High in the northern mountains of Vietnam lies the sleepy town of Ha Giang. A remote location. Frigid in the winters, humid in the summers. A small city surrounded by mountains where life seems to slow down. But, a top destination for adventure seekers and travelers craving an epic road trip!
The province of Ha Giang is a place where the roads wind through breathtaking mountains, terraced rice fields and valleys of majestic wildflowers. Home to some of Vietnam’s beautiful Ethnic Minority tribes, unforgettable turquoise canyons and narrow winding passes, the Ha Giang Loop is a dream come true for adventurers.
Keep reading to see exactly who, what, where, when and why you need to throw on your helmet and get ready to motorbike Ha Giang’s backroads. Pack your bags, grab your camera gear and get ready to take a road trip of a lifetime through the most stunning stretch of Vietnam landscape. There’s no doubt this will make you want to roadtrip the Ha Giang Loop!
Where is Ha Giang?
An official frontier area, Ha Giang borders China’s mountainous Yunnan region. Lying in the remote far north of Vietnam, Ha Giang province is sure to take you on a journey back in time!
The small city of Ha Giang, where you will more than likely start your journey, is the gateway to the province. Roughly 320km or 6 hours from Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, Ha Giang is home to a collection of some of Vietnam’s most rugged and grand landscapes and also holds the country’s most northern point!
Should I Book a Ha Giang Loop Tour?
Absolutely.
Where do I even begin convincing you that a tour with Ha Giang Road Trip will not only be legendary, but the most epic road trip you’ll ever do!
We decided to book with Ha Giang Road Trip because it had such great reviews and talking to Opi before the trip was super helpful and he gave off such great vibes. He answered all of our questions and even booked our buses to and from Sapa and Hanoi to make things easier.
We booked his 4-Day-3-Night tour, which includes motorbike rentals, gas, food, accommodation, tickets, etc…
Opi obviously knows Ha Giang like the back of his hand and because he’s from the Tay Ethnic Minority community, a small tribe in Ha Giang province, he knows all the hidden gems, all the secret locations, all the good eats, all the best routes and all the gorgeous viewpoints. He definitely made our trip what it was and it definitely wouldn’t have been as epic without him and his friends leading the way!
Opi was an incredible person to do the Ha Giang Loop with as he speaks perfect English and Vietnamese. He constantly made us laugh and was super informative when it came to history and locations. Working with 6 of his friends who are also of the Red Dao and Hmong Ethnic Minorities, they built Ha Giang Road Trip in hopes of protecting culture and developing responsible tourism.
Ultimately he wanted travelers to have the opportunity to discover Northern Vietnam from the inside with all its traditions and ways of life. The local people he works with are not sponsored or working with travel agencies and he chose them because he thought they were welcoming, open-minded and motivated about sharing their culture.
When it came time to choose a tour, Ha Giang Road Trip was exactly what we were looking for. We’re so happy to have been able to see just how special Ha Giang really is thanks to Opi. So, if you’re planning to head this far north be sure to support local guides and reach out to Opi!
Getting To Ha Giang
Luckily for us, our awesome guide Opi, arranged our pick up and drop off from Hanoi and onward to Sapa! He even suggested and booked our hotel in Ha Giang for the night! What a guy! This totally made our transition up north seamless!
If you’re planning to do everything on your own, buses run day and night from Hanoi to Ha Giang City. These can range anywhere from sleepers to private limousines. Driving is the only form of transport to get to Ha Giang, so be prepared for a day of winding through the mountains!
Depending on the vehicle and driver, travel time alone usually takes around 6 hours. A stop for lunch will add another 45 minutes to the drive rounding it off to a 7 hour stint. Be sure to bring a book!
PRO TIP: night buses arrive in Hà Giang very early in the morning when most things aren’t open yet, but most bus companies will let their customers stay on-board and continue sleeping until dawn arrives!
Getting Around Ha Giang
Public transport around Ha Giang Province is limited, very limited. And although you can rent a car or hire a private driver to take you around, it’s few and far between. The absolute best option is to motorbike. And not because it’s the easiest option, but because Ha Giang is best experienced on two wheels, soaking up its majestic landscape.
You can rent a motorbike in town and do the loop yourself, or book a tour and have your guide lead the way. This was the option we decided to go with! Both myself and my friend Lee (@Leandreh) jumped on our own motorbikes and had our guide Opi lead the way.
We loved having someone to follow! No Google Map checking, no lost signals, no worries if we fell off our bikes, no stress, just utter bliss, views and excitement!
If you don’t feel comfortable driving your own motorbike, Ha Giang Roadtrip offers an ‘easy-rider’ option! Enjoy the views and the wind in your hair from the back of the bike as your guide drives you around the loop!
To touch on road conditions in Ha Giang, they are for the most part paved, but some parts are certainly not. I’m not going to lie, the ‘unconventional roads’ up in these woods are not for the faint of heart. Narrow, winding, steep, gravel, dirt, ditches, potholes and massive trucks can make the drive demanding!
Let’s Get Started On Our Ha Giang Loop Road Trip!
Day 1: Ha Giang to Tam Son (75km)
8:00am: Rise & Shine & Get Ready To Hop On Your Motorbike!
As we sipped back our breakfast soup, we chatted with Opi as he filled us in on our day ahead and answered our burning Ha Giang questions. After we took our motorbike rentals for a spin, we filled up on gas and headed out to our first stop of the day!
9:00am: Mini Trek Through Thon Tha & Ha Thanh Village
Just a short drive out of Ha Giang city we visited the villages of Thon Tha and Ha Thanh. Walking through these two beautiful villages of the Tay people was an amazing start to our day. From incredible rice fields to the wonderful flora and fauna to a secluded waterfall, this mini trek was an incredible introduction to the beauty of Ha Giang.
