Ha Giang, Top Province To Travel To Vietnam With Hill Tribles
Posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2007
by Dinh Thanh
Jewel Tours
Dong Van Highland, situated 146km from the town of Ha Giang and 1,000 above sea level, is inhabited by the Tay and H’Mong ethnic groups. It takes about nine hours to reach this area by car from the town of Ha Giang. The temperature is approximately 10C (33.80F) in winter and reaches 240C (72.20F) on the hottest days.
Dong Van has a lot to offer, including mountains, forests, hidden grottoes and caves, multicoloured orchid forests and fruit orchards. The plateau provides famous products and fruits such as Hau plums, peaches, persimmons without seeds, and apples. There are also numerous plants used for their medicinal value: ginseng, anise cinnamon, etc.
Also interesting to visit is Phon Bang (Bang St.), which features old multi-story houses made of clay bricks and tile roofs. On Sundays, all kinds of goods and multicoloured clothes can be purchased in a very original mountain market.
Vuong’s Villa (Vuong Chi Sinh) is an interesting tourist site, 24km from town of Dong Van District, in the locality of Sa Phin Commune. It is not large, but its original architectural is unique in the highland. The road sloping in front of the villa is paved with big, smooth, square stones and the villa is surrounded by two walls built from carved stones.
The outer wall is 60cm thick and 2m high. The inner wall is even thicker and more robust. In between the walls, there is a 50m-wide expanse of land planted with oleanders.
The villa includes 10 houses, 6 of them face the same direction, and the remains face the other directions. The main house, the largest, looks out to the entrance. The other two face each other, marking right angles with the main house. Every pillar, floor, and wattle of these three houses are built of po-mu, a valuable wood. In the main house, which was the house where the Vuong leader lived, there is a hanging horizontal table engraved with the four words bien chinh kha phong (remarks of great honour for contribution in the war), which was presented by the Nguyen Kings. The other two houses were used for servants and guardsmen.
Love Market of Khau Vai:
Once a year, on the 27th day of the 3rd lunar month, the love market is held in Khau Vai Commune, Meo Vac District.
A local myth tells the story of a young couple from different tribes who fell in love with each other. The girl was so beautiful that her tribe did not want to let her get married to a man from another tribe. Consequently, violent conflict arose between the two tribes. One day, the boy witnessed an aggressive fight between the tribes as a result of their love. To shop blood from being spilt, the lovers sorrowfully decided to say goodbye. However, they made plans to meet once a year on that day.
The place where they used to meet is Khau Vai. After time, KhauVai, thereafter became a meeting place for all of those in love.
The Love Market used to involve no sellers or buyers at the beginning. All those who came here came to pursue their missing love. If by chance they met an “old flame", they would spend time talking intimately. If they did not, they would make friends with a stranger of any age. They brought ready-made foods, like loaves of sticky rice, manioc, and pieces of cake, which they would share with their lovers.
This was an enjoyable time for all. People from remote areas would come to Khau Vai on the day before the market, so that the next morning they could be already there. Having waited for this moment for a full year, everybody went eagerly to the market. Early in the morning, whether they were old or new comers, they would hurriedly look for their friend. If they found them, they would talk endlessly; if not, they would wait, becoming increasingly anxious and expectant. In the afternoon, all the lovers were sad because it was time to say goodbye. Some couples would get married over the year, while others would plan to meet at the same time the following year.
For the past ten years, as there is an increasing demand to make a living, people bring goods to sell at the market. Thus, you can go to Khau Vai to trade two kinds of specialities: goods and feelings.
Even today, Khau Vai Love Market echoes back to the past, as it carries on the tradition set by its mythical love story.
Tien Cave:
Tien Cave is about 2km from Ha Giang Town. Inside is the very beautiful Tien Stream. Legend has it that fairies used to come to this cave to have a bath during Tet holidays; thus, it was named Dong Tien (Fairy Cave). People from surrounding areas often come to Tien Cave to get water for washing and praying. Ha Giang Province has the intention of developing a tourist project there and to build a cultural village.
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