Mã Pí Lèng Pass Explained

Mã Pí Lèng Pass
Other Name:	Vietnamese: Đèo Mã Pí Lèng
Map:	Vietnam
Elevation:	1500m (4,900feet) The highway does not exceed about 1150 meters above sea level and never comes close to 1500m.
Location:	Hà Giang, Vietnam

The Mã Pí Lèng Pass is a mountain pass on the Highway 4C in the territory of Pai Lung and Pa Vi commune, Hà Giang province, North Vietnam.^{[1] [2]}

It is approximately 20km (10miles) long, on the section of the Highway 4C connecting the towns of Đồng Văn and Mèo Vạc. It is at the altitude of 1,500 m (4,921 ft).^[3] The road was first built by Yao, H'mong, Tay and Lolo minority people.^[4]

This section of the Highway 4C was constructed in the years of 1960.

Etymology

Mã Pí Lèng Pass is named after Mả Pí Lèng ban, a hamlet of Hmong people in Pai Lung commune. It is near also Mã Pí Lèng Peak.^[2]

The peak is named for its shape, "Mả Pí Lèng" (馬鼻樑) - meaning "bridge of a horse's nose". The word is from Hmong language.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Administration Atlas of Vietnam. Vietnam Natural Resources and Environment Publishing. Hà Nội, 2013.
2. Map of scale 1:50.000 sheet F-48-19-D. Cục Đo đạc và Bản đồ Việt Nam, 2004.
3. Planet Earth's Greatest Motorcycle Adventure Tours - Page 108 Colette Coleman - 2008 "Climb over the 1,500 m (4,921 ft) Ma Pi Leng Pass on a road that twists up the side of an enormous canyon."
4. Guide to Vietnam John R. Jones - 1994 A road through the Ma Pi Leng Pass, which was first built by minority people (Zao, H'mong, Tay and Lo Lo), is currently being repaired after receiving considerable damage from Chinese artillery. It is also accessible via Bao Lac in Cao Bang.
5. Web site: Ma Pi Leng Pass. Discover Ha Giang. September 17, 2017.