ALONG HAPPINESS ROAD – IN THE MOUNTAINS OF VIETNAM

In the remote province of Ha Giang in northern Vietnam, striking cone-shaped mountains form dramatic limestone landscapes, home to some of the world’s most ingeniously terraced rice fields. Here, ethnic minority communities still live in close harmony with nature, preserving unique cultural traditions passed down through the generations. A spectacular mountain pass, known as Happiness Road, winds through this sparsely populated region. For the locals, it has become a vital lifeline; for visitors it is a gateway to a world filled with natural wonders. Within this protected UNESCO Global Geopark, people live with and from the land, dedicating themselves to its care. Lien, a member of the Dao people, uses plants as natural medicine. In Giao’s village, bamboo has been cultivated for generations, and in the mid-mountain areas, it’s the women who begin the rice harvest. The region’s most famous shaman still practices an ancestral natural religion, while Chung guides tourists on his motorbike across the legendary Ma Pi Leng Pass – although his heart longs for a place far from the winding road. But dark clouds are gathering over this natural wonderland: the biggest typhoon of the decade is approaching, threatening the region with heavy rains and flooding.