Warm sunshine in Bản Giàng

The new school in the clouds

From the center of Ban Xeo commune, we traversed a steep and treacherous 25km road to reach Ban Giang, the most remote and difficult-to-access village in the commune. Although we had visited Ban Giang three times before, each journey to the village brought unforgettable memories and emotions that are hard to describe.

The road to Bản Giàng winds through ancient forests, hidden in the mist and clouds.

While the approximately 10 km stretch from the current Ban Xeo commune to the former Pa Cheo commune center is relatively easy to travel, the remaining 15 km is full of curves and steep slopes, like a winding rope clinging to the mountainside. Currently, this section of the road has been paved with concrete, making travel much more convenient and less slippery and dangerous than it was a few years ago when it was still a dirt road.

When we arrived at Ta Pa Cheo village, the weather was still shrouded in thick fog and bitterly cold. However, after piercing through the dense sea of white clouds to reach the towering "gateway to heaven" of Ta Pa Cheo, everyone burst with joy as the fog gradually dissipated, revealing a clear blue sky and brilliant golden sunshine. Here, ancient forests, hidden amidst the mist and clouds, create a scene as beautiful as a fairytale.

The Bản Giàng school in Bản Xèo commune has been built in a modern and spacious style.

But from here, the road descends continuously, entering a sea of fog, with many sharp, hairpin bends. Riding a motorbike on this stretch of road is a thrilling experience, as there are many moments where you have to hold your breath, your heart sometimes tightening, at times feeling like it's about to burst out of your chest. After passing this slope and crossing the Ban Giang stream, continuing uphill for another 2 km halfway up the mountain, you reach the beginning of Ban Giang village.

Returning to Bản Giàng after nearly a year, what impressed me most was the new, spacious, and beautiful school building emerging from the mist, replacing the old classrooms. Inside the classrooms, the voices of first and second graders reciting their lessons echoed. That sound was like a cheerful melody, dispelling the quiet stillness of the cold mountain day.

Teacher Co Thi Soi guides the students in reading the text.

I was quite surprised when I visited the classroom and met a middle-aged teacher guiding students in reading, because usually in this disadvantaged area, the teachers are mostly young. Talking to Ms. Co Thi Soi, we learned that she is 57 years old this year, has dedicated 32 years to education in the highlands, and has taught at all the schools in the former Pa Cheo commune. With only one year left until retirement, despite her age, she volunteered to teach at the remote Ban Giang school to share the difficulties with the teachers.

“The Bản Giàng school branch currently has one preschool class for children aged 2 to 5, and one combined class of grades 1 and 2, with a total of 61 students. Previously, the school branch faced many difficulties because the school buildings were temporary, but this year they have a new, large, and beautiful school. The road from the beginning of the village to the school, which was damaged by floods at the end of 2024, has also been paved with concrete, making travel much easier. Teachers, parents, and students are very happy,” shared Ms. Sợi.

Students learn in sturdy, warm classrooms.

Meeting us again, teacher Nguyen Van Ton, who has worked in the Pa Cheo highlands for 15 years, including 4 years "stationed" in Ban Giang village, said: From September 2025, the new, spacious two-story school building has been completed. The villagers are very proud because this is not only a new school, but also the largest and most beautiful school in the highland villages of Bat Xat area. The school has two floors and four classrooms.

In addition, the kitchen and toilets were newly built, and the two teachers' offices were renovated to be more spacious. Winter in Ban Giang often brings fog and cold, but teachers and students no longer worry because they can study in sturdy, warm classrooms. Thus, the long-held dream of teachers, students, and the Mong people of Ban Giang village has finally come true.

Warm sunshine on the summit of Bản Giàng

We arrived in Bản Giàng on a day of thick fog, so we couldn't see people's faces even from about 10 meters away. Walking around the village, we had to get very close to see the houses of the Hmong people, partially hidden in the mist. This year, Bản Giàng village has a new reason for celebration: over 30 households received government assistance to repair or rebuild their homes, leading to a more comfortable life. Due to the foggy weather, it's a pity we couldn't take a picture of the entire village with its new houses.

