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Nam Hong Village in Hoang Su Phi
Nam Hong village is home to 38 households of the Red Dao ethnic community, who used to rely on agriculture and fish farming to keep things afloat. But recently, the village has invested in homestays and other tourism services. With the determination and unity of the local people, Nam Hong has achieved very positive results as a community-based tourism village.
Nam Hong village's strength lies in trekking opportunities, its pristine mountain and forest landscapes, and majestic terraced rice fields. Another strength of the village is the ethnic Red Dao community, coming to Nam Hong village you’ll get to participate in their cultural and daily activities such as growing rice, planting forest trees, harvesting wild herbs, and explore and savor their rustic, distinctive cuisine.
Nam Hong village is a fairly new tourist destination, so if you want an off-the-beaten path adventure, make your way to the village and explore!
Nam Hong village in Ha Giang
What to do in Nam Hong village
Trekking - an unforgettable experience
Trekking is one of the most popular tourism services in Nam Hong. Understandable, since the road conditions make it hard to travel by car or motorbike, walking would be the easiest way to get around, which is totally fine because long-distance trekking is an activity that allows you to fully appreciate the beauty of Nam Hong village.
A trekking excursion usually begins around 5 to 6 in the morning. At this time, what unfolds before you are winding pathways around the village, surrounded by terraced rice fields and majestic mountains that remain pristine. If you visit Nam Hong village around September or October, you will get to walk among vast yellow terraced rice fields that rise into the foamy clouds, taking in the mountain’s fresh and crisp air. Without a doubt, the experience will leave you awestruck.
The best time for this experience is during the spring, autumn, or winter, pretty much anytime of year other than the rainy season. You can still go but it is not recommended, the rainfall might make it slippery, even dangerous if there are landslides.
Explore the life of the Red Dao community
Up to 98% of the people living in Nam Hong are from the Red Dao ethnic group. Therefore, the village strongly reflects the cultural identity of the Red Dao people.
The first thing you will notice when coming to this village is the people’s distinctive attire: colorful and intricately embroidered costumes with unique motifs inspired by nature and animals. The Red Dao people made these eye-catching outfits themselves, adorning them with silver bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.
Here, you can watch people as they go about their daily activities, including working in a rice paddy, and participate in them yourself. Typically, a day in Nam Hong village for the local farmers commences very early, as they start by catching fish and harvesting rice panicles. They will then gather the crop into bouquets, thresh them and collect the final products into sacks. You can roll up your sleeves and participate in cooking and have amazing meals with local dishes.
Especially, if you travel to Ha Giang during the spring or festival season, the local people organize numerous cultural activities, traditional games, and various festivals.
Red Dao ethnic community
Have a taste of Shan Tuyet tea
The Shan Tuyet tea area of Phin Ho is located in the Tay Con Linh mountain range, where the climate and altitude contribute to the unique characteristics of the tea leaves. These tea trees, sometimes hundreds of years old, produce leaves with a layer of white fuzz, hence the name “Shan Tuyet”, which means tea covered in snow. When you visit the Shan Tuyet tea area and experience tea picking with the local people, you will be able to "savor" the cool weather, filled with the fragrance of blooming tea buds.
Shan Tuyet tea is one of the prominent specialties of Nam Hong village. This high-quality tea is renowned for its natural and refreshing aroma from ancient tea trees, bitter with a lingering sweet after-taste. Enjoying a cup of tea amidst the picturesque scenery of Nam Hong is like a revitalizing "remedy" for your soul. If you could summarize the mountainous region in a drink, Shan Tuyet tea would be it: refreshing and unique! The tea is a cultural pride of Ha Giang, so if you ever had the chance to visit, don’t miss out on this amazing and refined specialty.
Shan Tuyet tea leaves
See attractions near Nam Hong village
There are many places worth visiting in the vicinity of Nam Hong village that you can stop by during your trekking journey.
Hoang Su Phi’s heaven’s gate, located in Nam Ty village, about an hour drive from Nam Hong, is an excellent spot on the mountain pass 177, where you can fully capture the breathtaking natural scenery of the region. Looking down from the pass, the majestic landscape of ripened rice fields will leave an unforgettable impression on you.
Trek enthusiasts, don’t miss out on Tay Con Linh mountain range, which is about 56 km from Thong Nguyen commune. With an altitude of 2,419 m, this is the highest peak in Northeast Vietnam and one of the highest peaks in Vietnam. With a subtropical primary forest at the foot of the mountain, conquering Tay Con Linh has been the goal of many trekkers for its majestic beauty and the challenging but impressive mountain paths.
