To reach the sites, people have to travel on National Road No 4C, or Happiness Road, which has been dubbed a legendary road with famed proper names including Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Fairy Mountain (Twin Mountain), Pac Xum Slope, Tham Ma Pass and Ma Pi Leng Pass.

An areal view of Happiness Road. VNS Photo Truong Vi

The latter pass is one of four most beautiful passes in the north together with O Quy Ho Pass linking Lao Cai and Lai Chau Province, Pha Din Pass in Son La Province and Khau Pha Pass in Yen Bai Province.

The Nho Que River runs at the foot of the mountain. Happiness Road runs on Ma Pi Leng Pass up to the peak. VNA/VNS Photo Nhat Anh

The pass is located on National Road 4C in Pai Lung and Pa Vi communes, Meo Vac District of Ha Giang. Ma Pi Leng in Mong language means a horse’s nose with the figurative meaning that the peak is quite dangerous, where even mountain horses may slip and die when climbing.  

High steep cliffs when there was no road. VNA/VNS File Photo

Happiness Road links Ha Giang City with Dong Van Town and Meo Vac Town.

Ma Pi Leng Pass is a dangerous pass, some 20km long at heights of 1,200 – 1,400m above sea level.

Thousands of young volunteers worked to build Happiness Road. VNA/VNS File Photo

The mountain was created by the sediment of karst stone and silica limestone containing fossils from some 400 million years ago. The site also features cracks from geographical changes creating dangerous landscapes of steep cliffs and the Nho Que River running in the middle of Ma Pi Leng Pass and Xin Cai Pass, which hosts the boundary milestone and Sam Pun Border Gate with China.

French people came to examine the site in 1900 and hoped to build roads there, but could not do anything except provide food and ammunition to guard troops on local mountains using small lanes.

The road has changed locals' lives. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Tam

Before the Happiness Road was built, the more than 80,000 residents in the area traversed the Ma Pi Leng Pass by hanging on ropes to climb over high cliffs.

Construction of Happiness Road began on September 10, 1959, linking Ha Giang, Dong Van and Meo Vac.

After six years of construction, more than 1,300 young volunteers, mostly working by hand, completed the road on June 15, 1965.

The road has helped improve the lives of locals and has become a tourist magnet. VNS

Hairpin bends on the happiness road

The Happiness Road, stretching nearly 200 kilometers, connects the northern mountainous city of Ha Giang with the other four districts in Ha Giang Province, including Dong Van, Quan Ba, Yen Minh and Meo Vac.

Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark

Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark is located in the northeastern province of Ha Giang. Its landscape is spectacular and unique with high mountains and deep canyons.