Where is the Ha Giang Happiness Road?
Happiness Road is the name of the route on National Highway 4C, starting from around Milestone 0 in Ha Giang City, passing through 4 highland districts including Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Dong Van and Meo Vac.
With a length of almost 200 km, the Ha Giang Happiness Road has converged all the quintessence and great beauty of the Northeast.
The Road to Happiness is one of the things to do in Ha Giang along with Vuong Palace.
History of Ha Giang Happiness Road
The construction of the road to happiness began in September 1959, after 8 years it was completed. The project has a total length of approximately 200 km crossing the Dong Van rock plateau and the top of Ma Pi Leng pass to Meo Vac.
This road is called the “road to happiness” because it is the fruit of blood sacrifice, the tradition of strength and solidarity of young people from 16 ethnic groups in 2 million days of continuous work.
More than 1,300 young volunteers and more than 1,000 workers worked with very rudimentary tools, just picks, shovels, crowbars, sledgehammers, etc., in extremely difficult conditions, lacking food, drinking water and the harsh climate of the highlands (sometimes too hot, sometimes too cold).
However, they overcame everything and they paved the way to help bring a prosperous life to the nation and the people here. This can be considered a miracle that everyone must admire when traveling to Ha Giang.
How to get to Ha Giang Happiness Road?
You can choose the means of transportation such as traveling by motorbike independently, or choose to rent a car or take a bus. If you take a bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, you can take a bus from My Dinh bus station to go to the car companies: Hai Van, Hung Thanh, Cau Me.
The route of the journey is as follows:
Route 1: Hanoi – Vinh Phuc – Viet Tri – Tuyen Quang – Ham Yen – Bac Quang – Vi Xuyen – Ha Giang
Route 2: Hanoi – Son Tay – Trung Ha Bridge – Co Tiet – Phong Chau Bridge – Phu Tho – Doan Hung – Ham Yen – Bac Quang – Vi Xuyen – Ha Giang
From the center of Ha Giang Town, you continue to travel northeast via Highway 4C.
When is the right time to discover the road to happiness?
At any time of the year, this route is also a special trip of Ha Giang backpackers. The Pass of Heaven Gate, Bac Sum or Mau Due Pass… is so high and winding that it always engages every driver. However, to be able to combine both the conquest of the road and the total admiration of the beauty of Ha Giang, you must arrange to go there at the following times.
January – March : The season of peach blossoms, plum blossoms and even horse fights and the longevity festival of the Tay people. March is also the month of flowering of rice flowers.
April : The love market of the H’Mong ethnic group takes place, this place comes alive in the joyful atmosphere of couples meeting.
May – June : A captivating moment, everyone is overwhelmed by the water season in Ha Giang. Each terraced field sparkles in the sun, like large mirrors illuminating the North-East.
August – September : Admire the terraced fields during the ripe rice season. The scene of the golden color of rice stretching into the horizon makes everyone fall in love.
October – November : The golden hour to admire the buckwheat flower season in Ha Giang.
December : The cool space at that time was very suitable for enjoying bowls of Thang Co, sipping a cup of ethnic corn wine.
Some points of interest along the Ha Giang Happiness Route
1. Ma Pi Long Pass
Ma Pi Leng Pass is located on the Ha Giang Happiness Road. When you reach the highest position of the pass peak, the panorama of Dong Van rock plateau is captured in your eyes.
The majestic mountain landscape with a steep cliff on one side, on the other the deep abyss of the Nho Que River with jade green water. On the way to conquer Ma Pi Leng Pass, there is a stop for tourists to rest and enjoy the scenery.
The protruding and steep cliff between the cliffs is a favorite point of interest for many young people. Standing here, you can see the whole scene of mountains and rivers at the foot of the pass. Or the scenery of terraced fields on either side of the road like wavy silk is also a check-in not to be missed!
2. Pao’s House
Just go towards National Highway 4C, through the Happiness Road, you can immediately encounter the house that appeared in the famous TV series – Pao’s House.
The house is a miniature image of the life of the H’Mong people, both wild and hidden in a strange and pure beauty. The space of the house is walled with wooden doors, stone verandas, tile troughs… The porch is decorated with baskets of mustard flowers for guests to take photos.
3. Lung Cu Flagpole
Follow Highway 4C northeast for about 160 km and travel about 40 km more on the paved road, you will arrive at Lung Cu Peak.
The motherland flagpole in the shape of Hanoi flagpole is prominent, it looks like a tower from afar, surrounded by majestic mountains and forests… Seen from below, the Lung Cu flagpole s rising to the top of a high mountain, the yellow star flag fluttering in the wind, a sight that makes many Vietnamese tourists extremely proud!
