Dong Van is known for its fantastic rock formations and overall naturally breathtaking sights. The place is so picture-worthy that it is on top of the list of both amateur and professional photographers all over the world of their places to capture. But as beautiful as it is, the road is long and difficult. So only the truly committed ones are determined to conquer the rocky beauty of Dong Van.

Dong Van is located 1,000 meters above sea level of Ha Giang Province. It has 19 wards, 9 of which are adjacent to China. It is home to the so-called “Roof of Vietnam,” the highest point of Vietnam, at Lung Cu wherein it is said that you can touch the sky just by holding your head up. But the weather can be brutal, almost rainy and foggy the whole year. The hottest it can get is 24 degree Celsius in the summer. In the winter, the temperature can go as low as 1 degree Celsius. Since the place is located on a high land and composed of rocky features, Dong Van is not that accessible.

Visitors have to go on foot in order to reach the peak. But upon reaching Dong Van, all the challenges of the trip become understandable as one is greeted with nature in all its purity. The forests are thick and there’s a rainbow of flowers everywhere. Fruits like plum, peach, pear, apples and persimmon are readily available. Even medicinal plants such as “tam that” (a kind of bulbous ginseng), rehmania glutinosa, anise and cinnamon grow generously. At sundown, one will be mesmerized with the enchanting colors and shapes the sky produces.

It is also here where the famous Heaven’s Gate (Cong Troi) can be found, a stunning rocky plateau which is every photographer’s dream. One cannot truly appreciate the rugged beauty of Dong Van unless he or she takes the journey himself/ herself. But for something that people would risk going for, it must be really worth it and beautiful, in all sense of the word.