoned long ago, no car goes this way as it is too dangerous. Watching the sunset on the pass is wonderful but it also is dangerous because it will turn dark very quickly while the road ahead is long

7. Pha Long pass in Lao Cai

The pass is called Pha Long perhaps it runs through the Pha Long market, a small commune located in Muong Khuong - Lao Cai. To reach the pass, you have to go through a rugged dirt road from Can Cau. Craggy mountain pass road with boulders perched leaning sideways, running up the river flow with nearly 20km in length.

8. Gio pass in Bac Kan

Gio (Windy) pass is 12km in length, the pass is located on Highway 3 runs from Na Phac to Van Tung, Ngan Son district. Gio pass is one of the longest and most dangerous in Bac Kan province, however it is also poetic, romantic with clouds all year round. Standing atop Gio pass one can feel the splendor of the mountains here. From the above one can see the whole town of Van Tung, Na Phac and the surrounding areas. As the pass is located on high altitude it is often covered by clouds or heavy fog, making it difficult for the drivers to observe.

9. Bac Sum pass in Ha Giang

Situated between Ha Giang and Quan Ba, the pass is winding as stacked fabric curls. From Ha Giang up to 4D highway you will encounter a sudden small ramp winding around the foothill, it is also the commencement of the journey to discover interesting Dong Van rocky plateau. Bac Sum pass is seen as a giant snake running between mountains, each curve places a challenge to the drivers. Looking down from top of Bac Sum pass travelers are stunned by the imposing beauty of mountain and forest.

10. Thung Khe pass in Hoa Binh

Thung Khe pass or the White Rock, is located between Cao Phong and Mai Chau districts of Hoa Binh province on Highway 6. The pass goes through the steep, not too long and steep but notoriously dangerous. Thung Khe pass in the morning sky is clear, the sun is scorching at midday however at dusk the whole place is covered by fog. Travelers to Mai Chau from Hanoi will have a chance to enjoy the magnificent beauty of Thung Khe pass.

11. Tam Diep pass in Ninh Binh

Three successive passes are located on National Highway 1A on the territory of Tam Diep mountain range, Ninh Binh province. Driving northwards, the first pass is 68m high, the second in the middle is 110m high and the third pass is 80 meters above sea level. To the north of Tam Diem pass has a frontier passage gate, with sheer rocky sides, therefore Tam Diep pass is a dangerous defense, bring a strategic position in the military as a natural wall on the path from north to south.

A trip through Son La and Hoa Binh

Moc Chau

Vietnam travel photo (Son La province) While we waited for Jan's visa, we packed the most necessary things for a 2-Week trip, leaving the rest at the hillside and Sa are. 

Thung Khe pass

On the way to Moc Chau, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery with rice paddies, mountains hills and the various locals. We have already drunk so many sugarcane drinks in Vietnam and now we have seen for the 1st time the plants themselves. We were not even sure until we asked the saleswoman. You have to peel the cane first before you can use it. We bought a whole sugarcane for 10000d. The saleswoman is cut into small pieces for us so that we can just chew the juice out. Also we saw that very young children (about 6 or 7) already guarding the buffalo herd. Very small children are placed in a basket behind the mother's back and so they go to the field.

3km before Moc Chau village we found the Pha Luong Guesthouse. The whole Guest House Sahr very classy. We thought it would cost a lot more. In the evening we tried the specialty of Moc Chau "Be Chao" (translated little cow = veal). As always Vy first asked for the price before  we ordered something. Suddenly she broke soup, salad, pickled in vinegar vegetables, rice and a plate Be Chao. We thought it's worth the price, but after dinner we wanted to pay and she expected us for the dish Be Chau 140000d (is very much for a plate), plus everything else. So we had to finally pay on 200000d. We thought they kidding us, but when we asked in our Guest House, they said that's ok like that. But we find it an impudence that we simply should provide, without that we ordered it. Janu ... but we were tired. 

The next day we got up early to see the sunrise. Unfortunately, on the day of fog, so no beautiful sunrise. We packed our things together again to draw later on. After breakfast we toured all the sights. We had quite the way to the waterfall ask because it was not really labeled. 

In return we saw women wearing a wooden blind with his head. How strong must the Nackensein to so carry a heavy bag can? (see photo) Arriving at the cave we were very disappointed because it's not really a nice  Cave was. Perhaps we have seen too many caves on our trip. So we went already back on quickly. Our next stop was the Tea Heart. That it already rained all day, it made the search even more difficult. When we arrived and the tea factory doorman asked where the heart is, he said we should come to the house and wait until it stops raining, because it just rained heavily. He offered us tea and we could rest a bit us. Luckily it stopped after a while raining so we could visit the heart. 

