In the middle of February 2025, the cold weather and light rain did not discourage Pham Nguyen Ngoc Oanh and her group of friends - students at a university in Hanoi - from planning to go to Ha Giang. This group of friends is determined to make all the markings at the known check-in points.
"For more than a month now, I have seen many young people traveling to Ha Giang with photos and a small book like a passport, each tourist destination will be stamped, as if they have come. It is very interesting, on this trip, I also want to experience it", Ms. Oanh said.
Standing in front of Lung Cu flagpole with the book "Ha Giang Passport" just had its first stamp, Mr. Hoang Minh from Ho Chi Minh City happily said: "Before coming to Ha Giang, I heard friends talk about this trend. Seeing how interesting it was, I decided to try it right away.
Sharing more about the experience of hunting for "tourism visa" trees, Mr. Minh said that currently, at famous tourist destinations such as Lung Cu milestone, Dong Van ancient town, Ma Pi Leng pass or highland villages, visitors can find stamp stations with unique designs.
These places not only stand out for their natural beauty but also carry a strong cultural imprint, making each tree not only a memory, but also a connection with the history and local people.
Many people think that collecting enough tree markings creates more motivation to explore more places, instead of just visiting familiar places.
Some backpacking groups also consider this a personal challenge, encouraging them to go further, looking for villages that are less well-known. This is truly a very unique way to attract tourism, said Mr. Minh.
Sharing the idea of the "Ha Giang tourism visa" was initiated by Ms. Huyen Trang - owner of an ice cream shop in Dong Van - inspired by trips abroad, where visitors can collect stamps or wood sticks at special destinations.
At first, this was just a small experiment for tourists to have more experience when coming to my restaurant, but I didnt expect many young people to be very excited. After that, many homestays, cafes and local tourist attractions also started participating, designing their own tree markings to serve tourists, said Ms. Trang.
Although only implemented by some tourist destinations in Ha Giang, the wood-stamping activity has shown its appeal to tourists. Many people consider this not only a check-in trend but also a way to personalize the travel experience, making the trip more memorable.
