The sunlight of a new day falls on the valleys in Dong Van in the sounds of smiles, voices, footsteps, vehicles, rattles and horse steps at the market fair. Young ethnic minority girls are very beautiful in brilliantly colourful costumes, which they meticulously embroidered themselves over months. The market glows with colourful costumes of young Mong, Dao, Tay, Nung and other ethnic girls as a garden full of blossoming flowers.
Ethnic minority people go to the market not only to buy and sell goods but also to meet, interact, talk about daily affairs, drink maize wine together or gather around a thang co hot pot (stew made from internal organs of livestock, particularly horse). Traded goods are home-grown, self-made products or forest products like brocades, soybeans, mushrooms, honey, amomum tsaoko (ginger-like plant), zanthoxylum rhetsa (a variety of wild pepper), anise and cinnamon. Engraved silver bracelets in various patterns, shapes and styles, colourful dresses and scarves with eye-catching textures are also on sale.
With a temperate climate, flora and fauna are also very rich and diverse. Forests have many varieties of precious wood trees, nearly 1,000 kinds of medicinal plants as well as many precious animal species such as tiger, pea-cock, pangolin and birds.
Ha Giang has a lot of high karst mountains. The highest peak is Tay Con Linh Mount (2,419 metres high) and Kieu Lieu Ti Mount (2,402 metres high). At the altitude of 1,025 metres, Dong Van Karst Plateau is the only rock plateau in Vietnam to be recognised as a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2010. The rock plateau of Dong Van covers four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac. This is one of special karst areas, with typical marks of the earth's crust development history, natural phenomena and high biological diversity.
The karst plateau is home to many recognised national heritages and relics like the Vuong Mansion built in the late 19th century and early 20th century. As a beautiful, unique, majestic architectural work, the manor situated on a turtle-shaped hill was named a national relic in 1993. Located in Tam Son town, Quan Ba district, Doi Mountain (Twin Mountain), also known as Co Tien Mountain (Fairy Mountain), is compared to a round ample breast of a young girl. Lung Cu Peak where you bow your head to touch the earth and raise your head to touch the heaven is compared to the roof of Vietnam. Lying on the national borderline with China at an altitude of 1,500 m, the Lung Cu Flag Tower is where you can cast your eyes over the entire scenery of Dong Van Karst Plateau.
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About 15km from Dong Van town in the direction to Meo Vac district lies Ma Phi Leng Pass, which is dubbed the most perilous pass in the world. This is the most beautiful and grandiose pass in Southeast Asia, with one side being a vertical cliff and another being a deep abyss.
At the height of 2,000 m above the sea level, Ma Pi Leng Peak is the most gorgeous landscape in the country. From here, you can see the Nho Que River snaking through rugged mountain ranges.
About 15 km from Dong Van district in the direction to Yen Minh district is Sa Phin Heaven's Gate, a must-go destination when you visit Ha Giang province. From Heaven's Gate, you can extend your panoramic view on dreamlike Sa Phin Valley, contemplate undulating mountain peaks, and take a look at the majestic Vuong Mansion of Lord Vuong Chi Sinh, a magnificent, rare and unique architectural work of this upland.
Going along mountain slopes, you will feel like basking in a colourful picture of flowers and feel like you are in paradise.
The plateau is covered by white flowers of apricots, cherries and plums in the springtime while it turns yellow in ripen rice fields in the summertime and it becomes pinkish white when buckwheat blossoms. The plateau is picturesque.
Sometimes, you will pass the foggy space on your journey on this rock highland.
You can also taste steamed ground corn, sticky rice, corn cake, chicken, dried beef, local cabbage, bamboo shoots, Au porridge, thang co soup, smoked meat, smoked sausages, hot pot, roasted suckling pig in the cold on the mountains. Experiencing the beauty, culture, peaceful life, romantic scenery makes your journey very meaningful.
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