Vietnamese motorbike lovers think Ha Giang and its well-known Ha Giang Loop Tour are amazing. But Dong Van offers an experience you’ll never forget. This highland town sits in the stunning Limestone Plateau. It’s more than just a place to visit – it blends culture, history, and beautiful views. Huge limestone mountains surround this special place giving you lots to do: you can see cool rock formations and learn about the lives of different ethnic groups. Here’s a list of the top 10 things to do in Dong Van to help you feel like a local. Make sure you go – check out Dong Van and see the best parts that Ha Giang Motorbike Tours can show you.
Why should you travel to Dong Van – Ha Giang?
Dong Van – Ha Giang looks like stunning natural artwork. It has rough limestone mountain chains, huge rocky plateaus, colorful buckwheat flower fields, and twisting scenic mountain roads. This area also keeps the special cultural traits of ethnic minorities. You can see these in their old villages, traditions, clothes, food, and basic local way of life.
People who visit Dong Van can enjoy its beauty and take part in fun activities. They can go trekking, climb the Quan Ba Heaven Gate, check out the Dong Van Old Quarter, stop by Dong Van Market, and try tasty local foods. These include “thang co” (a hotpot made with horse meat), rolled egg cakes, “men men” (which is steamed corn powder), corn wine, and rice wine.
Also, the locals in Dong Van are known to be warm and welcoming. They’re always happy to help tourists. The weather here stays mild and cool throughout the year, which makes it a great place to visit.
Top 10+ best things to do in Dong Van – Ha Giang
Explore the charm of Dong Van’s historic district
When you get to Dong Van, your first stop should be the Dong Van Old Quarter – a top sight in Ha Giang. This small town sits in Vietnam’s Ha Giang province. Hmong and Chinese settlers founded it in the early 1900s. Back then, it served as a key trading hub for the area. People know Dong Van Old Quarter for its old houses with brick walls and tile roofs covered in moss. Narrow stone streets wind through groups of these old homes creating a picture-perfect and dreamy scene.
Climb the twin peaks
Twin Mountains is a famous and iconic tourist destination in Ha Giang, Vietnam. It is named after its shape, which is two separate mountains lying next to each other, connected by a narrow mountain range. There are many legends about the twin mountains. The local people believe that this is the place where fairies live. You can stay overnight at a local house, listen to oral stories about this place. To reach the top of the twin mountains, you have to walk for about 2-3 hours, crossing golden rice fields and straight, vertical cliffs.
Try the local food
Ha Giang’s food paints a vivid picture that captures the essence of its towering rocky landscape. When you taste the local dishes, you don’t just please your taste buds – you also get to know the unique culture of this border region. You can sample these special foods at restaurants in Dong Van
- Thắng cố: This dish stands out in the high plateau. It has a strong taste from horse meat, offal, and many veggies.
- Bánh cuốn trứng: People love this for breakfast. Thin, chewy rice paper hugs rich chicken eggs. The flavor sticks in your mind.
- Smoked buffalo meat: Ha Giang is known for this dish. The smoke gives buffalo meat a deep tasty flavor.
- Phở chua: This dish cools you down. The noodles have a good chew. It comes with pork, herbs that smell great, and fish sauce that’s both sweet and sour.
- Sweet potato bread: A quick breakfast choice featuring crunchy bread smooth pate, and the aromatic flavor of sweet potatoes.
- Cháo ấu tẩu: A unique porridge from the Hmong people, with a hint of bitterness from tau tau leaves and the rich earthy taste of sticky rice.
Join the Dong Van market on the weekend
The Dong Van market is one of Vietnam’s most famous markets. It runs every Sunday from sunrise to sunset. This market acts as a center for trading, buying, and selling among the ethnic groups who live in Dong Van’s rocky highlands. When people visit the Dong Van weekend market, they can see the bright traditional outfits of the locals. These outfits show the culture and tradition that has been handed down for many generations.
Also, the market gives you a chance to taste many local foods and talk with the people who live there. On top of that, the Dong Van market lets you buy special souvenirs at very low prices.
Cycling around the Buckwheat Flower Field
The triangular flower fields stand out as a top tourist draw in Ha Giang, Vietnam. Pink buckwheat flowers blanket these fields reaching full bloom in autumn September and October. This period offers the best opportunity to bike around the flower fields and take in the breathtaking views.
