Buzz
I'm Cường Lê (29 years old this year, currently working in HR in HCMC) who just completed a trip to Hà Giang over a month ago. I must say, that trip left me 'high' for hours and still left me with an indescribable lingering feeling due to the legendary winding roads, especially the segment of the Mã Pí Lèng Pass running on the Happiness Road from Đồng Văn to Mèo Vạc.
I have to admit that 'Hà Giang is a place of the most pristine and majestic beauty in the country, worthy of being a destination you must visit at least once in your life. Because the breathtaking natural beauty of RIVERS - MOUNTAINS - CLOUDS - PASSES resembles the Fairyland of Bồng Lai, making anyone who has been here must admit it. Today, I would like to share with you the latest Hà Giang travel experience in 2017 distilled from the recent trip, hoping you will have an enjoyable and rewarding journey.'
For more reference:
Places I visited in Hà Giang: Hà Giang City, Du Già, Mèo Vạc, Đồng Văn, Lũng Cú (Flagpole, Lũng Cú Peak, Milestone 422), Nho Quế River, Mã Pí Lèng Pass, Quản Bạ.
4-day 4-night Hà Giang Adventure Itinerary
Night 1: Hanoi – Hà Giang
We chose to travel by car from Hanoi to Hà Giang to save time and ensure our health for the adventure ahead.
Early check-in at Hà Giang Bus Station
Renting a motorbike in Hà Giang ensures the safety and well-being for our adventure. (It's our own bike, not a rented one)
Day 1: Hà Giang – Du Già – Mèo Vạc
Map of the 3-day Adventure Route in Hà Giang
The group picked up the vehicles and started the journey, checking in at the first point in Hà Giang City.
The 0km milestone is the first must-visit check-in point when arriving in Hà Giang.
From Hanoi, we invited some friends to join us, including some experienced guides.
From the 0km milestone, heading north on QL14 for about 50km, then turning left onto TL176 for about 25km to Du Gia, the first lunch stop for the group.
From Hà Giang City to Du Già, take TL176 from QL34 due to the damaged road caused by ore-carrying vehicles, with many potholes. If it rains, maintain a stable speed as the road can become slippery, increasing the risk of tire slippage around corners.
The stretch from QL34 to TL176 leading to Du Già may be challenging, but it offers many beautiful scenes such as streams, terraced fields, and the picturesque villages nestled in the hills and terraced fields.
Du Gia Stream
During the journey, rain showers may occur at any time. Therefore, before setting out, make sure to prepare rain gear including a raincoat, waterproof boots, and a fully equipped backpack.
Lunch Break at Du Già
In the heart of Du Già town, we stopped at a roadside eatery to order food and have lunch. Whether it was the local stone soup or not, the food here was quite decent. (Upon returning home, a friend recommended a homestay run by a local Tay resident where you can pre-order meals and accommodations (Call 0165 772 0252, Mr. Khuy). Du Già is incredibly beautiful, with a charming stream flowing through scenic landscapes, and terraced fields winding around the village. If given the chance, I would definitely come back here and spend the night to fully experience it.
Arriving at Du Già for lunch, it was still raining. After finishing our meal, the rain stopped, and we continued our journey towards Mèo Vạc.
Night 2: Overnight stay in Đồng Văn
Due to our prolonged enjoyment, photo sessions, and check-ins, we didn't arrive in Đồng Văn until late at night. We had dinner and stayed overnight here. Đồng Văn offers countless accommodation options at different price points, but it's advisable to book in advance to avoid full bookings, especially during peak tourist seasons. We stayed at Quốc Toản guesthouse - a budget option at 50k/person/night. You can also pre-book through traveloka or other booking websites, the search results are readily available so I won't go into detail.
Day 2: Đồng Văn – Lũng Cú – Mốc 422
In the morning, after breakfast and coffee, we prepared to head to Lũng Cú. Everyone's initial plan was just to visit the Lũng Cú flagpole in the morning. However, to our surprise, all of us, including those who had been there before, exclaimed that they had never spent an entire day climbing up to the Lũng Cú flagpole!
The distance from Đồng Văn to Lũng Cú is only about 25km, but it took us over 5 hours to drive because of the majestic mountain scenery and, especially, the beautiful buckwheat flower fields. Photo fee: 10k/person.
We had a whimsical guide who decided to take us to the milestone 422 before heading to the Lũng Cú flagpole. This route is incredibly beautiful! However, due to recent rain causing landslides, there were two challenging sections - at one point, we thought we might have to turn back.
The road to milestone 422 on the Vietnam - China border. This section is newly landslide-affected, so it's quite difficult to traverse.
The road to milestone 422 on the Vietnam - China border. This section is newly landslide-affected, so it's quite difficult to traverse. Assistance from 2 friends is needed to get through.
Milestone 422 - Vietnam - China Border
Milestone 422 - Vietnam - China Border
Lunch at the scenic lookout
Actually, lunch isn't right at milestone 422. On the way from milestone 422 to the Lũng Cú flagpole, we took a left turn into a village. And unexpectedly, we climbed up to a very beautiful lookout! Despite ongoing construction in the area, it's still a perfect spot for us to both eat and admire the majestic mountain scenery and the Nho Quế River, Vietnam - China Border.
This lookout is under construction, nearly deserted - but the view from here is absolutely stunning!
For food, we bought simple items like bread, canned pate, sausages, and fruits in Đồng Văn since morning.
After lunch, we headed to the Lũng Cú Flagpole. Since we visited outside the tourist season, we were able to drive all the way to the rest area - if you visit during peak season, you'll have to park at the ticket gate and climb quite a distance up stairs.
