What is the loop of Ha Giang?
The province of Ha Giang is described by many as the most authentic of the country, Vietnam in a pure state. The loop of Ha Giang is a circular route of 350 km that most of the people travel by motorcycle. In this path you’ll be able to see some of the most impressive landscapes not only in Vietnam but also in southeast asian. rice Fields, ethnic minority, buffalo, rivers, waterfalls, traditional houses, all this and much more is waiting for you in Ha Giang.
– Save and gain quality in exploring different options
Some agencies offer their tours 4 days for around 250€-400€ per person for the loop of 4 days sleeping in shared rooms, and without including easy rider.
For that reason, we recommend comparing prices and services from several agencies before you book, and think about what type of experience you want to have.
A little further down I’ll give you my recommendation on which tour you choose.
How to go to the city and region of Ha Giang?
It is not difficult to get to Ha Giang by bus bed-or “sleeper bus”. , There are buses from different places in the north of Vietnam such as Hanoi, Sapa, or Cat Ba.
These buses can be hired by means of local travel agencies, in your bed or in advance through Baolau.com. If you want to know more about how to move around in Vietnam, don’t miss my article, How to travel Vietnam?
PRO TIP: When you get to Ha Giang, algunis coaches or minibuses you are going to leave the accommodation or point of Ha Giang them for you. If not, what’s more likely is that you leave at the bus station in Ha Giang. If so, you can use the app Xanh SM to book transportation to your accommodation (Rec does not work in Ha Giang, but Xanh SM yes).
Once in Ha Giang What transportation options are there?
Once in Ha Giang you have to go to a point of rental bikes, or to the place from where you quit your tour.
In the accommodation Bes Home you will be able to find Dani, a spaniard, who lives in Ha Giang and can help to organize your adventure in Ha Giang. From there organize tours on bike or car with driver, with a focus on culture and nature, avoiding mass tourism. Also rent bikes to those with a valid driver’s license in Vietnam.
📱 You can contact Dani via WhatsApp. If you say that you come on this page, we will make a discount of 100,000 VND per person (approx. 4 €). Whatsapp for DANI, Spanish in HA GIANG.
If you want to consider other options, you can consider hiring the transport through other local accommodations recommended by travelers as Ha Giang Go Hostel, Bong Ha Giang Hostel, or Hong Hao Hostel.
👉 Option 1: tour by motorbike with driver (easyrider)
There are tours to complete including food, accommodation, petrol, service, and trekking for about 50€ per day, or 1.250.000 VND (prices consulted the 24-06-2025).
This is my recommended option, since you will not have to worry about driving, you’ll be able to enjoy more of the scenery, and you’re going to have the hands free to take all the pictures you want.
Yes, I recommend you avoid the ‘party tour or tours widespread of more than 8 people, as they usually focus on stops tourist very crowded, lose their authenticity and, in addition, may increase the risk on the road because of the size of the group.
Instead, I suggest the tour of Be’s Home, designed by Dani Ha Giang, which includes cultural visits unique that do not appear on other tours, trekking, and an itinerary that takes place in large part by secondary roads away from the mass tourism. In addition, the stops are planned with care to avoid clashing with the large groups and offer a more authentic experience and safe. Remember that you have a discount of 100.000 VND per person (approx. 4 €) for being a reader of Adventures with Alberto.
This is the perfect option if you:
- You don’t know to drive a motorcycle.
- You don’t have a bike license, valid in Vietnam (for example, the card international issued in Spain is not valid).
- Or simply you prefer to leave the driving in the hands of someone with experience.
👉Option 2: tour by car with driver
This is the ideal choice if you are travelling with the family (especially with children), with people with reduced mobility, or simply the motorcycles is not your thing.
The price of the part from 60 € per person per day (1.300.000 VND) if the tour is for only 2 people, but the cost per person is reduced if the group is 3 or more people (prices consulted the 24/06/2025). Be s home may also be organizing this kind of tours.
👉Option 3: Rent a scooter and drive for your account
Rent a motorbike in Ha Giang costs from 300.00 dongs per day (about 10€) for a bike of small displacement, although the price increases if you choose a bike more powerful.
In the place where you rent the bike will explain what to see and how to split the route according to the days you have available. In addition, they usually save for free to your large backpacks until your return and offer you a helmet and protection included.
If you get tired early in the morning, the majority of hostels let you rest for a few hours or sleep there before you leave, at a reasonable price according to the contracted services.
