{"id":554,"date":"2016-11-25T14:47:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-25T14:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.thealternativeways.com\/?p=554"},"modified":"2017-04-28T14:05:41","modified_gmt":"2017-04-28T14:05:41","slug":"visiting-vietnam-off-the-beaten-path-ha-giang-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/visiting-vietnam-off-the-beaten-path-ha-giang-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Vietnam off the beaten path &#8211; Ha Giang Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Are you looking for a place to relax and experience the mountain-life? A place to experience memorable moments with a local family? Do you want to get completely drunk with locals drinking homemade Happy Water? Feel like getting lost in the largest tropical mountain ranges you have ever seen? Many of these experiences require visiting Vietnam off the beaten path, and as of 2016, Ha Giang is your best bet.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After traveling all across Vietnam, I can undoubtedly state that North Vietnam &#8211; And Ha Giang in particular &#8211; offers the most authentic Vietnamese experience. From drinking rice wine (referred to as \u2018Happy Water\u2019) with locals, to eat dinner with families, it is certain you will live real moments in Ha Giang. Moments you will cherish for the rest of your life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-569\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals.jpg\" alt=\"visiting vietnam off the beaten path\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-locals-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>Visiting Vietnam Off the Beaten Path &#8211; Ha Giang Travel Guide<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are looking to visiting Vietnam off the beaten path, you came at the right place! Countless hours of exploration and discovery went into creating this guide to help you make the most of your time in Ha Giang Province.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">History of Ha Giang Province<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Main ethnic minorities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cities and places to visit and sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foods not to miss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major festivals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best Travel itineraries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review of working as a digital nomad in Ha Giang<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2017 price list<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there is anything missing that you think I should add don\u2019t hesitate to ask in the comments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Ha Giang Province<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-570\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang.jpg\" alt=\"ha giang vietnam\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ha-giang-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ha Giang province is the most northern province in Vietnam. Over the past century, Vietnam has witnessed tremendous growth, but for the longest time Ha Giang was forgotten by the rest of the country. Today, it is beginning to have the attention it deserves.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Up Next : Ma Le &#8211; <a href=\"\/?p=454\">Ha Giang&#8217;s Town of Happiness<\/a><\/b><\/h2>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><b>Ethnic Minorities<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>There are over 50 ethnic minorities in Vietnam. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time many of these minorities gave up their language and culture in exchange for the Vietnamese customs, yet in Ha Giang <\/span>90% of the minorities that have kept their language, culture, and traditions. This comes as no surprise, as many of the minorities in the rest of Vietnam let go of their heritage to join in the rapid growth of Vietnam. In Ha Giang, you can find many \u2018communes\u2019, which are the towns from which the minorities come from. Some of them include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hmong_people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>The Hmong People<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; A<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lthough they only account for less than 1% of the population of Vietnam, they are the most populous minority group in Ha Giang. You can expect to meet Hmong people throughout the entire province. Often times they are the ones that live in the harshest conditions, living solely off the land they cultivate year-round. Surprisingly, most of the time you will only see women carrying the heavy loads, while most of the men sit at a table drinking Happy Water. You can recognize the women from these communities by the colour of their scarf. If it is black or white, coupled with vividly colourful and intricately designed clothes, you can be sure they are from this community!<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-556\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ethnic-minorities.png\" alt=\"ethnic-minorities ha giang \" width=\"712\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ethnic-minorities.png 712w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ethnic-minorities-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ethnic-minorities-560x420.png 560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 712px) 100vw, 712px\" \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>You can learn more about <a href=\"http:\/\/seamstresserin.com\/current-flower-hmong-fashion-north-vietnam\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hmong textiles in this awesome article by Seamstress Erin<\/a>.<\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tay_people\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><b>The Tay People<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Largest ethnic minority constituting about 2% of the population of Vietnam. From traditional folklore to wedding songs, the Tay culture is one full of tradition and rich culture. When compared to other minority groups, their clothing is not as colorful, but offers weaving with original designs. