Admiring Real-life Planetarium on Ma Pi Leng Pass

When it comes to tourism in the Northwest mountains of Vietnam, it is impossible to leave out Ha Giang, the land of the Nho Que river, unspoiled stone plateaus, and winding passes. One of the “most hunted” places in Ha Giang is the white cliff, also called “a place to sleep under thousands of stars”.

The location of the white cliff

White cliff is located on the top of Co Tien mountain. Because of its height, when standing on the top of the cliff, tourists can see Ma Pi Leng pass or Nho Que river.

Photo: Toquoc.vn

According to local customs, every Lunar New Year, people come here to pray for a prosperous and happy life. Therefore, a trail to the cliff was gradually formed.

To reach the white cliffs, visitors follow the Ma Pi Leng pass, located on National Highway 4C – also known as the Happiness Road. There is another road, called Ma Pi Leng B. However, this road is only accessible by motorbikes.

After arriving at Ma Pi Leng B, visitors ride a motorbike for about 3km, then walk for another 2km to reach the white cliff. The road is narrow and rugged, only wide enough for one motorbike to pass through. Visitors are required to have good physical conditions and driving experience.

Those who do not want to drive themselves can hire a motorbike driver for the first 3km. Then, with the remaining 2km, choose a good pair of sports shoes to follow the mountainside, up and down the stone steps.

Photo: Toquoc.vn

A place to sleep with a view of thousands of stars

The white cliff surface has an area of about fifteen to twenty square meters. It is located in the heart of the rock arch. According to geologists, the landscape of white cliffs is mainly due to the impact of the Nho Que River about 30 million years ago. According to the local people, this is the place where the H’Mong king and his entourage stopped when they passed by.

However, because of the limited area, it is not possible to gather many people here. Visitors who have been here say that the maximum number of people should be less than 10 people. Therefore, if tourists want to camp overnight, they need to carefully check the condition. Setting up a small tent, a pair of stools with a flickering fire, boiling a kettle of water, and sipping with a companion, is definitely a worthy “reward” for those who successfully conquer the white cliff.

As mentioned above, from the white cliffs, visitors can watch the Nho Que river drifting by, and the Ma Pi Leng pass winding with the hazy clouds. This is the scene that gives this place the name “sleeping place with a thousand-star view”. Imagine waking up in the morning, and watching the sun slowly rise from here, surely no five or six-star resort or hotel can give visitors that feeling.

Photo: Toquoc.vn

Because it is located in the middle of the vast sky, there are a few things visitors need to keep in mind and understand when visiting the white cliffs, especially when they camp overnight. First, there is no internet or phone signal. Secondly, the area is quite cold. Although it has been sheltered from rain and sun by the stone arch, it still draws in the wind, especially at night and early in the morning, the temperature is only about 4-8 degrees Celsius at night.

Therefore, visitors need to carefully prepare blankets or thick clothes to keep their bodies warm. Food, water, basic medicines, first aid supplies, or other necessary items should not be left behind in your backpack on your journey. And lastly, don’t forget to clean up after the end of this strange night at the white cliffs.

Photo: Toquoc.vn

Da Quang

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