Du Gia is a quiet valley village in the north of Ha Giang province, and it makes a gentle end to a ride that has spent days among limestone peaks. The mountains here soften into green hills, rice terraces step down the slopes, and the houses are wooden stilt homes with tiled roofs belonging to Tay, Dao and Hmong families. Smoke rises from kitchen fires in the early morning, and the air smells of woodsmoke, wet earth and ripening rice.
Compared with the great passes farther north, the landscape is intimate. Streams run through the valley, and in places they drop over low waterfalls that locals use as swimming holes in the heat of summer. Buffalo graze the paddy edges, children walk to school along the roadside and the pace of life matches the rhythm of the harvest. Rice is planted in late spring and harvested around September and October, when the terraces turn gold, which is the loveliest time to visit. Many of the families here run homestays, offering a floor mattress under a mosquito net, a shared meal of rice, vegetables and pork, and a drink of corn wine if you wish.
The road is another matter. Surfaces vary from smooth concrete to broken tarmac and mud, particularly after rain, and landslides sometimes block the route in the wet season, which runs from May to September. Corners are blind, and water buffalo, motorbikes and pigs share the lane. Ride slowly, watch for people, and keep out of the way of lorries. Leave time to stop, since the valley's pleasures lie in stopping.
Fuel is available in small roadside shops, though supplies are limited, and it is wise to fill up in the main towns. Ha Giang city, the provincial capital, is the nearest large town and has proper stations and services. Bring cash, since cards are rarely accepted, and a rain jacket, because showers come quickly. The evening meal, around a low table, with talk through gestures and smiles, is one of the best parts of the day.