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-557\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ethnic-minorities-2.png\" alt=\"ethnic-minorities vietnam\" width=\"694\" height=\"524\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ethnic-minorities-2.png 694w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/ethnic-minorities-2-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 694px) 100vw, 694px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tai_Dam_people\"><b>The Thai People<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0&#8211; As the second largest ethnic minority in Vietnam, you are bound to encounter people from this community on your trip to Northern Vietnam. You can recognize them by their distinctly colorful blouses, made out of green, blue, pink and purple designs. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-558\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Capture-d\u2019e\u0301cran-2016-11-11-a\u0300-18.25.26.png\" alt=\"ethnic-minorities vietnam\" width=\"709\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Capture-d\u2019e\u0301cran-2016-11-11-a\u0300-18.25.26.png 709w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Capture-d\u2019e\u0301cran-2016-11-11-a\u0300-18.25.26-300x226.png 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Capture-d\u2019e\u0301cran-2016-11-11-a\u0300-18.25.26-80x60.png 80w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vietnamese_people\"><b>The Kinh People<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; AKA the Vietnamese People. 88% of the population of Vietnam belongs to these ethnic group. They are also known as the Viets community.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-567\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/vietnamoffbeatenpath.png\" alt=\"visting vietnam off the beaten path\" width=\"768\" height=\"568\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/vietnamoffbeatenpath.png 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/vietnamoffbeatenpath-300x222.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>Top places to Visit<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contrary to popular belief, the most beautiful places in Ha Giang are often times the ones you least expect to wow you. For example, Ha Giang city was nothing special when compared to the beauty of small towns along the road. Same goes for Meo Vac, which seems to have lost its charm with the growing number of tourists over the past year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the great places to visit are:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Dong Van District<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dong Van district is the most northern part of Vietnam. Its land formations have often been referred to as the Himalayas of Vietnam.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Dong Van<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; This city offers a beautiful market every sunday, and the surrounding landscapes are out of this world. In the next few years a large 3KM-long cave will be opened to the public. In addition,\u00a0you can find local minorities less than 5 KM in any direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Ma Le <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; If you would rather stay in a local village, I would suggest staying in Ma Le, which is about 15 KM northeast of Dong Van City. <\/span><a href=\"\/?p=454\"><b>There is a great homestay in which you can stay<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, offering you an out-of-this-world view. Every night we stayed there we felt as if we were truly living with locals, eating and drinking with them into the later hours of the night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Lung Cu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The most northern tip of Vietnam boasts a large flag pole which is an iconic monument for Vietnam. The road to Lung Cu is magnificent and is definitely worth the drive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Yen Minh District<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you begin your trip in Ha Giang, then on the road to Dong Van you will pass through the Yen Minh District.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Yen Minh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; This city is still a hidden gem. If you are a digital nomad, there is a great cafe you can work at, which offers a beautiful view, high speed internet, and awesome inexpensive Vietnamese coffee. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-573\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/yen-minh.jpg\" alt=\"yen minh\" width=\"1608\" height=\"1190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/yen-minh.jpg 1608w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/yen-minh-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/yen-minh-768x568.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/yen-minh-1024x758.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1608px) 100vw, 1608px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We planned to stay here for 1-2 nights and ending spending 5 days here! You can still enjoy local prices, and at night you can go walk in any direction off the main road and experience a serenity rarely found in towns of this size. Most people just wiz through this city, but we found that staying for a day or two was quite nice, and was a large part of visiting Vietnam off the beaten path.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Coc Pang<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nested in a valley between many cliffs, Coc Pang offers the perfect getaway for those looking for a relaxing cultural getaway. Du Gia Backpacker Hostel is one of the most wonderful hostels I have stayed at during my stay in Northern Vietnam, and I would recommend it anyone who does the Ha Giang to Dong Van loop. If you are interested in staying in this beautiful village<\/span> check out<b> <a href=\"\/?p=540\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this review of Du Gia Backpacker Hostel<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><label>Subscribe to learn more about traveling through Vietnam &amp; SE Asia<\/label><label>\u00a0<\/label><input name=\"EMAIL\" required=\"\" type=\"email\" placeholder=\"Your Email Address\" \/>\u00a0<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Join Mailing List\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>Travel Itinerary<\/b><\/h1>\n<p>The highlighted parts of this map show the most beautiful landscapes to see while motorbiking across Ha Giang province.