Mèo Vạc
| Mèo Vạc | |||
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| Basic data | |||
| Country: |
 Vietnam
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| Province : | Ha Giang | ||
| ISO 3166-2: VN : | VN-03 | ||
| Coordinates : | 23 ° 10 ′ N , 105 ° 25 ′ E | ||
| Further information | |||
| Time zone : | UTC +7: 00 | ||
Meo Vac is a town in the Hà Giang province in the highlands of northern Vietnam near the Chinese border. The city center gives the impression of a poor, pioneering city with its austere charm.
Ethnic minorities
The region is primarily populated by ethnic minorities, especially the Hmong ethnic group, who come from China . But Red Dao , Tay and Nung also live in and around the city. Also to be found are the rarer ethnic groups of the Giay and the Lo Lo , each of which is of Sino - Tibetan origin. On market days, the women of the Blue Hmong stand out; they can be recognized by their blue dresses with richly embroidered hems. The Sunday minority markets Meo Vacs and the neighboring community gemng Văns are impressive . The markets take place in the urban market hall complexes that were built in the 1920s by the French colonial rulers . The Meo Vacs market area is open, so that the cattle and pig market can also take place.
Not far from Mèo Vạc, in the direction of Yen Minh , lies the small village of Lung Phin , about 15 km away . It is known for its six-day minority markets, which are considered to be the most colorful in Hà Giang province.
Another special feature is the love market in Khau Vai . This village is located 20 km southeast of Mèo Vạc. With a tradition that is now more than a hundred years old, unattached tribesmen of various ethnicities usually gather here between the end of April and mid-May (three months after the Tết New Year festival ) to get to know women or men.
Economy and culture
Sweet potatoes, vegetables, dry rice and cattle corn are laboriously wrested from the landscaped terrace fields in the area. Since the precipitation in the region quickly seeps through the porous limestone soils, the main problem for the inhabitants is the constant drought. To date, not all houses have electricity, so gas lamps and candles are used. Overall, the region is considered to be very poor.
In and around Mèo Vạc and Đồng Văn there are still remnants of the Chinese Tai-Kadai language , Quabiao (qa ° biau) . The exact meaning of this name is not known. It is a language that is spoken by a few people (between 300 and 400) in Vietnam and just as many in China's border area in Yunnan Province.
landscape
The landscape around Mèo Vạc is one of the most breathtaking in Vietnam. Dense rain forests alternate seamlessly with "airy" pine and cedar forests, subtropical valleys with rare crops such as bananas and palms contrast with karst stone landscapes. The hills rise in multiple staggered horizons and give the impression of large-scale depth.
tourism
To travel to the regions north of Hà Giang requires a permit (police transit permit). These are available for 10-25 US dollars (depending on the day of the week) in local hotels and police stations. Motorcycle tours through the Vietnamese mountain landscape are popular. The stage around Mèo Vạc is particularly attractive. Mountaineering and walks on the other hand are not permitted in this region outside of paved paths and on your own.
photos
Landscape in the district of Meo Vac on the route to the neighboring community of Dong Van
Cage for transporting goats and a mobile stand in the region
A White Dao woman with blackened teeth
Individual evidence
- ↑ John Colet, Vietnam handbook
- ↑ Claire Boobbyer, Footprint Vietnam
- ↑ Nick Ray, Peter Dragicevich, Regis St. Louis, Vietnam
- ↑ Roland Dusik, Vietnam
- ^ Anthony Diller, The Tai-Kadai languages
- ^ Lonely Planet Publications (Firm), Vietnam
- ↑ Colette Coleman, Planet Earth's Greatest Motorcycle Adventure Tours ( Memento from September 3, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
