On this special journey, Momentlives – Vietnam photography tour takes you to the northernmost province of the country – the final frontier of Ha Giang. This far northern land is one of the most striking regions of the country for landscape & people photography. Here, stretching to as far as one can see, staggering limestone formations rise in a battle of the highest. Looking from the grandiose Ma Pi Leng pass, the Nho Que river is well bigger than a thread. And looking up from the pass, small houses of the H’mong tops a shrouded pinnacle. On one side of a far mountain, a group of people follow a slithering trail, carrying grass home for the cattle.
Landscape and people photography in Ha Giang
For a very long time, Ha Giang remained vague on the map of Vietnam’s travel photography due to distance and infrastructure. No road, no motel, no clean bed nor hot water. And hiccups as such turn out to be ideal in keeping Ha Giang untouched from the mass tourism. Then, in 2012 the amazing rice terraces of Hoang Su Phi received the title of “National Heritage”, and people started to come more frequently. Hoang Su Phi, only, is already a perfect spot for landscape photography.
Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark
Ha Giang’s staggering beauty is strongly enhanced by the towering Karst formations of the Dong Van karst Plateau Geopark. This 2356 km2 is home to towers of limestone. Each and every of them rise forward in a quiet, yet strikingly photogenic battle. The average altitude here is 1500 m and hovering clouds might come and go. Thus, the scenery is so surreal, making this ideal to photography. The colors of the mountain change in different lights, and the views are simply terrific. This dramatic landscape will surely lure your camera.
Nestling among these peaks are little pretty hamlets of the H’mong, Dao, Tay, Lo Lo and a dozen of others. Each have their own language and culture.
Ma Pi Leng pass – a photogenic drive
Ma Pi Peng is one of the “04 greatest passes” of Vietnam – an unofficial title given to 04 highest, most dramatic and most picturesque passes of the diverse landscapes Vietnam.
The main bloodstream of the pass is the Hanh Phuc road (Road of happiness), built in the 60s by the local minorities. Road of Happiness stretches 20 km long, connecting Dong Van (higher) and Meo Vac (lower). The drive is extremely scenic and the great thing is we can stop anywhere along this road. From these commanding viewpoints, the rivers and roads in the beneath valley doesn’t look well bigger than a thread. We surely will capture this jaw-dropping landscape.
Photography in Lung Cu – the northernmost point of Vietnam
From the Old Town of Dong Van, a road of 37 km is chiseled out of the mountains. This meanders to the Lung Cu flag tower – the northernmost point of Vietnam. The tower, which stands 30-meter tall, sits on top of Lung Cu peak overlooking little minority villages and the border between Vietnam-China. This commanding view point will give us perfect panorama of the endless mountain range.
Besides, a walk in one of the nearby communities dotting the Lung Cu summit is a photography experience. Here, life goes on as if there’s no modern world outside. People were born in this valley, grow up and settle life on site. Then they become nature in the valley, too. The only touch from outside world would probably be TV, a scooter and recently, smart phone. Still, most of life activities happen in an authentic way. People still go out in the field in their traditional dress. Farm works are still done by hands. Apart from capturing their daily life while mastering the lights and composition, this is a great learning experience, too.
The once-a-week markets of Ha Giang
Life in Ha Giang’s rugged mountains give birth to something uniquely photogenic: The once-a-week market.
Due to the challenging terrain, moving from one village to the next could be a time consuming task. The needs for trading persisted naturally anyhow. Therefore, people agreed to meet on a fixed date at a fixed location along the mountain range. Here, buyers and sellers are the same: none is an intermediary. They sell what they make and buy what others make. This type of market, therefore, is among the most traditional in Vietnam. And it’s not only for buying and selling. As this rendezvous connect partners, and thus, helps form families. Therefore, the minority youngsters are often dressed in their best for the market. The sounds, the smells, the colorful traditional clothes, the exotic items for sale. All pose perfectly for your camera.
And there are more, much more. So join Momentlives – Photography tours Vietnam – on this special photography tour to the incredible beauty of Ha Giang.