Please note that for driving on your own, you need to know to drive with ease and have a valid driving licence according to the 1968 convention.
👉 I’ll explain everything in detail in the article: do You need a card international driving by Ha Giang?
¡¡ATTENTION! There are agencies that organize tours from Hanoi you have that you have to pay for accommodation and food for the driver in case of lame car or easyrider. In my experience this is not so, and honestly, I think that if you have this is because you want to sell your own tour.
What is the loop of Ha Giang a dangerous road?⚠📢⚠
If you are a biker experienced and take certain precautions, the loop of Ha Giang is not for nothing dangerous, but if you are a newbie, believe me, Ha Giang is not the place to learn to ride a bike.
Ha Giang has been many accidents, some even with foreigners dead. For this reason I say to you that, if you don’t know to drive, or you have to.
👉 What is the state of the roads?
The roads in Ha Giang are generally well paved and well maintained (except in this section, I recommend to avoid), although there are certain areas you currently in construction or with mud and potholes. For this reason, I advise you to drive with caution, because if you’re going fast and das with a bad pothole, you can fly out.
👉 Whatare the roads very dangerous?
Route Ha Giang has many areas with curves and significant slopes, with which you have to drive at safe speed and use extreme caution in stretches with low visibility, because the trucks are often in mode kamikaze.
In addition, if you are going to rent a scooter I recommend not to rent an automatic (no gears), but a semi-automatic or manual, because you’re going to give you more control on descents and more strength on the climbs (motorcycle semi-atuomáticas are easier to use than the manual).
👉At the wrong time a lot of eye.
The time can make the route much more dangerous. If it rains a lot, or the fog is very thick, I recommend you stop and wait for the return of calm before embarking on the road again (because it is worth more than your life).
👉 The driving style of vietnamese.
In Vietnam the people leading different,and, often, a little unpredictable for someone who is not used. For this reason, I recommend extreme caution when driving in the vicinity of local people.
👉 The BIG tours
Some agencies and hostels organized tours with many participants (10, 15, 20 or even more people). This type of groups often move at high speed, without respect safety distances, and driving times unpredictable. For example, I’ve witnessed hard braking, sudden acceleration or overtaking in a group without a lot of caution.
My advice: avoid joining this kind of tours. If you find yourself with one for the road, take a break and let you advance. You will save scares, and you’ll enjoy much more of the landscape at your own pace.
PRO TIP: When you do not have space and approaching a large vehicle, be cast to one side and hopes to pass. it Is possible that the large vehicle does not deviate even a little bit. This way you’ll avoid surprises.
Is it necessary to have passport International motorcycle?
The carnet international countries adhering to the convention on road traffic, Vienna 1968 , it is valid in Vietnam, as it also reflects the law-regulation of the vietnamese government,. This means that international driving permits issued by countries such as Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Cuba, United Kingdom, and Greece can be legally used to drive in Vietnam.
Unfortunately, the permissions of countries like Spain, USA or Australia are NOT valid because the government of the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam has NOT acceded to the Convention of Traffic, Geneva, 1949. Vietnam appears as an acceding country in 1953, however, the State that signed the treaty was not the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam, but the former Republic of Vietnam, a state linked to the united States during the Vietnam War, which disappeared as a result of the unification of the country in 1975.
In Vietnam, many people drive without a driver, and although in principle it is not considered a serious violation as in other countries (usually resolved by paying a small fine), the consequences can be very serious if you have an accident.
In the event of an accident by driving illegally, you will be solely responsible. Depending on the severity and the circumstances, they could withdraw the passport or even end up in jail until your embassy to intervene and clarify the status of the persons involved.
In addition, in the area of Ha Giang, the police is being especially strict with this topic. Are conducting frequent checks to ensure that those who do the loop feature with the international licence, valid according to the Vienna Convention of 1968.
If you’re caught without the card right, it is very likely that you will impose a large fine and/or you seize the bike. This is because in recent years there have been serious accidents in the area, some with a result of foreign tourists dead, which has led the authorities to tighten controls.
Itinerary and accommodation in the loop of Ha Giang
👉Route 4 days, length recommended
4 days is the ideal length to make the loop of Ha Giang. If you do the loop in 4 days you’re going to have time to enjoy the road trip, you include extra stops and enjoy the places that you’re here.
Also, if you do the loop in 4 days you’re going to have quite a bit more room to maneuver if one of the days makes you a bad time.
