Ma Pi Leng mountain pass
in Ha Giang province, is the mightiest of all mountain passes in Vietnam.

Ma Pi Leng is at
the height of nearly 2,000m above sea level.

The construction of
Ma Pi Leng (which takes the form of a crouching horse) began in the 1960’s, and
was said to be done almost entirely by the H’mong people.

In the beginning,
to accomplish their tasks, construction workers had to carry explosives and
move along the sides of the mountain by securing themselves to ropes.

The earliest passes
were wide enough only for horses pulling carriages and people to walk through.
It wasn’t until much later that the authorities allowed the widening of these
passes.

Just a few years
ago, the paths at Ma Pi Leng were extremely bumpy and riddled with stones. They
were also not wide enough for two cars traveling in opposite directions.

Nowhere else in Vietnam
is there a place as mighty and wild as Ma Pi Leng.

Looking toward the
north and northeast, thousands of gray, rocky mountains form layers along the
horizon. Right beside the road are deep valleys, at the bottom of which lies
the Nho Que River,
where cool water flows peacefully.

On the mountain
pass in Meo Vac, trees are scattered; along with stones, which have been lonely
through years and centuries.

Mong aborigines are
in favor of living in mountain tops, or at least along the sides of the
mountains. They absolutely refuse to move to the plain. Neighbors take a half
of day to walk from this mountain to other to visit each other.

This road is toward
Meo Vac town.

Some pictures of Ma Pi Leng by
Ovuong:

Thai Son-Ovuong