As you pass through Quan Ba Pass, also known as Heaven’s Gate, the meaning of its name will become clear to you as you are greeted by the sweeping vistas of the Dong Van Plateau.

Ha Giang Town (not to be confused with the province as a whole) lies in the centre of the province that shares its name and acts as the gateway to the beautiful scenery further north on the Dong Van Plateau.

While this might be a common sight throughout the country, there is no better place to see this kind of scenery than Hoang Su Phi

If you’re coming from Dong Van, the highlight of your trip to Meo Vac is likely to happen as soon as you cross into the district, namely the jaw-ping Ma Pi Leng Pass.

When travelling the Ha Giang Loop, Quan Ba is likely to be either your first stop after Ha Giang Town, or your last stop before returning to where you started and leaving the province behind.

The districts of Quang Binh and Bac Quang make up the southernmost portion of Ha Giang Province, and this location means that they’re outside of the traditional “Ha Giang Loop”,

The district of Vi Xuyen almost entirely envelops Ha Giang Town, and contains a wealth of gorgeous nature, unique culture and tragic history.

Situated as it is in the far west part of Ha Giang Province, many travellers going on the Ha Giang loop skip this part of the province entirely

Yen Minh lays between Quan Ba and Dong Van, on the south-western edge of the Dong Van Plateau. Thus it makes for a natural stopping point once you’ve travelled through Heaven’s Gate on the way to Dong Van proper.