Ha Giang impresses visitors with its high karst plateau, steep hills, winding roads and ethnic diversity. In Dong Van district of Ha Giang province, there is a place of serenity where man is delicately balanced with nature. That is Pho Bang township.
Pho Bang, the home of Hoa and Mong ethnicities, was once the administrative-political-social capital of Dong Van district. Since the administrative center was moved to the ancient quarter of Dong Van district, Pho Bang village has become calm and peaceful.
Nguyen Van Nam, a tourist from Ha Noi, enjoys the discreet charm, peace and calmness of this town, which is 117 km from Ha Giang city. "The friendliness of the people and the simplicity of the place are the unique beauty of Pho Bang. I love wandering around this small town to find a little calm and serenity," he shared.
Pho Bang is hidden between the centuries-old limestone mountains. It is hard to imagine that this tiny town was once the capital of the entire region.
Here, there are only two main streets and dozens of clay houses with tiled roofs and walls and doors decorated with ancient parallel sentences in Chinese.
Mua San Say in Pho Bang said, “The houses here embrace the traditional architecture. They have wooden columns and mud walls. We prefer traditional houses. What better than to live in a place where it's cool in summer and warm in winter? After preparing wood and tiles, it takes us a month to build a house.”
Time seems to pass slowly in this small town where we often find the local women sitting next to a stove, doing housework or cooking. They are friendly to visitors and happy to offer a taste of local food.
Lan May Di, a Hoa ethnic woman, in Pho Bang noted, “This is a soy-based sauce. It’s delicious We add some spices like pepper, cardamom, star anise, ginger and salt. This is a sauce for the winter and perfectly accompanies many dishes. A rice bowl of soup and sticky rice steamed with sauce garnishes our pleasure”.
Most local people are gardeners. Growing roses enables them to boost their income and improve their living standard. In the blossoming season, the village is transformed into a meadow of colorful roses. Pho Bang’s tranquility is broken only once a week on market day when you can buy tools or food or just observe. Go to this small town to forget the troubles of your daily routine and enjoy a breath of fresh air.