Ma Pi Leng, the famous and spectacular pass in the Northern Vietnam inspired many people to travel to witness its breathtaking beauty. Travel lovers around the world wish to visit the renowned pass once, and who have that chance to see it wish to return.

In ethnic language, Ma Pi Leng means “the nose of horse”, one of 4 most spectacular passes in the North of Vietnam. Ma Pi Leng is a long pass, linking Dong Van and Meo Vac town of Ha Giang province, two famous destinations of Vietnam adventure tours, stretching over the towering cliffs up to the sky, looking down to the meandering flow of Nho Que river. On sunny days, the blue sky hugging all the picturesque landscape, the Ma Phi Li Leng bewitches people that way.

On the altitude of nearly 2000 meter, Ma Pi Leng chooses for itself a super high position, over anything, just below the clouded top mountain and the high blue sky. Sometimes, on the pass, you can almost reach the “sky”, where you feel as if you were walking on the clouds.

Ma Pi Leng is the nose of horse – Northern Vietnam

Our car took us to the middle of the renowned pass; we stop to quickly “take note” the beauty into our mind. The feeling of sitting in a road side, next to the breezy mountain slopes and the rugged cliffs, from which wild weeds are growing strongly, captures our souls. It’s the boundary between the earth and the sky, and we enjoy its best beauty in the sunset, when the harmony of time brings the magical experience.
The last sunlight that turned into red weakly gets through the curtain of clouds to touch the calm water of Nho Que River and make it sparkling. We loved this ‘symphony’ of colors before my eyes at this moment. There is the marvelous combination of the green of vegetations and the corn crops over the mountain slopes, the red of sunset, the violet of the clouds when the sun lightens them as well as the reflect of green mountains.

Ma pi leng Pass – Northern Vietnam

Some locals were gathering on some cliffs, it looks dangerous next to the high cliffs, however, they were seemingly “professional” than we thought. They were born here, which the locals said they remember every stones, every bends of the roads, and even every plant. Their eyes opened widely looking at us and didn’t stop smiling. In the eyes are the shyness and naughty at the same time. They knew who we were. Tourists in their minds are who brings candy and the lovely smiles, sometimes who keep taking their pictures and thanks to it, some are “professional photo posers”.
They enjoy seeing the passing groups of tourists. They “studied” us as we did. We were getting to know each other. The wild beauty of the plateau is adorned by some human being signs, some little roofs at the middle of the mountain. They are somehow warming up the mountains, and bringing some charms to the quiet natural picture. Passing Ma Pi Leng, we would lead to the little villages where quaint stilt houses were waiting for us to explore. Ma Pi Leng is just like a powerful gate guard of the villages. If anyone would like to damage the villages, they definitely change their mind after passing the natural marvel.