After a trip visiting around the capital Hanoi, travel to an isolated destination or going to the highland areas to admire the nature and cultural lifestyle of the locals will be a great choice. Ha Giang is a province that is famous for many attractive attractions both for the purpose of discovering the authentic culture or fascinated scenes of nature. Lung Cu flagpole, one in four poles defining the shape of Vietnam, is a wonder to travel when exploring Dong Van Stone Plateau, Ha Giang. From Ha Giang, passing roundabout route nearly 200km, you will see Dong Van stone plateau appeared miraculous. This place locates Lung Cu flagpole with the height more than 1,700 meters above the sea level, the first place of the country.
The road from Dong Van to Lung Cu peak is 20km long enchanted many people by the spectacular beauty of nature and pristine characteristic of northwestern mountains. It has a rocky plateau of Dong Van with the vast white gray of stones, Hai Cau Hoan curving like M-shape hidden beneath floating clouds, as well as different layers of mountains appearing undulate in the valleys along with the green rice terraces emerging amongst the villages of Lo Lo Chai, Seo Lung, and Can Tang.
From a far distance, Lung Cu comes out vividly. This is a land with ¾ stones highlighting a national flagpole having the same shape like Hanoi flagpole that looks far more like a tower; surrounded by majestic mountain sceneries. As approaching, the beauty here is more striking. A flagpole is built on a peak of Dragon mountain (Long Son), at the foot of the column is carved reliefs bringing patterns of Dong Son bronze drum; national flag flies in the wind and reflects its shadow on the green lake Lo Lo. A bit closer observation, visitors will find that halfway up Dragon mountain has a fairly large and beautiful cave, the people here called Si Man Khan Cave.
It is said that if the border between Vietnam – China is like as a conical hat, the two lowest points would locate in A-Pa-Chai (Dien Bien province) and Sa Vi (Mong Cai, Quang Ninh province), the peak is Lung Cu. And, the center of the top of Lung Cu is Dragon mountain. The path with 1.5 kilometers in length to Lung Cu flagpole, surpassing 389 stone steps and climbing 140 spiral stairs in the heart of the flagpole, travelers will be setting foot on the top of Lung Cu flagpole, Ha Giang – the northern point of the country, where the red flag with yellow star having an area of 54m2, the metaphor of the 54 ethnic groups, is fluttered in the wind.
The landscape changes according to each step up to the peak, and you can slowly feel to look and record beautiful scenes via camera or in your memory. Going through steel handrail fence is a tall pine tree, then you can watch the rice terraces with green and yellow colors. Stretching around the valley, the rice fields are successive on halfway up the mountain, slide down deeply and go from this flank to other flanks. The center is a glistening lake reflecting a burning sunshine, and the higher place still is the high mountains that are adjacent to the clouds. Guests will be amazed and satisfied when going up to the top of Lung Cu flagpole. Tourists are not only able to see the carved reliefs of Dong Son bronze drum, understand a little bit about the culture of a prosperous civilization but also are capable of admiring the majestic sceneries that nowhere can have. Two lakes Lo Lo are located almost symmetrically, water sources for local ethnic people to use all year round. The local people call them as “dragon eyes”
From the top of Lung Cu flagpole overlooking around, immense scene of majestic nature of Dong Van Stone Plateau with terraced plots interspersed among the villages create a picture of the village with pristine but full of poetic, serene beauty of a high mountain region.
Standing under the red flag with yellow star flying in the national gate, visitors will have the sacred feeling that is hard to describe. Somewhere echoing drums from thousands of years old, Vietnam country is shown up through the sacred and fascinating history. Visiting Lung Cu flagpole of Ha Giang will be a special experience to discover, to learn more about the country Vietnam where the older generation has protected and preserved to this day.
