Buzz
“Anyone born in the rocky plateau of Dong Van who doesn't compose poetry is truly... missing out,” my companion remarked as we traversed the perilous yet poetic roads on a motorcycle. As for me, I silently vowed that every young person should immerse themselves in the mountains, the flora, and the winding roads of Dong Van, to realize that happiness is indeed simple and within our reach.
Touring Ha Giang: Exploring the Blissful Roads of Dong Van
To conquer the Dong Van rocky plateau, we chose to take the route through the districts of Vi Xuyen, Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac, and ending in Bac Me before returning to the city of Ha Giang. The initial stretch gently caressed the spirits of two distant travelers with easily navigable small roads. It was only when we were about to leave Minh Tan (Vi Xuyen district) that we began to be surrounded by continuous, winding slopes, from winding curves to steep zigzagging paths...
At times, as we sluggishly ascended a slope, suddenly, the road turned at a 45-degree angle, making both us and the bike feel like we were... measuring the road. At times, we traveled on a road with a cliff on one side and a deep abyss on the other. Fortunately, despite not being expert drivers, we managed to conquer that treacherous path without any mishaps!
After overcoming the winding slopes, we visited Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Pho Cao, Vuong Family Mansion, Lung Cam Cultural Village - the setting for the movie 'Story of Pao'... Our plan was to visit Lung Cu before returning to spend the night in Dong Van town, concluding the first day of our journey.
Leaving Vuong Family Mansion as the evening set in, we hopped on our vehicle heading towards Lung Cu through the deep and captivating roads, crossing countless mountains and sharp bends. In my mind, I wondered, if we didn't reach Lung Cu before nightfall, would we be swallowed by some abyss? Luckily, we arrived at Lung Cu as dusk began to fall. Without further ado, my companion and I swiftly parked our vehicle at the grocery store at the foot of the mountain, then followed the rugged path, laboriously ascending each step through the stairs.
Later on, we learned there was another route accessible by vehicle without the need for exhausting ourselves after the long journey. But regardless, the national flag in front signaled that we had reached the highest point of Lung Cu. As I reached out to gently touch the national flag, a profound, inexplicable emotion welled up within me. Standing there, overlooking Dong Van in the twilight, in the distance, golden rice fields awaited harvest, amidst harvested fields, only bare stalks remained. In that serene moment, I felt a gentle happiness within.
Exactly at 6 o'clock in the evening, the remaining rays of the day lingered, like a fading streak of color in the sky's canvas. But then darkness swiftly descended, and we turned on our headlights, slowing down, suppressing the fear within to take control of the steering wheel, hoping for a safe return to Dong Van town. The road was rough, with speed bumps and potholes everywhere, our motorcycle clinging to the mountainside as we cautiously maneuvered through the deep, dark night. Until we caught sight of the faint light emanating from Dong Van town, without a word spoken, both my companion and I erupted in joy. Despite the aches from the long journey, we still decided to venture into the streets, each of us grabbing a cup of coffee at the old town before returning to the hotel. Beside me, my companion had fallen into a deep sleep. I opened my backpack, took out the travelogue 'Missing Dong Van' by author Thuy Tran, to see if she shared the same sentiments about this land as I did...
The morning in Dong Van was alive with laughter and chatter. We returned to the old quarter to find breakfast. After filling our stomachs with hot rolled pancakes, we rode towards Don Cao - a unique cultural and historical heritage from the French colonial era. Don Cao is located right in Dong Van's old quarter, so within five minutes, we were at the foot of the mountain.
The path up Don Cao has been cemented and quite steep, but not as challenging as the path to Lung Cu. Standing atop the highest limestone mountain in Dong Van (1,213m above sea level), we gazed freely in all directions. There lies Tu San mountain, where Sung Mi Chang's guerrillas established a base against the French, closer still is Dong Van market that we visited early this morning... Rarely do we get the chance to lose ourselves in the mountain breeze, the highland clouds, breathing in the fresh air...
Dong Van town gradually faded behind us as we began to cross Ma Pi Leng pass, about 20km long, connecting Dong Van town with Meo Vac town. Before 'battling' Ma Pi Leng pass, we had to overcome the winding Pải Lủng slope, along with consecutive sharp bends that even seasoned adventurers would find daunting! Our motorcycle sluggishly traversed the desolate road, surrounded by towering, jagged mountains, their coldness piercing the sky. Sitting behind, I felt a sense of unease, wondering if deciding to cross Ma Pi Leng pass was a mistake?
That question was no longer abstract, even though the road named Happiness still presented us with harsh bends and winding stretches along the mountainside, completely unaware of where it would lead us. Both sides of the road were towering rocky mountains, with deep and far more dangerous abysses than the roads we had traversed before. Pausing at the high pass, I understood why adventure seekers love to plunge into this perilous route, because Ma Pi Leng is breathtakingly beautiful...
Never before have I felt so connected to nature, just tilting my face up makes me feel like I can touch the clouds, hearing the golden sun and white clouds rejoicing. And never before has the feeling of smallness before nature been so clear. Everything present before me was simultaneously rugged, majestic, and magnificent. I raised my camera to admire, then clicked. But after a few shots, I had to stow away the camera in my backpack because the beauty of Ma Pi Leng at that moment couldn't be captured accurately by expanding all senses.
From the highest point of Ma Pi Leng, over 2,000m above sea level, we saw the Nho Que River flowing gently at the foot of the mountain. Looking down from Ma Pi Leng, the Nho Que River looked like a strip of emerald silk, just a few minutes' drive away. Yet we had to navigate 'blindly,' on roads that seemed to lead us into a maze, despite seeing the destination, we had to struggle to find a way out. Until that strip of green silk was right beside us, then I believed that the Nho Que River was not a dream. I cupped my hands together, trying to collect more water from the Nho Que River, then splashed it on my face. The second sip, I brought it to my lips and drank it all. The cool water spread throughout my body, from sensation to deep within.
Sitting by the Nho Que River for a while, though reluctant to leave, my companion and I had to get back on the vehicle, return to the Happiness road, and head towards Meo Vac. The vehicle hummed along the road again. Trying to capture the scenery of the plateau before it slipped away, I thought to myself: 'Perhaps those who are eager to find an answer to the question: 'What is happiness?' should once let go of the hustle and bustle of urban life, roam the Happiness road, and stop at the beautiful stretches of Dong Van. Then, we will see that happiness is not something distant, but merely the feeling of enjoying nature, feeling peace in our hearts, and realizing that we have companions ready to overcome life's challenges together'...
By Ho Huy Son/Businessman Saigon
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Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourSeptember 8, 2017