Peach blossom forest on the summit of Bản Giàng.

According to teacher Nguyen Van Ton, although Ban Giang is located at a higher elevation compared to many other villages, it is still situated in a valley surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges. It resembles the bottom of a giant bowl, shrouded in fog for weeks, sometimes even months, during winter, obscuring the sunlight. However, beyond that layer of fog, reaching the open area at the summit of Ban Giang reveals less fog and more frequent warm sunshine. Previously, the only way to reach the summit was on foot, but in recent years, on sunny days, motorbikes and small trucks can reach almost the summit because the road has been widened.

Although we knew the climb to the summit of Bản Giàng was still arduous, this time we were determined to conquer the "roof" of Pa Cheo. On our Honda Win motorbike, we, along with Mr. Lý A Tráng, the Party Secretary of Tả Pa Cheo village, ascended the mountain slope. Indeed, the road to Bản Giàng had been widened, but it was still incredibly difficult, as many sections were still muddy after the rains, and there were also sharp turns and steep inclines. As someone who frequently travels in the highlands, sitting on Mr. Tráng's motorbike, I sometimes felt a chill down my spine, as if I were about to be thrown down the mountainside.

Mr. Ly A Chung takes care of his family's peach orchard.

After more than half an hour of climbing uphill, we escaped the sea of mist and reached the high ground at the summit of Ban Giang. The sun shone brightly, and from the mountaintop, the sea of white clouds looked like a fairyland. Even more special was the vast area at the summit of Ban Giang, nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, with low hills resembling mounds of sticky rice. One surprise followed another; further into the mountaintop were orchards and forests of peach trees in full bloom, creating a scene straight out of a fairy tale.

Standing beside his peach orchard, where blossoms are in full bloom, Mr. Ly A Chung shared: "Although Ban Giang mountain peak is high, it's quite flat and has ample land. Therefore, in the last 5 years, about 100 households from the villages of Ban Giang, Ta Pa Cheo, and Seo Pa Cheo have come here to plant trees, raise livestock, and develop their economy . My family lives in Ta Pa Cheo village, more than 17 km from Ban Giang peak, and we started planting peach trees here in 2019. To date, my family has about 1,500 peach trees. Last spring, my family earned 150 million VND from selling peaches. This year, the peach blossoms bloomed early, and I earned over 30 million VND."

The Hmong people grow peach trees on Ban Giang mountain to increase their income.

Admiring the peach trees in full bloom on the summit of Ban Giang, we were very impressed because the peach blossoms here are very different from those in the highlands of Bat Xat. The flowers are large, the color is deep, the petals are thick, and the buds are densely packed on the branches. Mr. Chung said that it's a precious variety he bought from Sin Suoi Ho commune, Lai Chau province, to plant here. Although the soil on the summit of Ban Giang is dry and barren, it has plenty of sunshine and wind, which is very suitable for peach trees. Once planted, the peach trees only need care and fertilization, and after 3 years they will bloom beautifully, selling for from 500,000 to several million dong.

Spring has arrived in Bản Giàng mountain.

As we descended from the summit of Ban Giang to Pa Cheo, we saw farm trucks trudging uphill, carrying fertilizer for the Mong people to plant peach trees. Recalling our conversation with the Mong people at the "Roof of Pa Cheo" by the peach trees, we learned that over 100 households had joined forces over the past few years to build a 5-kilometer road for trucks to transport fertilizer up the mountain and peach trees down. It filled us with admiration for the willpower and solidarity of the Mong people here.

Certainly, with their efforts to escape poverty and their determination to improve their lives, the Mong people on Ban Giang mountain will become increasingly prosperous, just like the peach trees blooming brilliantly on this mountaintop.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/nang-am-ban-giang-post892964.html