Tay Bac

HANG KIA 

A forgotten paradise in the Northwest

 

Hang Kia - Pa Co in Mai Chau (Hoa Binh province) had never been on my bucket list of travel destinations. But when I was examining some maps, I saw the name “Hang Kia - cloud hunting spot”, which is located on the way to Moc Chau in the Northwest of Vietnam. 

 

 

The name really made me curious. I am passionate about nature - the wind, clouds, the sun - and so I decided on a whim to go cloud hunting! I immediately booked a Vietjet's flight to Hanoi and a home-stay in Hang Kia. I also arranged to rent a motorbike to travel from the capital to Hang Kia. I would soon find out why it had earned this name!

 

In search of Hang Kia Valley

 

After arriving in Hanoi, I went to pick up the motorbike I had hired. After checking the motorbike carefully and refuelling it, I started my journey. But before I set off, I also had to refuel! I slurped down a hearty bowl of Phở bò (noodle soup with beef) at the corner of Hang Gai and Hang Hom. This would surely keep me warm in the cool weather!

 

Next, I opened Google Maps on my phone and began to plot my route to Hang Kia. I rode down the parallel road of CT08 Lang - Hoa Lac Highway then passed through Hoa Binh City before turning onto No.6 National Highway. I felt a little sleepy while on the road to Thung Khe Pass as there was nothing much to see there. It is really different to Ha Giang, where, once you leave the city, the mountainous scenery is all around you.

I stopped at a food court in the middle of Thung Khe Pass and found someone to make me a much needed cup of coffee that perked me up. I snacked on a local dish of charcoal grilled pork with fragrant crispy skin.

 

After filling my belly and getting my caffeine fix, I continued my trip. I turned toward Pa Co after leaving the Thung Khe Pass. After a short distance I reached Hang Khe Valley. It is only about 8km from No.6 National Highway but this road is quite difficult as it is steep and winding. But trusting my motorbike to rise to the challenge, I began to see a mountain peak in Hang Kia Valley partially appear. Soon I was surrounded by mountains and the closer I got to Hang Kia valley, the more beautiful the scenery became.

 

Historic trades

 

About 300 years ago, H’Mong people started to move into Vietnam from China to escape the persecutions of various Chinese feudal dynasties. That’s why today you can see many H’Mong people along the border of Vietnam and China, in places such as Ha Giang, Lao Cai and Son La. H’Mong people can be divided into four groups: H’Mong Hoa, H’Mong Den, H’Mong Xanh and H’Mong Trang, although they all have the same root language and culture.

 

 

Most H’Mong people in the Hang Kia Valley are H’Mong Hoa and I was quite surprised to learn that many years ago, they people in the valley used to grow poppy for the opium trade. According to Mr. Nha, the owner of my homestay, Hang Kia is surrounded by mountains with a median height of about 1,200m above sea level. The weather is moderate all year round; Hang Kia is also quite foggy and cloudy. Apparently, all of that fog and temperate weather is ideal for poppy so that this plant flourished here.

 

Moreover, Hang Kia is near the Vietnam - Laos border. Despite living in a remote and hard-to-access area, local people could earn good money from the growing and poppies. But that was all a long time ago. When you visit Hang Kia now, you can see a large area which once would have been dedicated to poppy now dedicated to raising plum trees and peach tree.

 

Into the heart of the country

 

It’s no exaggeration to describe Hang Kia Valley as a forgotten paradise in the northwest of Vietnam. It is rarely visited, even by intrepid travellers, and I have never seen it mentioned in travel features, compared to places such as Ha Giang, Mai Chau, or Pu Luong.

When you visit Hang Kia, every morning, you will rise to see an enchanting fog floating over the roofs of the hamlets. You will feel as if you living in the clouds! All of the din of the city will feel far, far away. All you will hear is the sound of the wind, a rooster crowing at the break of dawn, children laughing as they play.

 

 

It’s very picturesque, too. The rustic houses all sit in front of plum branches and peach branches. When I wander around the hamlet, I felt like I was an alien from another planet! Many locals were surprised to see an outsider, and simply not used to talking with one, so when we spoke (using Vietnamese), we couldn't understand each other’s meaning.

