When night falls, Ha Giang returns to the wild beauty of the mountains and forests mixed with mystery and attraction. During the day, this land captivates visitors with its magnificent natural scenery, but at night, Ha Giang opens up a whole new world with vibrant entertainment activities, attracting visitors from all over. Join Meditours to explore the nighttime travel experiences in Ha Giang through the article below to feel the different and enchanting beauty of this land.
Brief introduction about Ha Giang
Ha Giang is located in the far north of Vietnam, famous for its majestic natural scenery and rugged mountainous terrain. This is where the cultures of ethnic minorities such as H’Mong, Dao, Tay intersect with unique features in life and customs. The winding passes, the majestic Dong Van stone plateau and the immense buckwheat flower fields in the fall create a special attraction for Ha Giang, making it an unmissable destination for those who love to explore nature.
The people of Ha Giang are famous for their sincerity, hospitality and simplicity. When night falls, the pace of life of the people here is slow, peaceful but mysterious. Different from the hustle and bustle of the day, the evening in Ha Giang is the moment when people return to their families, gather around the fire to tell everyday stories or discuss life. It is this closeness and simplicity that gives visitors a warm, unforgettable feeling when immersing themselves in the life of the highland people.
The weather in Ha Giang at night is often cool, sometimes chilly, especially in winter, the feeling is very pleasant and peaceful. Welcoming visitors in the evening, Ha Giang opens up a relaxing and peaceful space, suitable for activities such as visiting Dong Van night market, walking in the ancient village or enjoying local specialties at small roadside eateries. Areas such as Dong Van town, Meo Vac come alive with sparkling lights and echoing folk melodies, visitors will always have colorful night cultural experiences when coming to this highland.
Tourist activities in Ha Giang at night
Ha Giang when the sun sets, everything is immersed in the quiet night of the old forest, tourists start to dress up and explore the activities with the strong identity of the highlands in Ha Giang. Let’s explore the interesting activities, especially only in Ha Giang at night in the section below:
Campfire in Ha Giang at night
Making a campfire in Ha Giang at night is a typical cultural activity that tourists can hardly miss, because the flickering fire in the middle of the mountains and forests makes the space cozy, bustling with laughter and friendship. Sitting around the fire, everyone holds hands, humming typical songs of the Northwest, immersed in the liberal and joyful atmosphere of the highlands.
In particular, the traditional campfire festival of the indigenous people is also an opportunity for young men and women to meet and find new relationships, making this activity more meaningful. If staying at a cultural village or a stilt house of the local people, tourists can request to organize a fire with the condition that there are 10 people or more, and for those who go camping on their own, just choose a suitable camping spot to be able to organize a campfire and grill dishes such as chicken, potatoes, and cassava to enjoy.
However, those staying at hotels or motels should note that campfire services are not popular here, so you can ask the staff or locals to find a suitable venue, with a cost of about 300,000 – 700,000 VND, depending on the accompanying food and beverage needs.
Fire dancing festival of the Pa Then people
The Pa Then fire dancing festival in Bac Quang, Ha Giang is a unique ritual, usually taking place during Tet or the harvest season in October and November of the lunar calendar, to thank heaven and earth and the gods for giving people a bountiful harvest, and to pray for a lucky new year. The festival ritual begins with a worshiping ceremony, when the shaman performs rituals to call the “ghost” to enter the young men participating in the fire dancing.
After about 30 minutes, when the young men’s bodies begin to shake as a sign of strength and courage, each one takes turns hopping towards the pile of red-hot coals. Following the beat of the shaman’s gong, they throw themselves into the middle of the fire, despite the intense heat, their legs remain intact and unburned.
When the fire gradually dies down, the shaman will perform a ceremony to send the “fire god” and the “ghost” back to their old place, ending the ceremony in a solemn atmosphere. The bravery and unique beliefs of the Pa Then people have made this festival a unique cultural feature, attracting and leaving an unforgettable mark in the hearts of viewers.
Gather around the fire in the stilt house
With a cold climate, sometimes below 0 degrees in winter, the fireplace in Ha Giang is a symbol of warmth and stability in every family. The man is the pillar, but it is the woman who keeps the fire burning, ensuring the house is always cozy. Therefore, the fireplace is not simply an object but becomes a sacred image in the lives of the people here.
On winter evenings, when the fire is still burning, the host often invites guests to sit around the fireplace, enjoy hot tea and specialties such as chestnut cake or peanut candy. This is the time for visitors to relax and listen to traditional stories, learn more about the culture and people of the indigenous people through the warm sharing of the host.
