1. Where is Bac Me?
Bac Me Ha Giang is a small district located in the East of Ha Giang province, Vietnam. It’s about 55 km east of Ha Giang city and about 350 km northwest of Hanoi capital. This place is blessed by nature with both poetic and majestic beauty and has much potential to develop into an attractive ecotourism area. About geographical location:
- The East borders Bao Lam district, Cao Bang province.
- The West borders Ha Giang city and Vi Xuyen district.
- The South borders Lam Binh district and Na Hang district in Tuyen Quang province
- The North borders Yen Minh district.
2. How is Bac Me unique?
Located in the East of Ha Giang, Bac Me is a completely different color of the land which was dubbed the “gray paradise”, which was too famous for the King Cat palaces, Lung Cu flagpole, Ma Pi Leng.
Bac Me is divided into 2 distinct ecological sub-regions.High mountainous region including Phieng Luong, Duong, Duong Hong, Phu Nam, Yen Cuong, Giap Trung communes and some villages of Yen Phong, Yen Phu and Minh Son communes.
The average height above sea level is from 800 to 1,400m, the average annual rainfall is over 1,600 mm. The low mountains include the remaining communes with an average elevation of 100 to 500 m above sea level. With such properties, it has created different climatic sub-regions. The whole district has 12 communes and towns with 9,999 households and 46,879 people.
There are 13 ethnic groups living together, of which the Dao, Tay and H’Mong ethnic groups make up the majority, the rest are other ethnic groups. The diversity of the nation, along with many cultural values with its own identity, combined with exchanges, have contributed to creating many attractive cultural tourism products here.
3. When is the best time to travel to Bac Me
Every year, in the season of full and quiet water (usually from September to April next year). Bac Me authorities and people often organize rafting festivals, rain praying festivals, worship of a river god… creating unique cultural features, attracting visitors to visit and experience.
Gam river tourism is suitable for team building activities in the country. It’s great for organizing practical and adventurous games. Such as zipline, kayaking, rafting, … to create discoveries besides watching the majestic natural landscape that is poetic, gentle of the green Gam river.
4. How to get to Bac Me?
4.1 From Hanoi:
You may take local bus from Hanoi – Ha Giang:
- Gia Lam bus station: Address: 132 Ngo Gia Kham, Ngoc Lam, Long Bien, Hanoi
- My Dinh bus station: Address: My Dinh, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi
Note: After arriving at Ha Giang bus station. You will need to go to customs to get a permit to enter the border belt. From Ha Giang you go there by local bus (Ha Giang – Bac Me).
4.2 From Ha Giang city:
On the way to Bac Me, you will pass through many fields and forests and listen to the bustling sound of birds chirping. To get to Bac Me, from Ha Giang city, you go straight along National Highway 34 to the Southeast about 55 km to the center of Yen Phu town – Bac Me.
After visiting Cang Bac Me, you can take a boat on the poetic and majestic Gam River and return to Ha Giang city in a circular shape. This Bac Me Ha Giang journey promises to bring you extremely interesting and new experiences.
5. Sightseeings & Things to do in Bac Me
5.1 Cang Bac Me Historical Relics
Although it is no longer intact, the harsh weather in the Northern Mountains has claimed the historic site of Cang Bac Me. It can help keep intact the quietness, timestamp and harshness here.
“Cang” in the French sense means garrison, soldier. Before 1939, this place was a small French garrison set up to control the entire traffic route of Ha Giang – Tuyen Quang – Cao Bang. Since 1939, France has built more prison quarters, full of revolutionary officials arrested but not yet convicted. This place once detained comrades Xuan Thuy, Mr Nguyen Hong, Comrade Khuat Duy Tien, comrade Tran Cung, … Until now, photos of the comrades are still placed in the gallery of the relic.
Not only having historical significance, Cang Bac Me is currently a favorite destination for many tourists when it has a quiet, mossy landscape, timestamp and absolutely no shadow of commercialization and business spontaneous, … losing the ancient colors and natural space.
Visitors can take a leisurely walk in the large house space, the information house, the warehouse area, the prison area, … even though it’s just a ruin, it also helps us to visualize quite easily this place was once like how. This is especially the right place to take artistic, wedding, and picnic photos that are not boring and familiar in the old style.
5.2 Gam River – The Green Bow Of The Mountains
Originating from the 2,000m high mountains of Yunnan, China, coming to Vietnam from Cao Bang. Especially the Gam River flows through Bac Me creating many poetic river and mountain landscapes. Between the two hills and mountains. It’s like a bow more than 200 km long that flows through Cao Bang, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang. And then merged with Ca River to become a majestic Lo river. With the characteristic green color of the rivers in the mountainous region of Ha Giang.
The Gam River is not as rugged as the Nho Que River. But it is gentle and quiet among the mountains and forests on both sides. Therefore, the river section runs through Bac Me district. It’s become a space for cultural and sports festivals, for tourism to experience the development of Bac Me and be different from Ha Giang’s famous rocky plateau.
5.3 Community Cultural Tourism Village And Traditional Craft Village
In Bac Me, in the district’s plan to develop and exploit tourism potential, over the years. The Government has coordinated with the business people to build the cultural villages of public tourism, the planning and preservation of traditional villages. Such as Yen Cuong brocade village, Giap Trung craft forging village, homestay culture Village, Lan village, Khén village, Noong village. These become interesting destinations for travelers to discover Bac Me.
Therefore, visitors to Bac Me can visit scenic landscapes, historic sites. Especially cultural exploration of the peoples here with many activities such as the Red Dao wedding ceremony, outstanding ceremony, Rain praying ceremony,…Or living with villagers in the middle of a pristine village but still have enough criteria to serve visitors.
