Tham Ma Slope in Ha Giang is a winding pass on Highway 4C connecting Ha Giang city to Dong Van district. It is consistently on the list of the most dangerous and challenging backpacking roads in the North. Although located in such a difficult location, the above route attracts a lot of adventurous guests, thanks to the unique beauty of the exciting appearance of the Tham Ma slope. When viewed from above, this road is like a “silk strip” embracing the majestic mountain slopes, making anyone admire and enjoy this overwhelming scenery.
The mountain pass is about 5 km long at an altitude of 1500 meters and has a sharp zigzagging road. The pass is located 10 km from Yen Minh between the villages of Lung Thau and Van Chai.
Along this pass there are many interesting geosites, of impressive cliffs and rocks. The Hmong hill tribe, an ethnic minority, have completely adapted to the area. Because it is a rocky area, they know how to optimally use the small amount of soil for agriculture, such as corn, beans and other crops. The stones are used for certain tools and for the houses and they only have livestock suitable for this climate.
There is a good vantage point at the top of the pass where you can take pictures of the winding s-shaped road up. Children of ethnic minorities often walk around here with flowers.
In the past the Tham Ma Pass used by the locals to test their horses. They took their horses up the mountain pass with heavy loads to measure how strong their horses are. If a horse reaches the top of the stride and looks good, they will keep that horse. Otherwise, the horse is slaughtered for Thang Co, a special dish that you can find at every farmer’s market in Ha Giang; it is not recommended to try it.