Discovering Hà Giang Throughout the Year (Part 1)

As a passionate admirer of Hà Giang, I've spent time exploring its rocky plateau all 12 months of the year, at various times. Here are the distinctive features of each month in this land, as I perceive them.

Hà Giang's Beauty Across the Four Seasons.

January

Chilly January.

January marks the coldest period in the Northern region, often seeing frost and even snow. This phenomenon isn't exclusive to Hà Giang but extends to Sa Pa, Cao Bằng, and other highland areas. Depending on the year's severity, ice and snowfall vary, with higher altitudes like Lũng Cú, Gì Thàng, Thượng Phùng, Khau Vai, Hố Quáng Phìn, Lao Xa, Cao Mã Pờ, and the Pu Tha Ca peak in Du Gia National Park being the most susceptible.

View of Puthaca Peak from Du Gia.

Overall, this month is quite desolate as foliage is sparse. Perhaps a few rapeseed flowers can be seen from December, with cherry blossoms and apricot flowers blooming towards the end of the month.

When traveling to Hà Giang in January, it's essential to prepare warm clothing, wool hats, gloves, and waterproof shoes. Since most travel is done by motorbike, I often carry some ginger candies to keep warm on the road.

Children in Lao Xa.

February

February heralds the arrival of spring.

February can be considered one of the most beautiful months in Hà Giang, with villages adorned in the pink hues of cherry blossoms and the white blooms of plum flowers. Traditional houses with yin-yang tiled roofs and blooming cherry trees have become iconic symbols of Hà Giang during this time.

Cherry blossoms by the wooden gate.

The festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year lingers as ethnic communities don their finest attire for spring outings, house visits, and traditional Tet festivities. If you happen to visit border markets before the 15th day of the Lunar New Year (such as Săm Pun market, Bạch Đích market, Phó Bảng border gate market), you might even experience firecracker festivities reminiscent of olden days.

Notable destinations not to be missed during this season include the Sủng Là Valley – home of the Pao people, Lao Xa village, Lũng Táo commune en route to Lũng Cú, and Phố Cáo commune. Additionally, Mông ethnic villages in Đồng Văn and Mèo Vạc are abundant with cherry blossoms and plum flowers.

Lũng Táo Commune, Đồng Văn.

One small observation I've made is that cherry blossoms and plum flowers in the higher regions like Đồng Văn and Mèo Vạc tend to be more beautiful than those in Quản Bạ and Yên Minh. Due to their higher elevation and colder climate, when the flowers bloom, the leaves haven't yet emerged, creating a scene where the trees are adorned solely with flowers and no leaves.

Towards the end of the month, early rice flowers also begin to bloom. This is also the time when locals start preparing for a new corn crop by clearing fields, burning grass, and plowing.

Đường Thượng Commune, Yên Minh.

March

March, the season of rice flowers.

This month is the prime time for rice and pear blossoms. In Hà Giang, rice fields are abundant, creating vast stretches of vibrant red flowers when they bloom. Notable areas with abundant rice flowers include the banks of the Nho Quế River near the hydroelectric dam, the Du Già pass, and the road from Mậu Duệ to the Yên Minh town. Kayaking on the Nho Quế River and admiring the rice flowers in the sunset is an experience not to be missed this month.

The brilliant red hue of rice flowers stretches along a long road leading to Du Già.

In Hà Giang, besides cherry trees, pear trees are also widely planted around houses. In this month, pear blossoms flourish, covering the trees in pure white. Pear blossoms are abundant in areas like Lũng Cú, Phố Cáo, Nặm Đăm village, Pao's house, and Phó Bảng.

There's something not typical of Hà Giang but quite beautiful. Around the beginning of March, from the 5th to the 15th, the Bauhinia variegata flowers along Nguyễn Văn Linh street in Hà Giang city bloom profusely. Stretching over 2 km, the blooming flowers highlight the road alongside the Lô River.

White and pink Bauhinia variegata flowers along Nguyễn Văn Linh street.

Starting from this month until mid-May (as June sees more rainfall, leading to murky water), the water cave in Án village, Ngọc Long commune, showcases its most beautiful scenery. The stream flows through the cave for about 200 - 300 meters, flanked by tall trees. Visitors can row boats along the stream, swim, and enjoy Tày ethnic cuisine near the stream. It's best to visit around noon when the sunlight directly shines on the stream, giving the water a gem-like clarity, revealing the bottom.

The Nho Quế River flows in a deep shade of green.

During this season, it's advisable to bring both cold weather clothing for travel and sportswear for outdoor activities.

April

April beckons the Khâu Vai love market.

As the fieldwork winds down, it's time for traditional festivals to take place. Each ethnic group in Hà Giang has its own days of celebration and commemoration. In this piece, I'll mention only the festivals that I've participated in and found to be quite enjoyable, although in reality, there are even more festivals this month.

The Fish-catching Festival

The Fish-catching Festival of the Dao Chàm people in Quản Bạ.

The fishing competition takes place in the morning of the main festival day, but a stage is set up in the village courtyard the evening before, where people enjoy victory snacks and corn wine. That evening, young people also go from house to house drinking wine and eating meat. The next day, after catching fish, there's more feasting and sharing the catch with households in the village. In the afternoon, there are games like pole pushing, tug of war, and water bucket races.

Thanh Minh Festival

Thanh Minh Festival

Khau Vai Love Market

The Khau Vai Love Market bustles from the night of the 26th day of the 3rd lunar month.

Many couples come to the market together; upon arrival, wives seek out their friends, husbands seek out theirs. After the market, everyone returns home, continuing their daily lives. There's no jealousy or annoyance, but rather mutual respect. They see it as something sacred, as their duty and responsibility to their spouse's spiritual life.

It's advisable to arrive at the market early, preferably the evening before. Traditional love markets typically conclude early on the 27th of the 3rd lunar month.

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