The Lũng Cú Flagpole - Northernmost point of the Fatherland!
View from the Lũng Cú Flagpole - Northernmost point of Vietnam
After checking in at the flagpole, we decided that if we went to the Vương's Palace or the 428 Border Marker, it would already be getting dark, so we wouldn't have enough time. So, we all sat back against the flagpole and watched the sunset. The feeling at that moment was truly peaceful and indescribable...
Sunset at the Lũng Cú Flagpole
Night 3: Accommodation in Đồng Văn
Leaving the Lũng Cú Flagpole, we returned to Đồng Văn to freshen up, eat, and then went to the town center to sit and enjoy coffee while soaking in the mountain town atmosphere. If anyone in your group knows how to play the guitar like some of us do, you can borrow a guitar from the café to play and sing - it's so much fun.
Enjoying the melodious tunes of the erhu at the café in the heart of Đồng Văn town - incredibly soothing!
Day 3: Đồng Văn – Mã Pí Lèng – Sông Nho Quế – Mèo Vạc – Mậu Duệ – Quản Bạ – Hà Giang
In the morning, we woke up and prepared food for lunch on the road before embarking on the legendary journey across the Mã Pí Lèng Pass, along the Happiness Road from Đồng Văn to Mèo Vạc (a distance of over 30km).
The scenery from Đồng Văn to Mèo Vạc is quite majestic, with towering mountains and lush forests.
These stunning roadside spots can be perfect for some beautiful photo ops!
Checking in at the legendary Mã Pí Lèng Pass summit
From this spot, you can capture photos with the legendary Nho Quế River. Currently, a hydroelectric dam is being constructed here, so the river's flow is not as pristine as before, and the water color is no longer the stunning emerald green it once was...
Mã Pí Lèng Pass, Hà Giang, one of the Four Great Passes of Vietnam.
Mã Pí Lèng Pass, Hà Giang, one of the Four Great Passes of Vietnam. Full review at https://viettravelo.com/review-kinh-nghiem-phuot-ha-giang-4-ngay-4-dem-voi-21-trieu.html
Posted by Cuong Le on Sunday, October 22, 2017
The legendary Mã Pí Lèng Pass stretch
After checking in at the summit of Mã Pí Lèng, we hiked down to the Nho Quế River. The Nho Quế River is a tributary of the Gâm River. Originating from China, it's called 南利河 (Nán lì hé) or 普梅河 (Pǔméi hé) or Phổ Mai River. Upon entering Vietnam, it forms a section of the Vietnam-China border in the far north of the country, in Lũng Cú and Má Lé communes, Đồng Văn district.
Descending from the pass to the Nho Quế River
The Nho Quế River
A cup of coffee to stay sharp 🙂
Lunch by the Nho Quế River
We took a break and had lunch by the Nho Quế River. We were quite adventurous, so we brought along a pot, alcohol stove, coffee, and even a guitar - imagining we would enjoy coffee and play guitar on a mountain top or by a pine hill. However, we managed to brew coffee but ended up sitting by the cool Nho Quế River.
Holding a sandwich facing towards Vietnam :v
Dinner at Quản Bạ
After dinner, we took a short rest and then traveled back to Mèo Vạc – Mậu Duệ – and stopped for dinner at Quản Bạ. Fortunately, Quản Bạ is quite bustling now, so it wasn't difficult to find food even though we arrived quite late.
We happened to visit on the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, so we got to see the lantern parade in Quản Bạ, which was very joyful. So many childhood memories came flooding back because, in the city, you don't see lantern parades like this anymore!
Night 4: Stay in Hà Giang
We arrived back in Hà Giang City after 10 PM, so we couldn't catch the late-night bus to Hanoi. That night, we slept at the Hong Hao bus station to save travel time – actually, their place only had one room with 6 single beds and a loft just enough for 4 female friends to sleep. The next morning, we hit the road early at 6 AM to head back to Hanoi.
The latest bus from Hà Giang to Hanoi departs at 9 PM, so if you want to return to Hanoi on the same night, make sure to be back before 9 PM and book your ticket in advance. Otherwise, just stay an extra night and leave comfortably the next morning.
There's a rather sad experience we'd like to share – even though many people have already mentioned it. Along the road, you'll encounter many children. Some sell flowers for 10k/bouquet – it's fun to buy from them. Some girls in ethnic costumes stand by the roadside waving hello – if you stop to take a photo, they'll ask for money...
And especially, don't give money, gifts, or candies. One of my friends stopped, and the kids rushed forward yelling, 'Give us candy! Give us candy!' As she was taking out toys from her bag, the kids snatched the whole bag of toys from her hands, too quick for her to distribute to each one...
Expense breakdown for the 4-day 4-night Hà Giang adventure
Sleeper bus ticket Hanoi – Hà Giang (400K/person) + 3-day motorbike rental in Hà Giang + Helmet rental + Food, accommodation + Drinks along the way + Entrance ticket to Cột Cờ + Miscellaneous items, medical supplies = 1.6 million/person.
Summary of the Hà Giang travel experience
Thank you for reading the article!
Here is the entire itinerary and experience I've personally summarized, although it's more of a reference due to our team's playful nature and tendency to improvise. My advice is not to get too hung up on the itinerary as long as you have a memorable and safe trip to Hà Giang. There are so many different beautiful scenes in Hà Giang that you can hardly imagine beforehand. If anyone needs a review of the travel experience, just check out my photo album or send me a message. Thank you!
Cuong Le
Posted by: Tùng Lê Đức
Keywords: Review & Travel Experience Hà Giang 4 days 4 nights with 1.6 million VND