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-566\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ha-Giang-Map-1.png\" alt=\"ha giang map - the alternative ways\" width=\"850\" height=\"1042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ha-Giang-Map-1.png 850w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ha-Giang-Map-1-245x300.png 245w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ha-Giang-Map-1-768x941.png 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Ha-Giang-Map-1-835x1024.png 835w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>What to Eat<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miam miam miam! There are many awesome foods to try in Ha Giang. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can often find the regular Phos, Bun Cha, and rice meals, but if you are interested in trying new things, the opportunity to do so is readily available!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Bahn Cuon<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-439\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Banh-Cuon.jpg\" alt=\"banh cuon - 10 local foods not to miss while in Vietnam\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Banh-Cuon.jpg 640w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Banh-Cuon-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Banh-Cuon-560x420.jpg 560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bahn Cuon is a dish made from &#8211; you\u2019ll never guess what &#8211; RICE! Surprising eh? Imagine a crepe made of rice and stuffed with meat and\/or very crunchy ingredients that taste amazing. This is usually eaten for breakfast, with a nice coffee.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Escargo (\u00d3c)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>PICTURE<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sea snails are a delicacy across the North of Vietnam. Pronounced \u2018Oc\u2019, you often find them in street food parlors all across the province.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>New Meats<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-436\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food.jpg\" alt=\"ha giang food - 10 local foods not to miss while in Vietnam\" width=\"2432\" height=\"3286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food.jpg 1516w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food-222x300.jpg 222w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food-768x1038.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food-758x1024.jpg 758w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Ha-Giang-Food-1421x1920.jpg 1421w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2432px) 100vw, 2432px\" \/><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While visiting Vietnam off the beaten path, the locals introduced us to a bunch of new meats I never thought I would try in my life. Please don\u2019t judge! To name a few, I tried horse meat, dog meat, pork tripes and goat blood. Never in my life did I think I would try any of these, but when living with local families it is difficult to say no to what they are eating, and often times I didn\u2019t know what it was until after I trying it. As one Vietnamese local put it, \u201cIn Vietnam, we eat anything that can be eaten!\u201d I don\u2019t think I will be eating any of those back home, but I am happy to know what they taste like!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>What to do in Ha Giang province<\/b><\/h1>\n<h3><b>Visit Caves<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-564\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o.jpg\" alt=\"caves ha giang\" width=\"1515\" height=\"2048\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o.jpg 1515w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o-222x300.jpg 222w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o-768x1038.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o-758x1024.jpg 758w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14711248_10157525761700532_1281810437977831698_o-1420x1920.jpg 1420w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1515px) 100vw, 1515px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you make your way through the mountainous landscapes of Ha Giang, you are bound to come across massive caves. Take a few flashlights and a few packs of batteries, and go explore caves that have barely been explored to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Motorbike Around the Province &#8211; Personal Favorite<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Visiting Vietnam off the beaten path would be difficult without renting\/buying a motorbike. Before buying a motorbike I would recommend having a look at <a href=\"\/?p=348\">the costs involved with owning a motorbike<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for traveling through Ha Giang Province, check out the travel itinerary for more info on the best places to motorbike. Watch out as the roads are windy and can be very dangerous if you are not paying attention. Always remember the larger vehicles <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">always<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have priority over you and will hit you without second guessing if you are on their side of the road. This is so important so please don&#8217;t forget!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Live with locals<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to a local village anywhere and chances are someone will offer you food, drinks, and maybe even a place to stay for the night!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Barter in Local Markets<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the village or city, you can expect to find a local market every Saturday or Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Find the love of your life<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to the love market, where local communities come to find a new life partner! If you want to experience this unique market then check out <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.toursinvietnam.com\/ha-giang\/khau-vai-love-market\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this article outlining everything you need to know to get there<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>Festivals in Ha Giang<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there are some pretty cool up and coming festivals in Ha Giang, I will mention that even if you visit Ha Giang during a time when there is no festival, the natural beauty of the place is more than enough of a reason to visit. So, if you happen to be in Ha Giang during one of these festivals, you should definitely check it out, but if you aren\u2019t, then no big deal!! