Majestic Tham Ma slope on the rocky land

Tham Ma Slope, National Highway 4C, Pho Bang Commune.

Tham Ma Slope is located on National Highway 4C, also known as the legendary Happiness Road. According to locals, the slope is more than 2 km long, in which the top of the slope in Mo Xi hamlet is where the most beautiful curves are, which is the place to test human strength, horse strength and even... car strength. When talking about the rocky highlands of Ha Giang in the past, now Tuyen Quang, people will think of challenges such as Bac Sum and Ma Pi Leng passes and of course Tham Ma Slope, the slope is located at an altitude of 1,400 - 1,500m above sea level.

The name Tham Ma has a very symbolic meaning, which is to test the horse's strength. According to the old people in the Stone Plateau, in the past, when there was no National Highway 4C, to get through here, there was only a trail for people and horses to pass. Traders from the lowlands could only use horses to carry goods and had to pass through this place. Each time they passed Tham Ma slope, it was a big challenge for both people and horses. The road through Tham Ma, although dangerous and difficult to travel, was the only way to Dong Van, the center of the Stone Plateau at that time. There was no other choice, people and horses had to conquer this slope. To remind people of the difficulty of the slope, people called it by a very "heavy" name - Tham Ma.

The curves of Tham Ma slope seen from above are as soft as silk strips.

In the 60s of the last century, National Highway 4C was opened through Tham Ma slope, which is also one of the most arduous and difficult sections of the entire 185m-long Happiness Road. It took a lot of effort and time for Tham Ma slope to be completed. But even though it has been renovated over time and is as beautiful as it is today, this slope is still a challenge for many trucks transporting goods to the highlands. Especially trucks carrying construction materials, many of which had to stop and stay on the slope because of damage due to the curve and slope of Tham Ma. Therefore, the beauty of this slope is probably only superficial, it is still one of the arduous slopes of the Stone Plateau, ready to challenge the "pack horses" running on gasoline and oil of modern times.

Ignoring the hardships of the curves and slopes, Tham Ma Pass is truly one of the most majestic landscapes on the Stone Plateau. In the dry season, this place is covered in a gray color of rocks, in the summer it is green with corn and grass. In the fall and early winter of October and early November, this place has the most beautiful scenery and is often the most popular with tourists. The vastness and majesty of the mountains and the steep cliffs make people feel small before the vast and liberal nature here. The smiles, flirtatious eyes, and rosy cheeks of the mountain girls make tourists' hearts flutter. That is why many young couples and domestic and foreign tourist groups love and never miss this very romantic check-in spot.

Tourists take photos at Tham Ma slope with Mong children.

In the middle of the gray rock area, there are dry seasons that are barren and harsh, but it is the winding shapes of the Tham Ma slope, along with the border sky that makes the scenery here gentle, attracting tourists. Many times this place is crowded with tourists, some people even compare it to "losing" because too many tourists come here. But that is actually a joy, a happy scene for many people standing in the "lost" space where nature and people blend together, blending into the majesty of this slope.

Tham Ma has been arduous for generations, but has now become an interesting and romantic destination with extremely beautiful pictures of tourists with girls carrying baskets of wild flowers, buckwheat flowers, and rape flowers; of many happy moments of couples in the frame with the national flag next to the curves of Tham Ma, which are as soft as silk. The arduous slope in the poor countryside in the past has now become a stopover for many couples from all over the country and the world .

Tham Ma Slope is also a favorite destination for foreign tourists.

There is an interesting point on the Tham Ma slope, where we can easily encounter one of the most unique farming activities in Vietnam, which is rock hole cultivation. The Mong people here diligently clear the land, carrying each basket of soil into the rock holes and planting each corn seed, pumpkin seed, bean seed, then taking care of it until harvest. The simple production life of the people contributes to the creation of very unique heritages on the rocks. Right next to the top of the Tham Ma slope, there is a place that many people also like to try, which is the virtual cliff, a geological formation that creates an illusion for people. A ravine has a space that feels very close between 2 cliffs, everyone thinks they can hold a stone and throw it lightly across this ravine, but almost no one can throw a stone to the foot of the cliff on the other side.

A slope with only two short words - Tham Ma, but it creates so many interesting and strange things, both real and virtual, attractive and creates so many emotions in people's hearts. I and many people have been here many times, but will definitely want to come back many more times to this majestic slope.

Article and photos: Huy Toan

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/du-lich/202511/hung-vi-doc-tham-ma-tren-mien-da-20c49cf/