Tour Information to Dong Van, Ha Giang

Dong Van district has two towns, Dong Van and Pho Bang, and 17 communes such as Ta Phin, Xa Phin, Pho Cao, Sung La, Van Chai, Lung Phin, and Ma Le. This northernmost point of Vietnam is often the place to stop for tourists when coming to Ha Giang, because typical local destinations are concentrated here. Dong Van's topography is quite complicated, mostly rocky mountains are divided, creating many deep pools, with an average height of 1,500 m above sea level.

Climate
Dong Van is located in the monsoon climate with a distinct continental character. The average rainfall is large, about 1,750 mm-2,000 mm, concentrating from May to October. The dry season is from November to April next year. The average annual temperature is about 20 degrees Celsius, when the coldest can be down to 1-2 degrees, the hottest time is nearly 40 degrees Celsius. The air humidity is about 84%. In Dong Van, there is also frost, sometimes snow in winter.

Coming here, visitors should not miss the Old Quarter cafe located at the corner of Dong Van central market, in a house that is more than 100 years old, leaning on the mountain.

Tham Ma Slope
Tham Ma slope is a pass located on National Highway 4C, adjacent to Yen Minh and Dong Van districts. The slope is known as one of the most dangerous roads in the North, 5 km long with 9 winding turns. It is for this reason that many people like to conquer Tham Ma slope. Stopping here, where there is a very good photo angle, you will have the opportunity to hear many legends about this slope.

Vuong's mansion
The mansion of the Vuong Dynasty in Sa Phin commune, built in the early twentieth century, simulates the architecture of the Qing Dynasty (China), according to the website of Ha Giang province. The house took 8 years to complete, located on a land of 1,120 m2. The mansion is shaped like a tortoise shell with rows of tall agarwood trees. Two round walls are built of stone, with holes for apricots and soup booths. The palace has three houses on stilts. The main house faces the gate, two outbuildings are parallel and perpendicular to the main house. All three houses from columns, trusses, floors, walls, roofs are made of precious wood.

The Vuong house is located next to Highway 4C on the way from Ha Giang city to Dong Van, 13 km from the center of Dong Van town. In 1993, Vuong's mansion was recognized as a national architectural and artistic relic.

Nho Que River
Nho Que River originates from Yunnan, China, flows in the northwest - southeast direction, through Dong Van and Meo Vac districts in Ha Giang province to join the Gam River in Cao Bang. The Nho Que River flows into Vietnam 46 km long, from Lung Cu through Tu San gorge and then along the Ma Pi Leng pass. A special feature of the river is that most of the year, the water is turquoise. In recent years, local tour companies have offered sightseeing boat rides or kayaking for visitors. The rental price is from 50,000 VND to 150,000 VND per boat, depending on the type.

Note: To reach the marina, visitors will have to cross a zigzag path. You should hire a local person who has a steady steering wheel and is familiar with the road.

National flagpole Lung Cu
The flagpole is located at Lung Cu peak, also known as Dragon mountain peak, 1,470 m above sea level, in Lung Cu commune. The flagpole is about 3.3 km from the northernmost point of Vietnam as the crow flies. The flagpole has a long history, underwent many times of restoration and embellishment, now has an octagonal shape, more than 30 m high, inaugurated on September 25, 2010. On the top is a flagpole 9 m high with the Vietnamese national flag on 54 m2. Looking down from the top of the flagpole, there are two ponds on either side of the mountain that do not run dry all year round, called the dragon's eye pond. The flagpole is 24 km from Dong Van town.

Sung La buckwheat flower field
Nearly 20 km from Dong Van town, Sung La commune has a fairy-like scenery, located under cat ears rock cliffs. The Mong people in Sung La often grow buckwheat in high hillsides, so this place is considered one of the most beautiful flower viewing spots in Ha Giang. The best time is from October to November.

Pao's house
Also located in Sung La Commune, "Pao's House" is actually a people's house, built in 1947, used as the setting for the movie "Pao's Story". The house has the architectural features of the Mong people in the rocky highlands, closed in four directions, in the middle is the courtyard. The yard in front of the house is paved with stone, surrounded by plums, apricots, peaches... the typical trees of the region. The house has beautiful architecture, the surrounding landscape is even more beautiful in the blooming season, so this place always attracts many tourists.

This destination charges 10,000 VND per tourist.

Pho Bang town
Not as noisy as other places, in Pho Bang, visitors will have the feeling of time passing slowly. This is the home of the Chinese and Hmong communities with more than 500 people. The town stands out thanks to its simplicity, idyllic and ancient look. Because the road is more remote than other places, Pho Bang is somewhat isolated and less known. To enter the town, from the national highway, you have to go nearly 5 km, close to the Vietnam - China border, where there are only cat ears rocky mountains.

Pho Cao Commune Market
Located 25 km from the center of Dong Van town, Pho Cao market meets once every 6 days, usually lasting from dawn to noon. Pho Cao market is not only a place to buy and sell goods and local products, but also a place for cultural exchanges between 17 ethnic groups in the area. The markets are very crowded. People wear the most beautiful dresses, bring to the market from chickens to pigs, dresses, scarves, sharpened knives, fresh vegetables picked in the garden.

Eating tin Dong Van
The dishes in Dong Van are also typical dishes in Ha Giang, which can be found everywhere in the province. However, in Dong Van, visitors will have many famous addresses to choose from.

Banh Cuon
Ingredients for this dish include rice flour, meat, wood ear, bones, spring rolls and spices. The dough is soaked overnight to soften and then mixed with spices. When guests come to eat, the freshman pours the dough onto the coated mold on the spot to keep it hot. After about 3 minutes, the cake is cooked, then rolled with meat, pre-prepared wood ear, cut short and put on a plate, sprinkled with fried onions and coriander. Unlike banh cuon dipped with fish sauce in many regions, Ha Giang rolls are eaten with broth. The broth is simmered with pork bones, so it has a sweet taste. According to local people, because the mountainous climate is very cold in the morning, people eat banh cuon with soup to warm their body.

Buckwheat cake
The cake is made from buckwheat flower seeds with high nutritional value. To make cakes, after each harvest season, people will dry the seeds, partly used to brew yeast, the rest to make buckwheat cakes. The seeds are ground, then kneaded into a dough and molded into flat, round cakes, more than a hand in diameter. After molding, the cake will be steamed and baked with a charcoal stove, best eaten when hot, with a light sweet taste.

Cakes are sold in markets, roadside shops, near tourist areas.

North Pole Coffee
The North Pole Cafe is located in Lo Lo Chai village, a small village right at the foot of the Lung Cu flagpole, less than 1 km from the Vietnam - China border, in Lung Cu commune. The shop was built by Mr. Ogura Yasushy, a Japanese who has lived in Vietnam for many years and especially loves Ha Giang. The shop has a traditional house architecture bearing the Lo Lo cultural identity, rustic and old with stone fences, yin and yang tiled roofs, earthen walls and wooden gates. The special thing is that the shop not only has traditional Vietnamese filter coffee but also Japanese matcha green tea.