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Ha Giang, to this day, is no longer a remote and inaccessible destination. Every season, every month, every year, people find an excuse to eagerly gather in Ha Giang, to admire the scenery, wander around, enjoy the vast landscape, and breathe in the fresh air.
Recently, author Nguyen Chi Nam posted a series of photos of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) in Ha Giang from many years ago, a time when "people didn't travel much during the spring festival," because Ha Giang was still an unfamiliar name to many. At that time, according to the author: "Only groups of travelers quietly left the city on the evenings of the 2nd and 3rd of Tet... The day when each member had to bring Tet supplies from home – pork sausage, sticky rice cakes, bottles of beer... and the center of Dong Van was deserted." His photos and shared experiences offer a new perspective for young people on the original and unspoiled Ha Giang, and evoke countless memories for those who "quietly left the city" to celebrate Tet in Ha Giang many years ago...
It is said that when the gray, jagged rocks "bloom," when plum blossoms turn white, mustard flowers turn yellow, peach blossoms turn pale red, and buckwheat flowers turn purplish-pink, that is when spring has arrived. But the spring of old Ha Giang was also characterized by sparsely populated mountain passes, where travelers could see, from afar, plumes of smoke rising from cooking fires.
In recent years, with increasingly convenient transportation to Ha Giang, shops and restaurants open throughout Tet (Lunar New Year), and a wider variety of guesthouses and homestays available, the number of tourists visiting Ha Giang during Tet has increased significantly. Perhaps this is why the scenery and people here have changed somewhat. However, this doesn't diminish Ha Giang's splendor or grandeur. It's just that sometimes, when looking back at old photos, memories of a bygone era stir up a sense of excitement and anticipation.
