Connecting Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces, O Quy Ho Pass covers 50 kilometers and runs through the Hoang Lien Son mountain range. It is one of the four long, daunting but majestic passes of the northwestern mountainous region.
O Quy Ho is an interesting place for those who are eager for exploration to discover thanks to its beauty, and majesty associated with legendary tales.
The tale goes that one day a lumberjack accidentally saw a beautiful fairy who was bathing in Love waterfall (a famous waterfall in Sapa). They fell in love with each other but could not live together. One day, the girl transformed into a phoenix with golden feathers then flew over the top of the mountain and sang "O Quy Ho", hoping to connect with the man she loved.
Since then, O Quy Ho has become a meeting point of heaven and the earth with one side covered by golden sunshine and white clouds on the other. The geographical location and weather changes make the pass an attractive destination.
Standing at the altitude of 2,035 meters above sea level, visitors will be surprised by the majestic and unique landscape of the Hoang Lien Son range with winding mountains and a sea of white clouds.
O Quy Ho Pass on a sunny day. Photo: Xuan Quynh
Each experience creates different feelings. It is such a magical landscape on clear, full moon nights, or when the sun shines on steep cliffs. Once reaching the top of the pass, you should stop for a moment, take a deep breath of fresh air, listen to the sound of the mountains, the wind blowing through the cliffs, the sound of insects calling each other, and feel the enchanting stimulating wilderness.
The climate on either side of O Quy Ho pass, in Lai Chau and Lao Cai province, is often very different during the year. When it’s cool and foggy in Lai Chau, it’s sunny and warm in Lao Cai. In the winter, when there is a little sunshine at midday in Lai Chau province, Lao Cai province is completely covered with fog, sometimes with ice and snow.
The sight at O Quy Ho Heaven Gate is like a connecting point between the human world and the fairyland. Standing at the gate, you can have a panoramic view of the whole area with rolling mountains hidden behind floating clouds, primeval green forests, and villages. In the late afternoon, you can admire the sunset and dark green of the mountains.
O Long tea hill, seen from O Quy Ho Pass. (Photo: Xuan Quynh)
There are a lot of restaurants along the pass where travelers can enjoy simple signature specialties such as hand-carried piglets pork, smoked buffalo meat, hill chicken, grilled corn, and baked potatoes. You must try hand-carried piglets pork and hill chicken as they are the most famous dishes here. In the program “World Theme Travel”, the Korean EBS reporters traveled to O Quy Ho Pass to not only capture unique images but also enjoy those unique dishes.
O Quy Ho Pass is where you can admire the majestic landscape and feel relaxed. Don’t forget to bring a camera to capture its beauty.
Wish you have an unforgettable experience at O Quy Ho Pass!