 

My first full day in this “forgotten paradise” began earlier than planned with a ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ from a neighbor at 5a.m! Before I had time to get angry with this early rising rooster, I realized that it was 8 degree Celsius. I knew that it would be a shame if passed on this opportunity to view the "sea of clouds" that might be floating into the valley at that moment. I had heard of a "Love Bridge" and even some swings which had been built in the best spot for viewing clouds so I set off to find them.

 

 

However, once I leave the hamlet I realized that it was so foggy, I could not see the sea of clouds. There was also too little sun-light. According to Mr. Nha, if there is very little dew left on the surface from the previous night, the "sea of clouds" will not appear the next morning. Despite my disappointment, I appreciated the wisdom of Mr. Nha, a wisdom which can only be gained by observing nature over many, many years, and I thanked him for the insight.

 

After that I decided to ride my motorbike to Thung Mai Village, hoping to find something else that would compensate for the lack of clouds that morning. I was amazed to see how the scenery changed as I rode through an enchanting forest of ancient trees’ in the Hang Kia Natural Reserve National Park which led me to the road to get to Thung Mai Village.

 

After admiring the natural wonder all around me, I returned to Hang Kia. When I got to a small bend, before entering the village, I saw the sun-light coming through tree branches and mingling with the early morning fog to create a beautiful scene.

 

I could hear the sounds of someone sweeping a yard and children playing in a house nearby and at that moment, I was reminded vividly of my own childhood when I still lived in a small wooden house. Happy memories came flooding back!

 

Afterwards, I rode to a H’Mong Hoa Village in Hang Kia Valley. I stopped my motorbike and took off my helmet, ready to discover this village with my camera.

 

This charming village is nestled in amongst small and large mountains. Whenever the sun goes up, sunlight suddenly fills the whole village. As I arrived the early morning fog was still floating over the thatched roofs. It was if the village was waiting for the sun-light to warm up everything. When the sun arrived, a small crowd of local people, including young and old, gathered together to chitchat with the sunshine. It was a peaceful and poetic scene.

 

H’Mong houses in this area typical feature pyramid-shaped roofs. The roofs’ ‘feet’ go lower than the main doors of houses, so when people want to come in or go out, they must stoop. But this design is crucial for the harsh climate as it helps the dew slide down faster and reduces the wind blowing into the houses.

 

Wandering around the village, I could see many H’Mong ladies seating beside burning coals to stay warm in the biting cold while embroidering traditional brocade fabrics. I tried to communicate with them but they did not talk much, probably because they so rarely speak in Vietnamese and perhaps because they are not used to talking to outsiders.

 

From my observations, I believe this work provides their main income. Everywhere I looked, I saw women embroidering, from the morning until the evening. The bulk of the products are then sold to traders. I contented myself with simply watching them embroidering the fabrics, noting the intricate details, before budding them farewell. Nearby, I saw a group of children. They were all of different ages but happily playing together. Seeing their lovely smiles made me want to have a picture with them. Once again, I could not communicate with them, so I had to use “body language” to communicate! I gave them some sweets that I had brought with me but they were afraid to try something new and unfamiliar. I realised that nobody was used to having a stranger around. I did not want to try too hard and make them uncomfortable so I simply smiled and continued my explorations of nature.

 

Intermingling with the houses in the village are gardens filled with plum and peach flowers. They were a beautiful sight. The blossoms appeared to be bigger and more beautiful than others I have observed. I noted that locals do not sell the plum blossom branches as people do in other places which are more accustomed to tourists. That is a good thing in terms of getting to appreciate the beautiful landscapes in a very authentic and peaceful way. There is jostling around with others to find the best angles for a photo. I could wander freely with my camera and admire the blossoms. I did see that it’s possible to hire some H’Mong clothes from a homestay for those that want to make some fun photos.

 

 

But I am content just to enjoy the poetic landscapes and natural beauty. Hang Kia Valley is truly a "forgotten paradise" and I imagine some tourists would find it boring - after all, there are no shops, no entertainments or trendy cafes! But for me such a place is heaven. I love to escape the city and discover pure, unadulterated landscapes that have not been impacted by human developments and mass tourism. If you do, too, well then you should plan a trip to discover this “forgotten paradise” soon!

 

By Vinh Gau