After the trips to enjoy the ancient space of a land of citadel existed for thousands of years, the capital, Hanoi, to visit the historic sights, to live in hustle and bustling atmosphere of a modern city, travelers must have a desire to go to the countryside with close feeling to nature and the simple life of local people. To satisfy that desire, Ha Giang province is a perfect destination for every tourist who loves nature and authentic beauty.
Ha Giang - a border area of the country is not only famous for buckwheat flowers or Lung Cu flagpole - the northernmost point but also well known for craggy cliffs, the legendary passes. Ma Pi Leng Pass is one of them. Ma Pi Leng, the name is not new, is the top choice for tourists who want to explore Ha Giang.
According to the local language, Ma Pi Leng means "horse nose" in the literal sense, broadly, the name describes the rugged of peaks where the cliff is so high that the horse going through have to stop breathing, or where the top of the mountain is steep as a horse nose. The road is winding through the cliffs and overcomes Ma Pi Leng pass at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Located on the Happiness road connecting the towns of Dong Van and Meo Vac, Ma Pi Leng is the name of the most rugged mountain passes in Vietnam belonging Ha Giang province with approximately 20 km in length. Although Ma Pi Leng Pass is not long, it is the most ragged pass in the mountainous border in the north, referred to as the "king" of the passes in Vietnam.
The Happiness road was made by thousands of youth volunteers of the nation's 16 ethnic groups of 8 Northern provinces in Vietnam during 6 years (1959-1965) with over 2 million workdays. In particular, Ma Pi Leng pass was created by the brave youth hanging on the cliff to break each centimeter during 11 months. The towering and craggy mountains stab the sky apart with different bizarre shapes. Some points are upright, some are skewed, some places with green grass and trees, and some ones have only a gray color of stones. The road of the pass is tottering on the halfway of the mountain, somewhere there still have the villages situated in high place. It is said that in the history of constructing the Vietnam road, maybe, that is the path of construction entirely using the toughest of manpower; going through the highest plateau; occupying the most workdays; the longest time; and also the most tragic because when the road was completed, it must have a private cemetery to remember those who fell down the cliff to build the pass.
The road is like winding silk running along the slopes of mountains. With a steep cliff on one side and deep chasms on the other side have been a big challenge for those who are favored of adventure. After crossing the slopes, visitors set foot on the top of Ma Pi Leng and will suddenly be surprised amidst majestic mountains appearing in the clear blue sky. Nothing can portray the scene of thousands of mountain layers, the magic white of clouds, and the depth of the abysses as well as Nho Que green river with on foothills. Especially, a rock protruding from a position of Ma Pi Leng Pass area is a place to feel the full immense and grandeur of the Northern mountainous area of the border region. Guests seem to be almost halfway up the sky, watch the forms of the mountains and rivers and feel the beauty of the country, Vietnam. With rugged terrain and majestic landscapes, Ma Pi Leng Pass deserves as one of the "Four Big Passes" of the northern mountains of Vietnam (along with Pha Din, O Quy Ho, and Khau Pha). Moreover, visitors will have a chance to encounter Hmong people walking on the pass road, they go to the market in Dong Van and Meo Vac. Sometimes there are a few people getting drunk and sleeping innocently on the road. It is really a strange thing that you can encounter in the highland areas.
Standing on the peak of the pass, visitors can be overwhelmed by the majestic space of mountains and rivers. The way to conquer the rugged mountain pass with many emotions and unfathomable changes of landscapes impulses the dream to come here once of many people and to return many times for those who came here before.
