Dong Van Highland

Dong Van Highland located in Ha Giang Province to the north, is one of the best karst plateau in Vietnam. It is the important geopark with its special values of geology, geomorphology, ecology, archaeology and culture of course.

How to get in

From Ha Noi, you will spend about 300 km to come to Ha Giang province. And then it takes you about 150 km to Dong Van Highland. The vehicle for your moving to Dong Van Highland is car or motorcycle. The car for transfer should be suitable with hilly terrain because Dong Van Highland has its complicated terrain.

You can use the service of car rental and motorcycle with driver in Ha Noi Center where many companies and travel agencies supply. Don’t forget bring your camera by your side always because there are many wonderful sites along the road for you to take pictures, especially the road through Ma Pi Leng Pass. Or you can book a ticket of coaches that drive from Ha Noi to Ha Giang as Hung Thanh Coach with the phone number 0988 287741 or Hai Van Coach with the phone number 0914 182 323

Go around

The best way to explore Dong Van Highland is to take a motorcycle around. If you are not sure about driving you can ask help from a local driver or motorbike taxi that are very popular in this area. To discover the life also the typical places in Dong Van Highland, you should choose the time for visiting in two days up.

For your rental motorbike services, you can contact Jonny Nam Tran in Ha Giang City with the phone number 0917 797 269.

There are different destinations in Dong Van Highland for your visiting as Lung Cu Flag Tower far from Dong Van Town about 25 km,  Khau Vai Love Market in Meo Vac District that far from Ha Giang City about 150 km and Dong Van Town about 24km. The Khau Vai Love Market happens only one time on 26^th night to 27^th each month of Lunar Calendar. The next destinations in Dong Van Highland are Kho My Cave in Quan Ba District that far from Ha Giang City about 46 km, Twin Peaks also in Quan Ba District, Ma Pi Leng Pass with its 20 km long connected Ha Giang City to Dong Van Town and Meo Vac District, Dong Van Old Quarter in Dong Van District, Vuong Palace and Sa Phin Heaven Gate that far from Dong Van District about 15km and some fairs that happen in weekend as Lung Phin Fair, Pho Cao Fair, Dong Van Fair, Meo Vac Fair, Yen Minh Fair, Quang Ba Fair, etc.

For your tour guide service, you can contact the Management Board of the karst plateau Dong Van located in Tran Phu Ward, Ha Giang City or the phone number 0219 3860 393. It is sure that you will meet the best travelling companions in your exploring of this area.

The weather

Dong Van Highland has its two seasons with the rain time from May to October and the dry season from November to April. However it is considered that there are some typical signs relating to four seasons in year in here with the cool weather as in autumn in September and the cold weather in the end of December, also with snow in January sometimes.

With the temperate climate, visitors can come to Dong Van Highland around year, but the best time for exploring is in October, November, the beginning of December, the end of February to March. In this time, the wild flowers bloom, the terraced rice fields be wonderful and then the colza flowers open gracefully.

Food and drink

For food: there are some specialities that you love to taste maybe as colorful sticky rice, chicken dishes cooked in local style, dried beef, men men (steamed ground corn), thang co – a local dish, dishes relating bamboo shoots, corn bread, local mustard greens and colza, smoked bacon or smoked sausage etc.

Some addresses where serve local dishes that you may concern:

Lan Beo Restaurant: in Dong Van Town; Tel: 0219 3856148

Tien Nh Restaurant: in Dong Van Town; Tel: 0219 3856217

Ha Son Quan Restaurant: in Tam Son Town; Tel: 0219 3846371

Hai Thuy Restaurant: in Meo Vac Town; Tel: 0219 3871355

Phu Cai Restaurant: in Yen Minh Town; Tel: 0219 3852050

And some fairs in this highland.

For drink: there are some local drink here but the most popular drink is the corn liquor. You can taste it if you stop by the fairs or enjoy it in the local restaurants of course.

Staying

Dong Van Highland is considered the land of visitors who love nature and the values of ethnic culture. So don’t be worried about that where you will stay in here. There is not so high class accommodation for you but the hotels are comfortable enough for all your staying. However if you choose the time to visit the highland in the peak season, you should book hotel room early.

Here are some hotels for your reference:

Hoang Ngoc Hotel: in Dong Van Town; Tel: 0219 3856020

Khai Hoang Hotel: in Dong Van Town; Tel: 0219 3856147

Lung Cu Hotel: in Dong Van Town; Tel: 0219 3856216

Cao Nguyen Hotel: in Meo Vac Town; Tel: 0219 3781440

Hoa Cuong Hotel: in Meo Vac Town; Tel: 0219 3872888

Thao Nguyen Hotel: in Yen Minh Town; Tel: 0219 3852297

Hai Son Hotel: in Yen Minh Town; Tel: 0219 3852091

Phuong Nam Hotel: in Yen Minh Town; Tel: 0219 3852174

Shopping

In Dong Van Highland, there are some local products that you may love to have. They are brocade products with bags, towel, handkerchief; also the linen or jewelry etc. It is not difficult for you to go shopping here because you can find all local products in the local fairs or typical local things in some craft village.

Culture, Holidays and people

There are more than ten of ethnic groups who settle in Dong Van Highland. They are H’Mong, Tay, Nung, Dao, Giay, Pa Then, Lo Lo etc. You can find out many special features in culture and people here. Each ethnic group has its custom and holidays or festivals and the traditional clothes even. Ethnic people are friendly, so you are very easy to be friend with them. Beside the life in the highland is so peaceful and simple, it may be the heaven for you to have your world in the leisureliness without any influences of technology.

Each ethnic group has its holidays and festivals in which there are some popular festivals such as The Khen Mong Festival in September, the new built house ceremony that Lo Lo ethnic people organize if there is any new house in the village, the spring festival of the H’Mong and Dao group after Lunar New Year, Gau Tao Festival of the H’Mong in January of the Lunar Year. If you visit Dong Van Highland in this time, you have chance to join and know more about the rich cultural festival here.