► DAY 1: 🎯 Ha Giang 🡺 Yen Minh (110 kms).
In Ha Giang , I picked up the bike in the Ha Giang Go Hostel, and the truth is that I recommend it because it helped me plan the route, I gave protections, and the bike was perfect. If he came back, case with Dani’s homestay Be’s Home, as it is a Spanish based in Ha Giang and is thrilled to share their knowledge with travelers. In addition, as mentioned before, if you say that you have come to this page, I will make a discount of 100,000 VND per person (approx. 4€) on the tour or rent a bike Whatsapp DANI, Spanish in HA GIANG.
The first night I stayed in Yen Minh city, the landscape up there is very cool, although it is true that the landscape of the next few days will be even better. For you to stay, I recommend the Homestay Phuc Anh (the family is lovely and the dinner that is cheap, typical and abundant).
► DAY 2: 🎯 Yen Minh 🡺 Pho Bang (67km) 🡺 Palace King Hmong (14 km) 🡺 Lung Cu (30km) 🡺 Dong Van (25km).
Way of Yen Minh to Dong Van I recommend you keep walking on the way to visit the village of Pho Bang, in which you are going to see a lot of traditional houses of minority ethnic groups, landscapes very very cool, and, in short, one of the towns most authentic I’ve ever been to in Vietnam.
From Pho Bang, refer and visit the palace of the former king of the Hmong. Is a palace amazingly austere and simple, counting on the fact that the Hmong people are an ethnic minority most important of Vietnam and throughout southeast asia, and has played a very important part in the history of Vietnam, China and Laos.
From the palace of the kings Hmong, I recommend you go to Lung Cu, the most northern point of all of Vietnam, where there is a tower from which hondea a national flag immense. you Can climb the tower after paying 25.000 VND (1€). From the tower you can see the whole picture mountainous both vietnamese and chinese (look at the 30-second video to get an idea). Please, when you go there it shows respect for the flag (for example, in the way that you do photos).
Finally, from Lung Cu head to Dong Van, a city with a large number of Homestays and restaurants where you can rest until your third day in the loop.
In Dong Van, I stayed in the Green Karst Hostel & Bar,. This hostel is a bit separate from the area where you are staying all the tourists, but to me this was something positive. The private room was comfortable and the Internet fairly quickly.
Finally, if you’re in Dong Van on a Sunday morning, you can take advantage to visit in ethnic market before heading out on your next stage.
► DAY 3: 🎯 Dong Van 🡺 Meo Vac 🡺 Du Gia (80km) through the impressive Ma Pi Leng Pass.
The route of the third day, from Dong Van to Du Gia, is going to be your favorite of all the loop.
In particular, the stretch of the Ma Pi Leng Pass, soon after leaving Dong Van, will leave you without words. The road winds its way between the mountains and the landscapes of a heart attack is happening. It is like being in another world,. On your left, at the bottom of the valley, you’ll see the river Song Nho That, by which it is possible to sail by boat or Kayak (ask your accommodation in Dong Van about how to organize it). In addition, on the way to Du Gia,, if it’s Sunday and you arrive early, you could visit the ethnic market in Meo Vac.
If when you get to Du Gia ‘s still daylight and good weather, we recommend you leave the backpack at your accommodation and go to stick a bathroom to the iguazu falls are very nearby. Honestly, for me to take a shower right there in my arrival to Ha Giang was a delight (if you can’t find them, the local people will indicate 100%). There are areas where you can bathe in. The waterfalls main of Du Gia are currently quite overcrowded. In the present it is better to approach a falls a little bit further away, that usually do not go the tours great. I recommend you go after make check-in in your bed, or early in the morning, before going out in the morning. I recommend that you do not leave anything of value in the bike, as there have been thefts. Currently, the parking is free, but I think it could be advisable to buy something in one of the beach bars of the area, and leave the bike right next to you throw an eye.
When I came to Du Gia I stayed in a bungalow-cabin in the Backpacker Garden homestay, which although basic, it was cheap, comfortable, and quiet. An accommodation that is impressive is the Du Gia Landscape, the views, the charm of the hosts, and the quality of the interior spaces. Has been recommended by several travellers, and it truly looks awesome!
Finally, if you’re in Du Gia a Saturday morning, you can take advantage to visit in ethnic market before heading out on your next stage.
►DAY 4: 🎯 Du Gia 🡺 Ha Giang.