Strolling around Dong Van ancient town
If you choose Dong Van as a place to rest in the evening, do not miss the opportunity to explore Dong Van Old Quarter, the evening atmosphere here is completely different from the daytime. At night, the Old Quarter becomes romantic with the bright yellow lanterns shining in the cold weather, the ancient yin-yang roof houses tinged with time make visitors easily attracted by the nostalgic beauty of the highland town.
To move conveniently in the area, many people choose to rent motorbikes in Dong Van to easily visit destinations, on weekend evenings, the Old Quarter night market becomes a gathering place for locals and tourists, you can enjoy Northwest specialties such as thang den, chao au tau, com lam or sip corn wine, while fast food such as fried potatoes, sausages or rice paper are also very popular.
Visit 26/3 Square at night
If you are in Ha Giang City in the evening, 26/3 Square is a destination not to be missed, located near milestone 0, right next to the poetic Lo River, the square is nearly 3000 m2 wide, is a symbol of the city and is the place where major events take place, especially in the last months of the year.
This is the time to hold the buckwheat flower festival, attracting a large number of tourists with activities typical of the Northwest, in the evening, the atmosphere at the square is even more bustling with fun games, in which electric car racing is a favorite activity of many people, with prices from only 15k/10 minutes, if you go with a group of friends, this will definitely be a fun and memorable experience.
Enjoy Ha Giang cuisine at night
In Ha Giang City and Dong Van Town, restaurants often close late or serve tourists all night. If you stay overnight in Ha Giang City, you can easily find specialties such as au tau porridge, thang den, grilled skewers, fried vegetables at famous restaurants such as Ngan Ha au tau porridge, Anh Xuan snack shop or 320 Ly Tu Trong grilled food shop.
Meanwhile, in Dong Van, after visiting the Old Quarter, you can enjoy the typical au tau porridge at Moc Mien porridge shop near Dong Van gas station. The porridge at this shop is attractive because of the sweet taste of chicken, firm pig’s feet, combined with the slight bitterness of au tau, creating an unforgettable dish for those who love novelty.
Ha Giang specialties not to be missed at night
Ha Giang not only attracts tourists by its wild natural beauty but also by its unique specialties. The dishes imbued with the culture of the ethnic minorities here always make people remember forever. Thang co, five-color sticky rice or bamboo rice are famous dishes that you cannot miss when visiting Ha Giang.
Thang co, a typical dish of the Mong people, is usually made from beef or horse meat, accompanied by special spices. This dish is cooked in large pots, has a characteristic aroma that makes people have to try it at least once. If you are a lover of highland specialties, thang co is definitely an indispensable experience.
Five-color sticky rice is a beautiful and delicious dish, often used in festivals of the people of Ha Giang. This sticky rice dish is cooked from sticky rice and colored with natural leaves. Not only delicious, five-color sticky rice also symbolizes the harmony and prosperity of the nation.
On cold evenings, there is nothing better than enjoying a cup of hot sweet soup at sidewalk stalls. Warm cups of sweet rice balls, black bean sweet soup or purple sticky rice sweet soup will help you feel more comfortable and relaxed. This is an indispensable part of the culinary experience when traveling to Ha Giang, bringing warmth in the cold space of the mountains.
Notes when traveling to Ha Giang at night
When traveling to Ha Giang at night, you need to pay attention to some important points to ensure your trip is safe and enjoyable. Ha Giang is a mountainous area, so the roads at night are often quite dark and easily covered with fog. Therefore, you need to be especially careful when traveling at night. If possible, go with local people or hire an experienced driver to avoid unsafe situations.
Another factor to note is that the night temperature in Ha Giang is quite cold, especially in winter. Although it can be sunny and warm during the day, the temperature can drop sharply at night. Therefore, you should prepare warm clothes, including thick coats, scarves and warm shoes, to protect your health during the trip.
In addition, Ha Giang at night does not always have enough light on small roads, so you should bring a flashlight or handheld light to use when necessary. This will help you move more safely, especially when exploring remote areas or when walking at night.
Finally, when participating in night activities such as walking around, enjoying cuisine or attending festivals, pay attention to keeping your personal belongings, especially your phone and wallet. Although Ha Giang is a safe place, to prevent risks, keeping your personal property is still very important. Always be careful and fully enjoy the beauty of this land at night!
Above are the experiences of having fun in Ha Giang at night that Meditours Ha Giang Loop wants to share with you, our advice is to choose activities that are close, do not go too far or too late to ensure your health for the next journey. Wish you a happy and full of experiences trip in the beautiful land of Ha Giang!
