Ha Giang - Paradise for Trekking Lovers

The beautiful mountainous region around Ha Giang is one of the newest additions to the Vietnamese travel scene, and although tourism is slowly increasing, the colours and traditions of this minority stronghold remain much as they have over the preceding decades.

Ha Giang, 300 km away from Hanoi, located at the highest latitude in Vietnam. It is surrounded by Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, and Yen Bai. It shares a border with China in the north. Many ethnic minorities, including the Dao, H’mong, Tay, and Nung, live in Ha Giang province Vietnam. The climate is divided in two distinct seasons (rainy and dry), although it tends to vary depending on altitude.Ha Giang is the ideal location to organize activities such as hiking and camping. Famous sites include Quang Ngan Waterfall and Than Thuy-Thien Bao National Frontier Pass.

Dong Van Highland is situated 1,025 m above sea level and is inhabited by the Tay and H’Mong ethnic groups. The temperature is approximately 1oC in winter and reaches 24oC 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. 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. Khau Vai love market, this happens once a year, often falls in May, where the colorful people gather for their old loves and new ones, and is the place where the tribes sell their local products like food, vegetable, local textiles...

For those happy to don hiking boots and strike out into the terraced hills this is a fabulous part of the world. The scenery of sculpted rice terraces through which you trek en route between traditional wooden-housed villages is truly stunning, and the markets that play host to the colourful Flower H'mong, Nung, Dzao and Tay minority groups are a photographer's dream. Accommodation is basic, as might be expected in this remote part of the country, but staying in a local homestay is part of the experience; making a visit to Ha Giang an unforgettable adventure.

Ha Giang: Paradise for Trekking Lovers
It is an avid trekker’s ultimate dream: characterised by ancient karsts reaching up into the heavens as they house the ruins of a young earth below in subterranean tombs, pierced by mighty crags of regal mountains, and hushed by the gentle beauty of rolling hills, valleys, forests and rice fields. Ha Giang is Vietnam’s answer to an ecosystem whose geological legacy and environmental diversity remains one of the most treasured in the world, full of spectacular secrets and untold tales.

The Unconventional Path
Situated in Vietnam’s rugged northern reaches, Ha Giang is an ecotourist paradise. The Dong Van plateau – the first of its kind to earn the distinction of Global Geopark by UNESCO – is Ha Giang’s most defining aspect along with its picturesque rice fields. From pastoral beauty to wild mystique, trekkers have a myriad of trails to choose from which reveal some truly mesmerising landscapes. Travellers of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy a relaxing, scenic hike while hardcore outdoor adventurers can take on its bold features and scale ancient limestone and plunge into dense jungles where some of Vietnam’s most astounding wildlife resides. Remote, untouched, and unlike any other major destination in Southeast Asia, Ha Giang gives eager trekkers the chance to explore a geological realm which is unparalleled in its scope and without the hustle and noise of busy trekking locales.

As well as its magnificent landscape, Ha Giang is home to some of Vietnam’s oldest societies who continue to maintain a harmonious relationship with their environment. Trekkers are able to visit these locales and experience the unique customs and traditions of hill tribes in an immersive and exciting journey, as well enjoy a special stay in one of the local houses or solar-powered ecolodges.
Whether you are seeking an adventure in the wild, a cultural excursion, or simply a chance to taste the extraordinary – the trekker in you will rejoice in what Ha Giang has to offer. Guided by the expert team at Tuan Linh Travel, we will guarantee that your journey is hassle free, customised to your needs, and most importantly, fulfilling and memorable. Book with us today to receive more information about trekking in Ha Giang and begin the adventure of a lifetime.

"If, like me, you don't mind basic facilities if it allows you to find a truly special experience, then this dramatic, colourful and mountainous part of Vietnam is for you. I'd urge you to go before the crowds catch on."

Kevin Tran - Tour Expert of Ethnic Voyage

EthnicVoyage.com - Enjoying the different way of traveling

Other travel news in Vietnam

Tailored itineraries, private guides, accessible hotels & accessibe cars with ramps for a lifetime Vietnam holidays

Amazing Tips to Accessible Traveling in Vietnam

Finding Useful Getaways for Disabled Travelers in Vietnam

Ethnic Thai Handicraft - Western Nghe An

Rice Fields, Waterwheels and Eco - Homestays in Green Pu Luong

Experience Vietnam with Ethnic Voyage

The Lu ethnic minority people and their customary laws

Customs, pratices and folk laws of Lolo people

The Hill Tribes in Vietnam

Accessible Travel in Vietnam with Ethnic Voyage