Mã Pí Lèng Pass

The Mã Pí Lèng Pass (Vietnamese pronunciation: [maː4.piː5.lɛ̌ːŋ2]) 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]

Mã Pí Lèng Pass
Vietnamese: Đèo Mã Pí Lèng
Mã Pí Lèng Pass
Elevation	1,500 metres (4,900 ft) The highway does not exceed about 1150 meters above sea level and never comes close to 1500m.
Location	Hà Giang, Vietnam
Coordinates	23.24°N 105.4°E / 23.24; 105.4
Position of Mã Pí Lèng Pass

It is approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) 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]