Ha Giang

Topography & Climate

Ha Giang is the northernmost province of Vietnam and located around 300km away from Hanoi. The province is bordered by Yunnan province of southern China to the north (270 km long border), Cao Bang to the east, Lao Cai to the west and Yen Bai province to the south. Ha Giang has one of the most spectacular sceneries in Vietnam: limestone pinnacles, green mountains, steep slopes, winding rivers and terraced rice fields make the pure beauty of this authentic and remote province. Due to its remoteness and proximity to the Chinese border only a handful of travellers have visited this exciting destination. The 17 different ethnic groups in Ha Giang have unique customs and traditions and are very friendly and welcoming to visitors.

Ha Giang province has a complex rugged topography with the highest peak being Tay Con Linh at 2419 m. Limestone peaks and mountains covered with lush tropical forest dominate the landscape. Forests are rich in flora and fauna, especially rare woods and over 1000 valuable species of medicinal plants. A place if special geological interest ist Dong Van Karst Plateau, one of Vietnam’s most outstanding limestone areas and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The climate in Ha Giang is tropical with two distinct seasons, rainy season from May to October and dry season from November to April. Annual average temperature varies between 24°C and 28°C but may sometimes drop down to -5°C in winter. The province is good to visit all year round. September to November and March to May temperature is most comfortable around 25 degrees. In summer months it is often over 30 degrees and quite rainy. Lowest temperatures are recorded from December until beginning February so you will need warm clothing especially in the mountains. As typical for a mountainous region weather patterns can vary considerably depending on altitude.

People & Culture

Ha Giang has an incredible diversity of ethnic minority groups and languages. Out of the 54 officially recognised ethnic minority groups of Vietnam, over half of them such as the Dao, H’mong, Tay, and Nung can be found living in Ha Giang. Nearly 90% of people in Ha Giang belong to ethnic minorities and most of them do not use Vietnamese as a first language, although many can speak it. Whereas in large towns of the province Vietnamese is commonly used, people use their own ethnic languages in rural areas. The fact that 80% of the population live in rural areas contributes to the preservation of Ha Giang’s high language diversity.

The majority of ethnic groups in Ha Giang are farmers growing rice or corn as their primary crop. Many of the hillsides are terraced rice fields and are farmed using manual labor with the assistance of water buffaloes to pull plows. A buffalo is often a family’s most valuable possession. Corn is usually grown at higher elevations with rockier soils not suitable for rice farming. Farming is highly dependent on rainwater. In periods of drought, locally produced food is insufficient to meet basic needs. The dependence on farming as an income source means that the people of Ha Giang, especially the ethnic minorities, belong to the poorest in Vietnam. Ethnic minorities account for more than 66% of the poor while only accounting for less than 14% of the total population. Despite living in simple ways, people of Ha Giang are warm-hearted and always willing to welcome visitors from abroad.

Ha Giang ethnic minorities have unique customs and traditions that makes travelling much more than sightseeing but can give you a real taste oft he local people’s way of life. Most ethnic people in Ha Giang wear their traditional dresses on a daily basis and not just for special occasions like in some other areas of Vietnam. Different ethnic groups can be distinguished by their clothing. For example you will most likely see women working in the fields wearing intricately patterned dresses. Ethnic groups of Ha Giang still have strong natural religions where ghosts, spirits and natural gods play an important spiritual role. Numerous colourful markets are held where you can see many colourful ethnic minorities gather.

Probably most famous is Khau Vai love market which happens once a year, often in May. More than a market, Khau Vai is a festival where young and old gather to dance, sing tribal song, drink wine and eat traditional food.

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