Ha Giang is on Vietnam’s most northerly regions with a unique geographical makeup and diverse range of cultures. The mountainous area with towering limestone peaks, share a 270 km border with neighbouring China and plays host to the border crossing at Thanh Thuy. This remote and stunningly beautiful area is one of the last areas of Vietnam that requires tourists to obtain a visa in order to visit, but not to worry it is relatively cheap and easy to purchase one. Although gaining popularity with tourists, this remarkable area is still off the beaten track and goes unnoticed by many. Those that do make it to what is known as the “Final Frontier of Vietnam” are rewarded by sweeping views of karst mountains, carpets of flowers, colourful markets and rich, diverse ethnic minority communities.
Like much of Vietnam, Ha Giang has had a turbulent past with invasions from both neighbouring China and the French colonials but today the magnificent mountain region sits quietly in peace. Now it is home to ethnic minority communities such the Tay, H’mong, Nung, Giay, Lo Lo and Pu Peo who all have their own unique and fascinating cultures. The interaction of environment and people is evident in the scenery with the iconic terraces of rice fields spilling down the edges of the vast mountains.
Ha Giang is the perfect place to explore on bike or by foot, climbing the dizzying passing that clings to the sides of the mountains to experience unrivalled views of the incredible border region.
Thang Den (glutinous rice cake)
Thang Den is a popular dish in the province of Ha Giang. It looks like Banh troi in Hanoi, also made of glutinous rice flour. Flour will be kneaded into sphere shapes and boiled in a hot pot of water. This dish is served with sugar and ginger soup. Toppings combine with some sesame and peanuts. Suitable for cold nights in the winter.
Au Tau porridge (Cháo Ấu Tẩu)
Wandering in the town of Ha Giang in the winter, you can easily find a small restaurant and taste the Au Tau porridge. This dish is a combination of deliciousness: the tasty scent of sticky rice mixed with glutinous rice harvested from golden terrace of Ha Giang; the nutty flavor of simmered water caltrop with pig’s trotters; and the taste of herbal leaves; and the moreish taste of ground meat. Au Tau porridge is available in Ha Giang all seasons however only sold in the evening.
You can enjoy dried pork or buffalo meat in many places in Ha Giang. It is special food in the meals of Black Thai. This meat is usually made from muscle of buffaloes and cows freely on the northwest mountains. With the dried buffalo, the flavor of smoke is almost intact. This dish can be served with corn alcohol.
Banh cuon Trung (Steamed Rice Rolls with Egg)
Steamed Rice Rolls is a dish from northern Vietnam. Bánh cuốn are made from rice flour batter, poured out on a flat plate and steamed then rolled up and stuffed with filling. But there is a special type of steamed rice rolls which has become a specialty of Ha Giang, a mountainous province in the northeast of the country: steamed rice rolls with egg. Weather in Ha Giang is cool all year round, so it is a nice treat for both locals and visitors when seeing vendors offering hot steamed rice rolls early in the morning when fog still hangs in the air.
Thang Co:
The scent of cardamom, nut and lemongrass, blended with the greasy taste of meat to warm the space between the cold weather. Mong men who go to Dong Van market all hope to eat a bowl of victory, drink a few bowls of Thang Co with friends. Mong people often bring small enamel, come to the market to buy more bowls of wine and try to invite friends to have fun together.
Foods made from buckwheat flowers (Tam Giac Mach flowers) are Ha Giang’s specialty. Tam Giac Mach is known not only for its beauties but also for its tastiness. You can find many food-stall selling coal grilled Tam Giac Mach cake near Lung Cam cultural village, Vuong King palace, Dong Van market and Old Quarter. Tam Giac Mach flower is also used to make wine, cookies and soft cake….
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