Back at our Guesthouse we tied our luggage on a motorbike and drove towards Mai Chau. 

Notes: 

The Pha Luong Guesthouse costs only 150'000d 

Mai Chau

Hoa Binh province - In Mai Chau, we were able to live in a homestay, that means we live with a family where we were able to experience their daily life with. 

The grandmother had already Vy really liked and then the woman, so we decided to stay straight without asking further. 

On 1 evening they cooked the food for the tourists, but after we asked them for us their own food  cook, so we were able to try their food. At 18:00 clock we heard a drum. This means for a specific dance group for young women and men to make themselves at 19:00 willing to maintain their appearance. We wanted to also go look. The grandmother said that it would cost too much if we only 2 would rent the whole dance group. Since the niece was also in the dance group, brought us the grandmother at 19:00 to the Guest House of the performers group. We stood in the distance and watched. The tour guide invited us to enjoy with them. So we saw again different traditional clothes and dances. 

The next morning we ate breakfast with us and watch the daily life of the villagers. Since it was raining heavily this morning, was fun for us to watch the people on the scooter. Just drove with one hand and the other hand they held the umbrella. The woman sat down with us and we chat for hours together. Since she lived very far from the city, they still knew quite a bit because they took all the information on the TVs. We learned that they were originally Thais, but they are in Vietnam since 5 generations  and they talk together Thai. This village was originally founded by the rice workers. At that time they had set up tents in order to guard their rice fields can. Then the community informed on the land. Per person you got a piece of land. So who have then had more children, received more land. So they built the houses and the village was established. There were 2 villages, the others are already so built for tourists, gave restaurants and shops. At noon it stopped raining and we we took our scooter to visit the surrounding area. We drove through the village 2nd and we were glad that we were at our homestay. It does not look more out originally. The scenery was quite visible. The wide rice fields and then suddenly a "mountain", bamboo houses obliquely lay almost in the water, and children who fish in the river. 

Back in the homestay, trained the woman Vy weave. After about 30min Vy could weave itself already. It made her so fun is that as long wab until it got dark. 

For dinner we had a huge feast. The man sat down to us and Jan rice wine at bat. 

The next morning we had already  further, so that we were able to achieve all our goals. 

Notes: 

We stayed at homestayNo. 1, after the rice field the 1st house on the right. 

The night costs per person and per meal 50'000d again 50'000d

A Pa Chai

A Pa Chai commune is located at the border junction of Vietnam, Laos and China, this is where a sound of crow is heard by 3 countries. A Pa Chai is pearched on Khoang La San, 750 km from Hanoi. 

A Pa Chai border post

There are several ways to reach A Pa Chai from Dien Bien Phu town, the route that most visitors choose is Dien Bien - Muong Cha, Muong Nhe - Leng Su Sin military post - Ta Kho Khu - 317 Military post, this route has a total length nearly 280 km that cars can go.

To reach the border junction, beside necessary stuff and items you need to have permit from Dien Bien border guard Command. It is interesting that to conquer the Vietnam territory's westernmost place you will be guided by soldiers from 317 Military Post.

It takes about 5 km as the crow flies however you need to walk 15 km in 4 hours through the forest and crossing streams to get to the destination, this is not only a challenge to your health but also the will of conquerers.

The steep path full of rocks leads through the tall , sharp grass hills or deep into the jungle. Our journey was in dry season and the path was easier as it is slippery in the wet season, however this time is very hazy, there is always a gloomy feeling of the jungle, as a matter of fact that it is not rain the bumpy path became a formidable challenge to anyone who wants to conquer. With steep way you need to keep walking without a rest, sometimes pick up a stick to stand on.

A Pa Chai in the language of Ha Nhi people means the flat and large ground, not long ago A Pa Chai was the territory of opium with a lot of addticts, all people from children to adults even state cadres considered opius as a relief in the wild and remote mountain area. However A Pa Chai today is very differnt, since the national electricity was installed in the commune, people now have access to clean water and television, there are thousands of cows in the village.

A Pa Chai is located in the extreme western part of the country, would have been the last place receiving sun light, but in fact this land is located above sea level of about 1.800m. From Leng Su Sin the road starts sloping up and up, the clouds floating around the pass.

