Being considered as a prominent destination for Vietnam backpacking routes, the karst plateau of Dong Van known for breathtaking landscapes and well-preserved tribal cultures, is one of a few places in Vietnam where the local authenticity and environment are still untouched by modern services for tourism. So if you want to have the best Sapa tour ever, Dong Van karst plateau is definitely something that you can’t miss.
1. Nature and human of Dong Van karst plateau
Dong Van Karst Plateau is one of the world’s geoparks, the plateau, the only of its kind in Vietnam, contains unique rocky formations from millions of years of geographical transformation.
Dong Van plateau has an interesting and unique ecological system, with many rare species of vascular plants, species of mammals, birds and reptiles.
The beautiful Dong Van plateau
Dong Van is also home to 17 ethnic groups including H’mong, Tay, Nung, Lo Lo, and Dao with various traditions and customs. On the high mountain with cool climate and harsh environment of the plateau, the hard-working tribal people’s ability to survive, adapt and harmonize with nature is always a challenge to visitors’ imagination.
Like a picture made of gray rocky carpet and green crops grown by the plateau’s inhabitants, Dong Van karst plateau always makes tourists feel like being lost on a “magnificent rock desert”. Besides, rugged rocks are utilized in the daily life of ethnic minorities, from house’s wall, yard, and barriers around their home; all are made just with rock. By the skillful hands of locals, rocks of different shapes and sizes are carefully stowed into solid walls without any binder.
2. Markets in Dong Van plateau
There’s no other place in Vietnam that you can find a U-shaped market, which became a trading center for local ethnics to exchange goods convening once every week on Sunday. On the days of convention, the tranquil ancient town turns hustled and bustled with hundreds of market goers and traders in colorful traditional costumes. They come from their hilltop abodes carrying all kinds of merchandise such as corn, vegetables, chickens, pigs, water buffaloes, garment and essential farming tools. Those living far away from the market have to wake up at 3am to travel a long distance over several mountains to reach the market on time for its opening.
Market in Dong Van plateau
But unlike conventional markets, which serve the only purpose of exchanging goods and services, the Dong Van market is also a place of local socialization. Hill tribal villages in Dong Van are often scatter on mountains and separated from one to another by hours or days of travel. Due to this separation, locals from different communities here seldom meet face to face with others. Therefore, the market gives them a chance to meet old friends, make new one, chitchat, eat and drink to relax after a laborious week. Young single men and women go to the market to flirt and seek out dates. For married couples, while women take their children around the market for shopping their husbands treat themselves to an all-out drinking of corn wine. The men only stop when they are drunk to the point of being unconscious or close without their wives’ complain. Many fair goers will not forget to savor a hot bowl of Thang Co, a signature dishes made from horsemeat of mountainous ethnic minorities in Northwest Vietnam.
Though the brazen rocky plateau presents enormous challenges for a living, ethnic inhabitants are attached to it as much as they are to their century-old traditions. To them, hardship is not really adversity but more of a reasonable part of co-existing in harmony with Mother Nature. The rugged plateau of Dong Van is not only a wondrous natural creation bearing the testimony of the earth’s times but also an example of the unrivaled spirit of vitality. Its charming beauty in land and people never ceases to inspire visitors. A place as such is hard to find these days in a fast modernizing world and definitely worth your visit.
Besides Dong Van plateau, there are also a lot of other wonderful and breath-taking destinations in Sapa. So if you’re curious about what those destinations are, then below is a list that you can find some fantastic suggestions:
