Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark: Best Destination in Ha Giang

Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, (or Dong Van Rock Plateau) spreads over four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac in Ha Giang province of Vietnam. On October 3th 2010, Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark was officially recognized by UNESCO's Global Geopark Network (GGN) Advisory Council as Global Geopark. At the time, this was the only Global Geopark in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia.

The Dong Van Stone Plateau is located in the northernmost mountainous region of Vietnam, with an area of 2356.8 km² and an average elevation of about 1,400 - 1,600 m. The plateau has many limestone mountains close to the Tropic of Cancer, with relatively large slopes. The valleys, rivers and streams are very much divided.

Many fossils of the species were found 400 - 600 million years old. Dong Van Plateau is a rocky area of different ages from the Devonian to Permian period, surrounded by earth mountains. It rains from April to September, but lacks water in the dry season (from October to April).

At present, Dong Van Rock Plateau is home to about 250,000 people of 17 different ethnic minorities of Vietnam, in addition to the H'Mong, Dao, Tay, Nung people also have ethnic groups such as La Chi , Pu Péo, Pa token, Lo Lo only living here. Since April 2010, the Dong Van rock plateau profile has been submitted to UNESCO as a global geological park. This is also the first global geological park of Vietnam.

Dong Van Rock Plateau is one of the special limestone areas, containing typical marks on the development history of the earth's crust, natural phenomena, unique landscapes in terms of aesthetics and biodiversity. high and long-standing cultural traditions of the indigenous community.

Dong Van rock plateau has enough convergence elements to become a global geological park: the geological appearance of minerals, abundant natural resources; It also has a unique and impressive cultural identity like that of the H'Mong, Ngu Lo Lo, Pu Peo and Dao ethnic groups. The rock plateau is also home to many nationally recognized scenic relics such as: Vuong architectural relics, Lung Cu flagpole, Dong Van ancient town, Ma Pi Leng pass.

How to Get To Dong Van Rock Plateau in Ha Giang Vietnam?

The Distance from Hanoi to Dong Van Ha Giang is about 415 km. If you want to go to Dong Van, you can use your own car, motorbike, or rent a Private Car with Driver to travel from Hanoi to Ha Giang, then from Ha Giang to follow 4C Highway to go to Dong Van.

Other cheaper option is to take an overnight bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, then rent a motorbike or private car from Ha Giang to travel to Dong Van Rock Plateau. We can recommend as below:

• By local bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang

From Hanoi, you should take the Hanoi - Ha Giang night bus from My Dinh bus station at 9pm and arrive 5am to Ha Giang (Some reputable bus companies are: Hai Van, Bang Phan, Cau Be , ...). Vehicles will move directly from Hanoi to the city of Ha Giang.

Note: you should take the bus (20:30 – 21:00 – 22:00) the night before (usually Thursday or Friday night) to sleep one night in the bus, and return on Sunday night, that will save 1 night on the bus.

- Hai Van Bus (Hanoi - Ha Giang City), departure time: Hanoi 20h30 - Ha Giang 20h35, phone: 0944962323, 0437222588.

- Hung Thanh Bus (Hanoi - Ha Giang City). Departure time for My Dinh Bus Station: 8h30-10h05-10h15-14h30-19h30, Gia Lam: 09h00-19h00. Contact: Hanoi - 0988287741, Ha Giang 0989 416416.

- Cau Be Bus (Hanoi - Ha Giang City). Departure time: Ha Giang 8h20-10h30-21h00, My Dinh 7h30-9h30-21h00. Contact phone: In Ha Giang (0946445099, 0912 848216, 0948 773033), in My Dinh (0946 445369, 0983 823780, 0946 509479).

• Going from Ha Giang to Dong Van:

Normally tourists traveling Ha Giang often choose to take the bus to Ha Giang from the previous night, overnight in the bus, until about 5am the next morning arrival to Ha Giang City.

When you come to Ha Giang City, have breakfast, then rent a motorbike from Ha Giang City to Dong Van, Meo Vac, Lung Cu Flagpole, return to Yen Minh and back to Ha Giang City because of the distance from Ha Giang to Dong Van, you will come across the most beautiful tourist destinations in Ha Giang.

You can also hire a bus to go from Hanoi to Dong Van straight (lunch break in Ha Giang City) but that will miss many beautiful landscapes of Ha Giang along the way.

Adventure Journey

Recommended Tours:

• Ha Giang and Cao Bang Loop Easy Riders - 5 Days Tours
• Ha Giang Loop Easy Rider - 4 Days, 5 Nights from Hanoi
• Hanoi to Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour 3 Days 4 Nights
• Ha Giang Loop Group Tour - 2 Days 3 Nights from Hanoi

See Also:

• Best Time to Travel to Dong Van Plateau
• Best Places to stay in Ha Giang, Vietnam
• Best Things to see in Dong Van, Ha Giang
• Best Local Food to Eat in Dong Van Town