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Buckwheat Flower Festival &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From mid-October to mid-November, the buckwheat flowers blossom in bright pink, giving a new long to the mountains all around Dong Van. SInce its launch in 2015, this Annual festival attracts thousands of locals from Hanoi, so if you want to go to this festival make sure to reserve your hostel ahead of time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-565\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival.jpg\" alt=\"visiting vietnam off the beaten path\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1528\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival-768x573.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival-1024x764.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/buckwheat-flower-festival-1920x1433.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternative Ways Tip &#8211; I went to this festival and have to say that it was a bit disappointing. Instead of staying in the city, <\/span><a href=\"\/?p=454\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I would recommend staying in Ma Le<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is about 15KM away. This would be the best way to visiting Vietnam off the beaten path if you ask me \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Ha Giang Fire Dancing Festival<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; From mid-October to New Year, the Pa Then ethnic group performs traditional fire dancing. The event is very impressive and full of mystery. If you want to participate, go to Pa Then around the new year!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can find more festivals on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.toursinvietnam.com\/Ha-Giang\/things-to-do\/ha-giang-spring-festival.html\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tourism Vietnam\u2019s festivals list<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Price List November 2016 &#8211; Listed in Dong<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prices change very quickly, especially in rapidly developing areas such as North Vietnam. Nevertheless, this gives you a general guideline of prices to expect or negotiate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Motorbike Rental in Ha Giang City <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; 150,000 per day. I tried to negotiate the price down further by renting for longer but learned that the priced is usually 200,000.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Average Accommodation per night<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; 120,000 (dorm) &#8211; 150,000 (low end) &#8211; 250,000 (higher end or during festival season). The prices can really fluctuate if you negotiate! For example I paid 40,000 per night in one homestay in a small village in the mountains.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ALTERNATIVE WAYS TIP &#8211; Look for \u201cNha Nghi\u201d or \u201cNghi Tro\u201d. These both mean something equivalent to homestay or hotel. Often times the places that have no english writing will be more affordable and look just as nice!<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Average Price per meal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; 30,000 per person. Often times you will get treated to dinner by the homestay you are in.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Permit to ride in Dong Van<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; 10$ US. To avoid any trouble make sure to get it at the immigration office in Ha Giang.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1><b>Ha Giang &#8211; Vietnam\u2019s Cultural Frontier<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-549\" src=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Trekking-Vietnam.png\" alt=\"du gia backpacker hostel in coc pang vietnam\" width=\"721\" height=\"492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Trekking-Vietnam.png 721w, https:\/\/thealternativeways.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/Trekking-Vietnam-300x205.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s face it. With the ever-growing number of international tourists, I feel that many places in Vietnam have become a performance, rather than the real-deal. And while this is true for many of the tourist hubs of Vietnam, there are still countless hidden gems that offer you the authentic experience. As the emblem of these hidden gems, Ha Giang offers you a truly memorable place that is sure to leave you in awe as you discover its unique culture, traditions, and landscapes. And so I leave you with this burning question, do you have what it takes to go out and explore uncharted territories? <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until Next time,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joaquim Miro<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Alternative Ways<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you looking for a place to relax and experience the mountain-life? A place to experience memorable moments with a local family? Do you want to get completely drunk with locals drinking homemade Happy Water? Feel like getting lost in the largest tropical mountain ranges you have ever seen? Many of these experiences require visiting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":550,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,99,72],"tags":[101,102,103,100,79],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Visiting Vietnam Off the Beaten Path - Ha Giang Travel Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Visiting Vietnam off the Beaten Path is become harder to do as the country keeps developing. 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