6. Specialties when traveling to Bac Me
6.1 Bac Me Lam Rice (bamboo tube rice)
Ha Giang is a land with many famous and delicious sticky rice varieties, contributing to affirming the place for Bac Me Lam Rice – a typical specialty of the Tay ethnic group here. It looks simple, just grilled rice or cooked with sesame salt or more luxuriously grilled chicken but it is enough to make many hearts lingerie.
When cooking bamboo tube rice in Bac Me, not only is it enough to have delicious sticky rice, but also bamboo tubes, bamboo tubes, and bamboo – are the ingredients that create the aroma, attractiveness, uniqueness, and sweet taste of the dish.
6.2 Indigenous pork
Another delicious dish in Ha Giang that you cannot miss is the local pig dish. This is a small pig breed, only about 10 – 15kg, raised freely so the meat is quite lean. Armpit pork is prepared in many ways: grilled, steamed or stir-fried, each dish is delicious in its own way.
Steamed pork dipped in chili garlic fish sauce or lemon pepper seasoning also creates attractive experiences. As for grilled pork dishes, hot stir-fried with firm, rich meat, served with herbs, it is also no less competitive.
6.3 Smoked buffalo meat
As a northern mountainous province, Ha Giang also has a tradition of making smoked buffalo meat – a specialty in Ha Giang. Each piece of buffalo meat, after being fully marinated with spices, is skewered through a large stick and hung in the kitchen, leaving a unique, delicious flavor.
Because smoked buffalo meat is a traditional family dish in the mountains, there will be no use of preservatives like dried beef, dried chicken, etc. This Ha Giang specialty dish is often trusted by people to buy and make. Gifts for colleagues, family, friends,…
6.4 Grilled moss
Grilled moss is considered a specialty of the Tay people. It’s an ethnic group with an extremely rich and diverse culinary culture. Because this is a special dish, preparing it deliciously also requires a certain knowledge and skill of local people.
As a nutritious dish with a very outstanding flavor, grilled moss is noticed by many tourists, or even “addicted” when coming to Ha Giang. In addition, grilled moss also has the ability to cure many diseases, help detoxify, cool down, circulate blood, increase resistance,…
6.5 Au Tau Porridge
With a strange-sounding name that makes many people wonder, the porridge dish is made from au tau tubers – a typical tuber in the Northeast mountains. Considered a Ha Giang specialty, processed and seasoned properly by the people, it acts as a cold medicine.
The dish has a bitter taste, but then a bit of sweetness will remain in the throat. People who are not used to it may find it quite difficult to eat. Due to being simmered well, the bowl of porridge has a viscosity, has the aroma of sticky rice, the sweetness comes from the pork leg meat, the greasy taste from the eggs, in addition to the characteristic taste of au tau.
7. Accommodation when traveling to Bac Me
When traveling to Bac Me, visitors can refer to some of the accommodation facilities below:
7.1 Hotels:
- Huy Duong Hotel. Address: 555 Quang Trung, Yen Phu Town, Bac Me, Ha Giang, Vietnam.
- Bac Me Hotel. Address: Yen Phu Town, Bac Me, Ha Giang, Vietnam.
7.2 Guesthouses:
- Song Gam Guest House. Address: Yen Phu Town, Bac Me, Ha Giang, Vietnam.
- Huong Lan Guesthouse. Address: Yen Phu Town, Bac Me, Ha Giang, Vietnam.
- Huong Dong Guest House. Address: Group 3, Yen Phu Town, Bac Me, Ha Giang, Vietnam.
7.3 Homestays:
- Tay Coc Pang Homestay. Address: 195B, Du Gia, Yen Minh, Hà Giang, Vietnam.
- Du Gia Homestay. Address: 195B, Du Già, Yên Minh, Hà Giang, Vietnam.
- Backpacker Garden Homestay – Restaurant – Coffee. Address: TL 176 Road, Lang Cac, Coc Pang, Yên Minh, Hà Giang, Vietnam.
8. Some important notes when traveling to Cang Bac Me
To make your trip to Cang Bac Me complete and meaningful, visitors should refer to the following notes:
- Clothing: Because this is a historical site, you should dress politely and formally to show respect for the site. You should wear soft, low-soled shoes to avoid slipping because the terrain here is mainly mountainous.
- Preserve relics: Please preserve the environment as well as relics in Cang Bac Me, avoiding breakage or scratches. Do not litter in the relic area, be conscious of maintaining cleanliness.
- Avoid making noise: This is a historical sightseeing site, so visitors should avoid making noise that disrupts the atmosphere of other visitors.
- Transportation: If you travel by motorbike, make sure you are in good health and have a steady handlebar. Remember to carefully check your vehicle before departure and equip the necessary protective gear to ensure a safe trip.
- Personal items: You should bring personal items such as: Lighter, rope, compass, motion sickness medicine, insect repellent, medical equipment: cotton, bandages, gauze,… phone and Power bank to take beautiful photos. Don’t forget to bring cash for easy payment here.
- Food and drinks: You should bring snacks such as chocolate, dry food, cakes, etc. bottled water to supplement energy when needed because this area also has few grocery stores. .
Conclusion:
Away from the dramatic limestone plateaus of the north, Bac Me brings a softer, river-like movement to any trip through Ha Giang. The forests, the waters, and the quiet valleys provide a welcome change in the rich variety of the province’s landscapes. For the traveler with more time to explore, there is the opportunity to learn about many routes and experiences through Ha Giang tours as provided by Origin Vietnam.
