Marker No.0 marks the tri-border junction of Vietnam, Laos, and China. It stands atop Khoang La San mountain at an elevation of more than 1,800 meters, in A Pa Chải village, Sín Thầu commune, about 260 kilometers west of Điện Biên province’s center.

After passing through Tả Kố Khừ village in Sín Thầu commune, we began the final stretch toward the marker. The trail winds through primary forest, where thick mist blankets the surroundings. By Hà Nhì reckoning, the destination still lay beyond three mountain peaks and two saddle valleys.

Our vehicle steadily climbed steeper slopes, weaving through the dark, damp wilderness. Dense vegetation lined both sides of the path, with vines clinging tightly to towering ancient trees. The journey was not long in distance, but it was enough for each of us to feel the raw grandeur of the borderland. In brief clearings, we looked out over Hà Nhì villages below, gradually fading into the white mist. After traveling nearly four kilometers by vehicle and climbing more than 500 steps, Marker No.0 finally came into view, solid and imposing. Made of granite, it stands on a square base measuring 5 by 5 meters. The two-meter-high pillar faces three directions, each engraved with the name and national emblem of Vietnam, Laos, and China in their respective languages.

Amid the vast expanse of mountains where three borders meet, the idea of territory no longer felt abstract. It became tangible, defined down to every inch of land. “I never imagined I’d stand in a place where just one step could take me into another country”, said Trần Cát Lương, a traveler from Hà Nội, his eyes fixed on the word “Vietnam” carved into the stone.

What a profound feeling it was to stand at the country’s far western peak, gazing out over its borderlands. Beneath the fluttering national flag and beside the engraved national emblem, a deep sense of pride filled the air. Together, we raised our voices in the national anthem: “The Vietnamese army marches on, united to save the nation, our steps resounding along the rugged road…”

Our voices echoed across the mountains. Though not loud, the sound carried far, blending with the wind and reverberating through the endless ranges. After singing, some of us quietly took out our phones to capture the moment at Marker No.0. Everyone wanted to hold the national flag high in the wind. A shared sense of pride and emotion bound us together. “I’ve sung the national anthem many times in Hanoi, but here it feels completely different - sacred. It makes me more aware of my responsibility to the country”, Lương added.

Reaching Marker No.0, standing in the vast openness of wind and mountains, is an unforgettable experience in itself. Singing the national anthem together at this tri-border point, hearing the melody merge with the mountain winds, stirred a deep sense of national pride within each of us.

Perhaps what makes Marker No.0 at A Pa Chải so special is not only its location - where “one rooster’s crow is heard by three countries” - but also the feeling it evokes. Here, borders are no longer just lines on a map. Touching the triangular marker, one comes to appreciate the value of every inch of sacred land. Though far from the center of Điện Biên province and not easy to reach, that very challenge makes the moment of arrival all the more meaningful. The journey becomes a milestone - a personal reminder of one’s love for the country.