Ha Giang
Đông Bắc
The flag tower on Dragon Mountain · Thai Nguyen · Pexels License
The northernmost frontier with a magnificent rocky plateau, legendary mountain passes and vibrant highland culture.
Ha Giang is where heaven and earth meet at the very top of the north. The Dong Van Karst Plateau — a global geopark — stretches out in rolling ranges of jagged 'cat's-ear' rock. In autumn, buckwheat flowers blush pink across the hillsides; in the ripe rice season, the terraced fields blaze gold. This is a land of roads so beautiful they take your breath away, and of rustic, hospitable people.
Best time to visit: September (ripe rice) and October–December (buckwheat flowers)
Local specialties
- Thang co stew
- Au tau porridge
- Corn wine
- Buckwheat cake
Places (3)
Lung Cu Flag Tower
The sacred northernmost point of the country, where the red flag with a golden star flies high above the rocky plateau.
Dong Van Old Town
A century-old old town in the heart of the rocky plateau, where highland life moves slowly and warmly.
Ma Pi Leng Pass
One of Vietnam's 'four great mountain passes', with sheer cliffs plunging to the jade-green Nho Que River.