(TITC) - Every year hundreds of tourists follow National Highway 4C to discover Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark. Let’s experience this road, also called the Happiness Road, and understand the path of Blood and Flowers - the symbol of strong cooperation and great efforts among local ethnics and young volunteers opening the road on high mountains to bring happiness to thousands of people living in the region.
The map of Happiness Road. Photo Ha Giang Tourism Association.
Blood and flowers road
Happiness Road has a total length of 185 kilometers connecting Ha Giang City and 4 northern districts (Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, Meo Vac). Under construction from 1959 to 1965, the road was built by manual stone breaking under the fierce climate, taking the sweat, tears, and also blood of mostly young volunteers and local ethnics.
1,300 volunteers, workers and 1,000 ethnic people had joined hands to open the toughest mountain road in Vietnam, very first road in Ha Giang. 14 of them sacrificed their lives on the span during the 6 years of making this road.
The most difficult part of the road was only 21km from Dong Van to Meo Vac through Ma Pi Leng Pass, but it took nearly 2 years of hard work. The young volunteers working with just hoes, shovels, mini mines and often hanging to the cliffs for safety, tried to complete the road.
After more than 6 years of construction with many difficulties, the road nearly 200km long was shaped and named by Uncle Ho, the road of Happiness.
The road connects the distance between mountainous and lowland areas, bringing light of civilization, economic and socio-cultural development for ethnic minorities.
Flowers have bloomed on the rock plateau. The life of the people here has changed day by day.
… and tourism road
Today, this road is considered as the most magnificent road in Vietnam associated with famous tourist attractions such as Ma Pi Leng Pass, Bac Sum Slope, Tham Ma Slope, Quan Ba Heaven Gate, White cliffs... It connects to all heritage sites, relics, scenic spots in the geopark area, attracting a large number of tourists and adventurous young people at home and abroad.
Deep experience the Happiness Road to UNESCO Global Geopark Dong Van Karst Plateau not only stops at the fields of buckwheat flowers blooming on the rocks, the magnificent natural scenery but also understands the stone breaking works.
Coming to this place, visitors can go on zigzag roads, stand in the middle of the green corn valley spreading like a carpet, or stand on the top of Ma Pi Leng mountain looking down at the winding Nho Que river like soft silk under the abyss.
Some pictures of experiencing landmarks on Happiness Road – Blood and Flower Road
Gac Di Bridge - the beginning of the Happiness Road (Quang Trung ward, Ha Giang city). Photo TITC
Sunset on Bac Sum Slope. Photo TITC
Tham Ma Slope. Photo TITC
White cliff. Photo TITC
Nho Que River view from Ma Pi Leng Pass. Photo TITC
Km0 in Meo Vac Town – the end of Happiness Road. Photo TITC
Cemetery of Youth Volunteers paving the way to Happiness. Photo TITC
Happiness Road Museum. Photo TITC
Happiness Road Memorial Monument. Photo TITC
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