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In 1959, to help ethnic groups in
mountainous areas to catch up with
the life on the plains, the Central Com-
mittee of the then Labour Party of Vi-
etnam and the then Viet Bac Regional
Party Committee decided to open the
road to connect Ha Giang – Dong Van
– Meo Vac, which was later named the
Happy Road.
At the beginning, the pass was only
wide enough for pedestrians and horse-
drawn carts. Later, it was widened so
that cars and vans could use it. How-
ever, it is still very difficult and danger-
ous for two cars to avoid each other
because of blind bends.
The pass was then recognised as a
national relic with Ma Pi Leng pass as a
unique regional heritage site in terms
of landscape and geomorphology. The
magnificent landscapes of the grey pass
and the jade river have provided inspi-
ration for many compositions.
The scenery of the Ma Pi Leng pass
is unique with its majestic and wild
beauty thanks to the grey of its rock, the
green of forest, the yellow of corn ter-
races and the jade of the Nho Que River.
We stopped in Meo Vac town which
is home to the Lo Lo tribe. We then trav-
elled 24km more up to Khau Vai com-
mune, home of the famous Love Fair.
The festival is organised once a year on
the fullmoon night of the third month
of the Lunar calendar. It is a chance for
ethnic couples to meet each other.
This is a festival crowded people in
beautiful and colourful costumes. They
eat food, they drink a lot and they
sing and dance together animatedly. Al-
though it is very dark we could imagine
their smiling and happy faces.
The name Simacai means ‘the new
horse market’ in Mong. This is a mysteri-
ous border town with imposing clouded
peaks and enthusiastic people set in the
northwest mountainous province of Lao
Cai. Situated at an altitude of 1,000
meters above sea level, the average tem-
perature is about 15 degrees celsius.
The district of Simacai stretches across
23,000ha which is home to 11 ethnic
minorities, but the Mong people account
for 81.4 percent of the total population.
At just 26km from popular Bac Ha
town, it is a relatively short trip, though
the road is a long and winding one. As
I was travelling on the back of a mo-
torbike on unfamiliar and unpredictable
roads, a bit of caution was required by
the driver.
With a cool breeze on my face, I
took a deep breath and basked in the
glory of the seemingly endless moun-
tain ranges all around. From the road
I could see the roof-tops far down be-
low in the valleys. The landscape is
the most beautiful and peaceful I have
come across on my journeys so far. The
young flower Mong women are like
fairies in this paradise.
TRAVEL
Colourful minorities make a holiday here
all the more special
Elderly women laden with
bamboo - a common site in Ha Giang
Simacai