Tay Con Linh mountain range
When to visit
The thing that is so special about Ha Giang and its villages is that you can visit them at any time of year and still be amazed by their pristine beauty. For Nam Hong village specifically, there are 3 periods where you can come and get the most out of your visit.
Harvest season
Harvest season takes place in the fall, around the end of September to early October, when rice is ripe, ready to harvest and rice fields put on their golden, shimmering coat. This is obviously a popular time to visit the village or Ha Giang in general, for terraced rice fields are a unique selling point of mountainous regions in Vietnam.
Yellow terraced rice fields
Festival season
The Lunar New Year and the days leading up to it is also a great time to visit the village, experience and explore many aspects of the Red Dao culture with various exciting festival activities. Le Cap Sac or Rite of Passage is a mandatory ritual for Red Dao men, akin to a coming-of-age ceremony. This ritual is often held in January, December, or during the Lunar New Year. There is also Le Hoi Nhay Lua or Fire Jumping Festival, a ceremony to pray for protection for families, a bountiful harvest, and to ward off evil spirits and illnesses, wishing for a warm, prosperous, and happy life. The festival typically takes place from the 1st to the 5th day of the Lunar New Year.
Cap Sac Festival - Rite of Passage
Watering season
In the summer, Nam Hong’s terraced rice fields adorn themselves with a lush green coat. This is the time when the Red Dao people begin to sow seeds for the new crop. The terraced fields during the watering season are immersed in water taken from the higher zones, resembling a giant mirror reflecting the sky when viewed from above. Under the light of the setting sun, Nam Hong becomes even more enchanting with its pristine yet incredibly charming beauty.
Rice fields during watering season
How to get to Nam Hong village
Nam Hong is a village located in the southern part of Thong Nguyen commune, Hoang Su Phi district, Ha Giang province. The village is 33 km from the Tan Quang intersection on National Highway QL2, 77 km from Ha Giang city, and 3km from the center of Thong Nguyen commune.
From Hanoi to Ha Giang
Because it's gonna be a 6 hour ride from Hanoi to Ha Giang, we recommend getting on a comfortable sleeper bus from My Dinh bus station, for about 250.000 - 350.000 VND/person. Once you get on the bus, you have 2 options: either get down at Tan Quang junction then rent a motorbike to drive to Nam Hong. If you want to get there faster then you can hop on a second bus ride to Nam Hong. Here are a few bus services from Hanoi to check out:
Cau Me: 0946 445 099 or 0912 848 216
Bang Phan: 0915 223 171
Hien Luong: 0972 423 636
Ngoc Son: 0913 036 456
We also provide motorbike rentals, so if you would like to explore Hoang Su Phi and its surrounding villages on two wheels, please feel free to contact us:
Whatsapp: 0936 37 46 76
Email: info@hagiang-motorbike-tours.com
Motorbike rentals in Nam Hong village
Where to stay in Nam Hong
There are quite a few accommodations in Nam Hong village for you to consider. Ideally, you can opt for homestays, it's a way to support the locals and the region’s tourism, but also an opportunity for you to experience village life in the most authentic way. Some Red Dao homestays that we recommend are: Dao Homestay (0948 052 889), Mong Ngua Homestay (0344 272 972), Ta Quyen Homestay (0382 866 054). A night in a communal room costs around 100.000 - 200.000 VND per person.
If you prefer comfort, you can go for higher quality accommodations. Hoang Su Phi Lodge is a highly-rated accommodation in Hoang Su Phi that also arranges both private and collective transfers from central Hanoi or Noi Bai airport to Hoang Su Phi. Once you get there, the staff will welcome you and instantly check you into a room. Here are the contact info:
- Info@hoangsuphilodge.com
- Whatsapp: 0084 866196878
Hoang Su Phi Lodge
Final thoughts
Nam Hong village in Hoang Su Phi is the on the rise destination when it comes to tourism in Ha Giang, alongside attractions like Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Lung Cu Flagpole. With the beauty of the Northeastern nature and the down-to-earth charm of the local people, Nam Hong is guaranteed to bring many memorable experiences to visitors. Whether included in your quest to conquer the Ha Giang Loop or as a stand alone visit, this village is worth checking out!
=> How to get to Hoang Su Phi?
=> Hoang Su Phi terraced rice fields and Ha Giang Northern Loop