Tourists have several options to explore the buckwheat flower fields. They can ride around the Dong Van Karst Plateau, take the path from Quan Ba to Yen Minh, or travel the route connecting Meo Vac to Dong Van Ancient Town.
Learn about the Mong King Mansion
The Cat King’s Palace also called the Vuong Family’s Palace, stands as an old palace in the Sa Phin valley, Dong Van commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province Vietnam. King Cat Vuong Chinh Duc built this palace in the early 1900s. At that time, he was one of the richest and most powerful people in the rocky plateau area of Dong Van.
The design of the Cat Palace is an independent blend of Chinese and French styles. The house is about 3000 square meters wide, with 4 main houses and 6 auxiliary houses, forming a separate square space, connected by a central courtyard and corridor.
This is the place where the father and son of the Vuong family, Mong people, lived, famous for trading in fabrics and medicine.
Explore Dong Co Cave
Another less famous but equally interesting destination is Hang Dong Co. This is the largest cave in Lung Cu commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. It was discovered in 1911 by a local ethnic group. In 2009, Hang Dong Co was recognized as a national historical and cultural relic. Hang Dong Co is about 1000 meters long, 20-30 meters wide and 15-20 meters high. Inside the cave are beautiful limestone blocks, formed several million years ago. These structures show off different shades like white, yellow, brown, and red making a one-of-a-kind natural wonder.
People who visit Hang Dong Co can check out its rooms, be amazed by the cool stalactites and stalagmites, and get to know Hmong culture. Tourists also like to hike, camp, and explore the untouched nature around the cave.
Experience local ethnic minority culture
When visiting Dong Van, visitors not only have the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air but also have the opportunity to experience the real life of the local people. Each ethnic group has its own history, culture, and cuisine, with typical characteristics. All are blended together, creating a different, colorful Ha Giang.
- The costumes of the ethnic minorities in Dong Van are woven and sewn by themselves, each pattern represents a separate ethnic group, a separate story.
- The cuisine here is also very diverse, including famous dishes such as Thang Co, Com Lam, Thit buffalo jerky, …
- There’s no shortage of Ha Giang festivals. You’ll find all sorts of events like the Gau Tao Festival, Cap Sac Festival, Long Tong Festival, and many more.
Visit Lung Cu Flagpole
The Flagpole of Lung Cu is a sacred symbol of Vietnam, situated atop the Dragon Mountain (Long Son) in Lung Cu commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. This place is known as the northernmost point of the Fatherland, where the red flag with a yellow star proudly flies, asserting Vietnam’s sovereignty over its seas and sacred territory.
To conquer the Flagpole of Lung Cu, visitors must embark on a challenging yet incredibly fascinating journey. From the central town of Dong Van, travelers can travel by motorbike or car approximately 25 kilometers to the foot of Dragon Mountain. From there, they will have to climb 389 winding stone steps around the mountainside to reach the summit.
At the top of Dragon Mountain, visitors will witness the majestic scenery of the Dong Van rocky plateau. From here, they can gaze far and wide, overlooking the entire Lung Cu valley, the towering limestone mountains, and the small villages hidden amidst the mist.
Moreover, the Flagpole of Lung Cu is also a sacred symbol of the Fatherland. At the top of the flagpole flies a red flag with a yellow star, measuring 54 square meters, symbolizing the 54 fraternal ethnic groups of Vietnam.
Buy local crafts
Ha Giang is home to more than 700,000 ethnic minorities such as Dao, Nung, Tay, Mong, Meo, Thai, etc. Each ethnic group has its own unique culture. To preserve memories of Ha Giang, you can buy special gifts for friends and family members.
Brocade stands out as a staple product made by the ethnic groups in Dong Van. You’ll find a wide range of brocade items here bursting with colors and patterns. These include scarves, clothes, bags, pillows, and carpets. If you want to buy brocade, you can head to local markets, gift shops, or even buy straight from the ethnic minority people themselves.
See more: Top 8 most beautiful waterfalls in Ha Giang Loop that you must definitely visit
Above are the shares of Meditours Ha Giang about things to do when coming to Dong Van. Hopefully through the article you have useful information, helping your trip more convenient.
