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Nature & Adventure

Winding O Quy Ho pass

Translated by Bing
Known as the most majestic pass in the North with a length of nearly 50 km connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau, O Quy Ho Pass is located at an altitude of 2,000 m, winding through sky-high cliffs and deep abysses.


Photo: Lam Linh


Anyone who has ever been to Lao Cai must want to once want to conquer the legendary peak of this Northern mountainous region. The pass starts from Sapa with one-third of the pass on the Lao Cai side, the other two-thirds belong to Lai Chau land, ending at Tam Duong junction.


O Quy Ho Pass has many names: Hoang Lien Son because the pass runs through the majestic Hoang Lien Range; May Pass because of the year-round cloud cover, even on summer days. Today's name O Quy Ho Pass is named after the earnest cry of the bird of the same name, associated with the legend of the romantic but troubled love story of a boy and girl.


O Quy Ho Pass runs around the Hoang Lien Mountains, where the highest peak in Indochina is Fanxipan. The previous pass, when not filled with obstacles, was close to the abyss with unfathomable dangers from the abyss and landslides, making few people dare to pass. The pass carries many oral stories that make passers-by shudder. The most prominent is the story of the tiger god, about the old tigers, who often lurk somewhere on the pass to catch people.


The pass has been safely reworked


Photo: Lam Linh


Standing from the first turn up the pass, you can see the entire length winding to the horizon. Today's pass has been paved, the road passing through Ham Rong Park, Bac Waterfall, Ton Station, are all famous tourist attractions of Lao Cai province. The overlapping green mountains embrace the deep valleys and the sea of clouds weave a majestic picture of the Northwest mountains and forests. In the evening, the sunset dyed red covered the illusory space. The night of crossing O Quy Ho brings a feeling of being lonely because of the sound of the wind sucking from the ravines and the silver moonlight.


Passing the top of the pass in the clouds, the biggest difference is clearly the temperature between the two regions. While the weather on the Lai Chau side is cool and dry, just moving to the other side of the Lao Cai slope, you will immediately receive cold winds with the cold cutting the skin and cutting the flesh.


Every time the motorcycle wing goes up, he stops at the top of the pass to eat something to eat. Most of them are fragrant baked goods with chestnuts, meat skewers, grilled eggs or blue rice dipped in sesame salt. Rubbing his hands by the pink fire, the smiles of his friends made the cold dissipate. Suddenly, the wind brought clouds to spread throughout the valley, making the road hidden in the beautiful clouds.


Photo: Shutterstock


Photo: Lam Linh


O Quy Ho Pass

Address: Sapa, Lao Cai - Tam Duong, Lai Chau

Length: More than 40km


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