If you start from Hanoi in the evening you can arrive at Sin Thau at nightfall the following day. Guests can only spend the night in the village, fortunately Ha Nhi people are very friendly. The local elders said about ancient robbers almost gone now, the lives of local residents and other change in the direction of openness, friendliness. Many visitors feel very surprised as the host prepare hot water for guests to have a shower. In the uplands, water is scarce, it is really a priviledge to have a hot shower. Ha Nhi people say that visitors travelling away cannot bring along their homes so they treat guests to make them feel like at home.

Everymonth people from areas of Muong Nhe district and Van Nam province in China flock to A Pa Chai market, held on 3rd, 13th and 23rd monthly, each time when the market opens, security is tightened in order to prevent people taking advantage on the market and illegally crossed the border. To come to market you have to go through check point at the Military Post and show your identity card or passport. A Pa Chai market is unique, impressed with the way sellers and buyers agree on the price no matter you are Chinese of Vietnamese, the buyer just pick up the items and the sellers will put a price on the canculator, the sellers always have both Vietnam and Chinese money, the bargain go on until both sides agree on a price, the conversation ends.

Note: To get to A Pa Chai, any visitor must be guided by soldiers from 317 Milityary post and and should always follow each other because you can lose your way (as this is the border area so this procedure is compulsory, the best note if you do not want to be expelled from the area).

317 Military Post and Sin Thau village is where you can stay overnight and cook your meals, as A Pa Chai has become a tourist destination the Military Post usually have accommodation for travelers. Another choice is to have dinner and stay in Muong Nhe, remember to call to the Military Post before you arrive, the road is pretty good and it takes about 2 hours from Muong Nhe to A Pa Chai.

Spectacular Du Gia commune in Ha Giang

Du Gia, Ha Giang

Those who love travel, discover the route from Mau Due to Du Gia always bring unforgettable memories, all bikers express their discourage when mentioned the journey, the nickname "miserable road" was given to this hardest stretch of road as the most difficult road in north Vietnam adventure tours. The route from Du Gia to Mau Due in Ha Giang province has attracted how many bikers, it takes almost a half day when the weather is good, when it rains and fog you cannot tell how long, the 75km stretch of road along the mountain path, full of sharp rocks coupled with towering slopes about 11-12 degrees and full of desolation. The challenge is that but this route has seen a lot of travelers to conquer, some people did the trip more than one times until it has become a habit, a drug for years that forces them to come back every year.

The wonderful thing that compensates those who dare to explore and experience the hardship of the road is the spectacular moments when you stop and stretch your legs on top of the pass, you can take the most beautiful photos of the green valley in the rocky plateau, the yellow paddy terraces are even more beautiful than in Mu Cang Chai or Hoang Su Phi as they look like flowers on the grey background of mountains.

Arriving in Ha Giang town at noon, our group quickly prepared food, drinks and a 10 litre can of petrol for the upcoming journey with only a few little houses perched on the high mountain slopes, no gas station, no bike repair, no phone coverage...so that when you have set the foot in this route you have to get out of it before the night falls. We started the trip from Ha Giang township about 25km to Bac Me and then turned to Mau Due, leaving the main road about 10 meters we hit the rocky path, those who come on this road for the first time feel shocked by the bumpy path that makes your motorbike bounces up and down. Along the endless winding road the scenery is very spectacular, with the mountains, rivers, jungle all combine to make it a magnificent picture, sometimes you see a little waterfall on the road side, before your eyes in the distance are rice terraces on the hillside where Hmong people raise corn, an unresistable attraction of Ha Giang travel information.

At the place from Lung Ho commune to Mau Due township, all steps are stopped at the Sa Ly and Na Lau cultural hamlets, Yen Minh district of Ha Giang province, these are the villages of Red Dzao people perched on the peak of the mountain surrounded by the most beautiful rice terraces, the tiled roofs houses connected together as an art installation by someone purposely created on this highland, the blue smoke from the houses even gives the picture warmer colours. Both villages still retain the natural rustic beauty, innocence as the color of the rocks around the existing gray stone plateau.

Crawling on the edge of the cliff at a speed of 5km/hour and we arrived at Du Gia commune at 16.00, we stop for a rest at a tea stall, all the way from Du Gia to Mau Due, a mountain peak is followed by a valley pass, we came to Lung Ho when the sun just set, we had to keep riding 35 km through Ma Pi Leng pass to come to Meo Vac, our destination for the night.