For this section you have two options: 1) this route back requires more time driving (95km) through scenery rather normal, but the road is in very good condition.
On the other hand, 2) the second option requires you to do less miles (70km) and the landscape is more interesting. However, there are sections that are under construction and may be in a poor state. This second option used to be the worst road of all the loop by being in the works, but today it has improved a lot.
👉 What the route Ha Giang can be done in 1, 2 or 3 days?
📌 3 days is the minimum indispensable, in fact, many travelers make the loop in 3 days without much difficulty, although it is true that doing it in 3 days you’re not going to have much free time.
– DAY 1: Ha Giang 🡺 Yen Minh (110 kms).
– DAY 2: Yen Minh 🡺 Dong Van 🡺 Meo Vac (130 km).
– DAY 3: Meo Vac 🡺 Ha Giang (150km).
📌 2 days would be, in my point of view, too much beating and I would not recommend it, but it is possible and I’ve known people that have done so (although, as I say, I would not recommend it).
– DAY 1: Ha Giang 🡺 Dong Van (140km).
– DAY 2: Dong Van 🡺 Meo Vac 🡺 Ha Giang (180km).
📌 1 day is not enough to do much in Ha Giang. Ha Giang is quite far from Sapa as Hanoi and go for 1 day is going to involve sleep 2 nights on a sleeper bus and see quite a bit during your time in Ha Giang. So, if you only have a day, I recommend you search for a place or activity alternative.
What time does Ha Giang?
In Ha Giang, as in the greater part of Vietnam, there are 4 seasons.
🎄❄How is the weather in Ha Giang in the winter? ❄🎄:
In my opinion, the winter is the worst time to do the route Ha Giang, because you take the risk of constant rain and lots of fog, in addition to the low temperatures. of The cold and the possibility of bad weather it is necessary to add that in the months of December, January and February, it gets dark quite early, so that you’re not going to have as many hours of light as you would have for example in the summer.
😎 🌄 How is the weather in Ha Giang in the summer? 😎🌄
The time in Ha Giang in the summer is very hot and there is a risk of storms , sporadic and of short duration. The biggest benefit of going in the summer is that you will have many hours of light to get the most out of Ha Giang.
To combat the heat I recommend you leave very early in the morning and protect your skin with sunscreen, long sleeve, glasses, os –l, and even a mask like this.
To protect you from the rain, I recommend you to carry a raincoat. If you are travelling in summer, a small bag waterproof for mobile phone and a covers-backpacks also come well.
🔝 🌹 🍂 How is the weather in Ha Giang in spring and autumn? 🍂🌹🔝
For me, spring and fall are the best times to go to visit Ha Giang. In the first place, because it does not nor as hot as summer or as cold as in winter. in Addition, the risk of storms is lower than in summer, while in spring yes that there is usually enough moisture environment.
What to wear to the loop of Ha Giang?
👉What is most essential: travel insurance and other documents
For the route Ha Giang duty to bring to hand all the information of your travel insurance as well as your passport and your driving license International (if you’re going to lead you). Get 5% in your insurance HeyMondo through this link!
💡More info in the article What insurance do you recommend for your trip to Vietnam?
👉 What kind of backpack to bring?
During the route, you’ll be able to leave the bulk of your luggage in place where to rent a bike, easyrider, or a car. For this reason, I recommend to bring a medium-sized backpack where you put the things you need during the route Ha Giang. A good option could be to bring a backpack waterproof, as in Vietnam, there is a risk of rain throughout the year. If you bring a backpack for all of life, I recommend you bring a cover backpack waterproof to protect your clothes from the rain.
👉 ⛅What clothes to bring, and how to protect yourself from the elements?🌧️
Both in summer and in winter, you should bring clothing that covers the skin. in Addition, in winter, I recommend you bring lots of warm clothes.
► Clothing that covers the skin to protect from the Sun and for that, in case of an accident, you remove some of the impact.
► Rain jacket to go on a bike (cheaper in Vietnam).
► Waterproof bags for mobile phone (for example, of this type).
👉 What to bring for sleeping well in the buses and hostels?
►A jacket to protect you from air conditioning.
► Pack pillow, eye mask and earplugs: believe me, you’re going to thank to avoid noise, lights and nuisance to rest to the maximum when you need it.
►In many hostels you “rent” the towels. For this reason, I recommend you bring a towel portable super absorbent (also, it takes up very very little).
