Ha Giang, Vietnam’s Nine Turn Road – Tham Ma Pass

July 30, 2021 Rex Lim Lim BLOG, GUIDE, hagiang loop, ITINERARY, THAM MA PASS, TRAVEL, VIETNAM

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PART 5: Northern Vietnam Adventure Series
Route 2: Life Melody in A Rocky Kingdom

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PART 5: Northern Vietnam Adventure Series Route 2: Life Melody in A Rocky Kingdom
9-Turn Pass
Where is the Tham Ma Pass?
Northern Vietnam Adventure Series 2019
The Roof of Indochina: Mt. Fansipan Travel Guide 2019 Ha Giang Loop: A Journey through Vietnam’s Northern Frontier Ha Giang: A DIY Budget Travel Guide to Vietnam’s Final Frontier Ha Giang’s Quan Ba Fairy Bosom Mã Pí Lèng: The Legendary Mountain Pass Above the Clouds Ha Giang’s Ethnic Rendezvous: Dong Van Sunday Market Lung Cu Flag Pole: Vietnam’s Last Vestige Hmong King’s Palace – Vietnam’s Golden Triangle Opium Link Hanoi, Vietnam: One Night Only in the Charming Old Quarters Inside the Bay of Dragons: Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Have you tried the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam? How was it? Share your awesome stories in the comments section below!
Ha Giang, Vietnam’s Nine Turn Road – Tham Ma Pass Updated April 30, 2019

Tham Ma Pass is a famous stop-over spot in Ha Giang owing to its snaking hair pin curved road.

Traversing the landscape inside the Dong Van Karst Geopark is such an arduous up-and-down affair. Our car puled over at the side of the road where kids with flower baskets were waiting, it was rather the end of the Geopark, then into our surprise the serpent like road we saw in pictures is now in front of us.

9-Turn Pass

Through a narrow pass in between two mountains, the road snakes up into a steep and several hairpin curves. Locals often call this as the 9-turn Pass, cause it really is.

It was still a long way to go, with occasional cloud bursts every now and then, the towns we passed through are now on a stand still. The incessant horn honking was turning from deafening noise into music.

Mud walled houses suddenly appears at the side of the road, with some old uncles smoking tobacco from bamboo bongs, some children running in the streets clutching small hatchlings on one hand.

I was reminiscing the fun adventure we had inside this rocky plateau, imagining someday I will return back in here with a more favorable weather. But for now, it is not a goodbye, but rather, a see you soonest attitude I had in me as I gazed outside of the car window. The road unspooling behind us, we embarked on the long descent back to Ha Giang City.

Where is the Tham Ma Pass?

The mountain pass is located in Lung Thau in the Dong Van District of Hagiang. This is 18kms from the Dong Van town proper and 393kms from Hanoi.

Hanoi, Vietnam: Underneath the Nón Lá – located on the eastern Indochinese Peninsula, this was once a French city often dubbed as the “Paris of the East”, a gateway to a plethora of natural wonders, people, culture and amazing food. From rich forests, karst and tectonic landscapes, towering mountain peaks, UNESCO listed sites, ethnic markets, and effusive local hospitality – let us take you into an adventure of a lifetime up into the northern reaches of Vietnam!