You can even enjoy a swim in the waterfall in Ha Thanh Village if the weather allows!
11:00am: Motorbike to Minh Tan Village & Grab Lunch
We stopped at a local restaurant to grab some lunch with the locals. We instantly knew the food was going to be good because all the truckers seemed to stop here as well. Excited to eat was an understatement!
Although what looks to be a typical Vietnamese lunch, it was the best meal I’ve had in a long time! I hopped back on my motorbike full and ready to ride on!
1:00pm: Dong Van Global Karst Plateau Geopark
Ha Giang was truly turning out to be the best decision we ever made. As we drove through the Dong Van Global Karst Plateau Geopark our jaws hit the ground, Ha Giang just cannot be real!
Dong Van Global Karst Plateau Geopark is Vietnam’s first Geopark and the second in all of Southeast Asia. The karst plateaus found here are 80% limestone and hold fossils of ancient creatures and species dating back from 400 to 600 million years ago! Woah!
As we drove, Opi made sure to stop and let us take some photos of Bac Sum Pass, Quan Ba Hevean’s Gate and Quan Ba Twin Mountains.
4:00 pm: Lung Khuy Cave
Inside the geopark we visited Lung Khuy Cave. One of the most beautiful caves in this rocky plateau, it really is a masterpiece! Although you’ll have to trek up a bit of stairs, it’ll be well worth it!
Even though this cave is thousands upon thousands of years old it was only discovered and opened for tourism in 2016. Created by millennia of geological activities this 300m cave is impressive and has incredible stalactites!
6:00pm: Nam Dam Village & Herbal Baths
Once we arrived in Nam Dam Village, we dropped off our bags and headed out to the local herbal baths. A piping hot tub of herbal water was just what we needed after a long day of driving through the cold!
7:00pm: Checking-In To Home Stay Lý Tà Hàn
Well we made it! Our first full day out in the open air of Ha Giang. What a rush!
When we arrived at our accommodation, Home Stay Lý Tà Hàn, we were greeted by the wonderful Ded Dao family who owns and runs the guest house. They were the loveliest hosts, making sure we were warm enough during the night and offering us anything we may have needed!
That evening we enjoyed hot-pot with their family! A feast to say the least! It was a pretty incredible experience to be invited into their home for dinner and to share some of their homemade rice wine!
After dinner we sat around the fire and chatted before heading up to bed! The evenings tend to drop in temperature so make sure you pack warm if you’re traveling to Ha Giang during winter! Us Saigon girls got pretty cold!
Day 2: Tam Son To Lung Cu To Dong Van (135km)
8:00am: Breakfast & En Route To Yen Minh
After a wonderful homemade breakfast we said our goodbye to the lovely Ded Dao family and hopped back on our bikes! Today we made sure to bundle up even more, because it’s COLD!
We dove north for about 38km to Yen Minh, enjoying the lush scenery and stopping to take photos of all this amazingness! We stopped at Can Ty Pass where Opi helped us climb his secret rock to get the best views!
10:30am: Lao Chai Valley
We hopped off our bikes for pictures at the top of Lao Chai Valley. This is the greatest view of those coveted rice fields we all love!
11:00am: Tham Ma Pass
We drove through the small town of Yen Minh and up to the infamous Tham Ma Pass. Yen Minh is such a beautiful spot and because it’s part of the Dong Van Global Karst Plateau Geopark it makes its roads even more incredible to drive.
Tham Ma Pass is the biggest and most beautiful zig-zagging road here. Some locals call it the giant snake because when you hop off your motorbike and look down, it truly does look like a slithering snake from a distance!
1:00pm: Lunch In Sa Phin Village
We made it to the cute little northern village Sa Phin to grab some lunch, take a break from driving and get some warmth! Luckily up here there was soup galore and tons of tasty hot food to help us unfreeze our fingers.
After lunch we took a short walk through the village, played with this cute dog and bought knock-off Under Amour jackets and North Face coats for less than $10 each. I even bought pants, a hat and gloves because it was sooooooooo COLD!
Yes I’m from Canada, but no I don’t drive a motorbike in winters there!
2:00pm: Hmong Opium King Palace
Our next stop was the Opium Palace of the Hmong. This incredibly intricate mansion was built into the mountains by the reigning Hmong King in 1902. Vietnam was still a colony of France at the time and the palace belonged to Vuong Duc Chinh – a powerful man who found wealth in trading goods, especially opium.
The Hmong King Palace is totally unique and out of the ordinary as far as homes go this far north. Its intricate design was thanks to its strong influence of Chinese, Vietnamese and French colonial architectural style. One of the neatest designs is the references to the drug built right into the architecture, like the pedestals shaped like opium pots! Cool huh!
4:00pm: The Northernmost Point Of Vietnam
Back on the road we headed to the northernmost point of Vietnam! Bordering the south of China sits Lung Cu National Flagpole, basically Vietnam’s North Pole.
283 stone steps up this huge flagpole you’ll be able to see China from a distance! Opi also pointed out where Vietnam’s road ends and where China’s ‘no-man’s-land’ begins!
5:00pm: Head To Dong Van Town
We grabbed our motorbikes and headed back to Dong Van Town. The drive was a long one, but we knew we’d have a nice warm bed to jump into when we got there!
7:30pm: Dinner & Drinks In Dong Van Town
After we checked into our hotel room for the night we set off to enjoy some local hot-pot. Opi took us to an awesome spot in Dong Van where he knew the owners and everyone else in the restaurant #celebritystatus.
We had a super fun night laughing and drinking with the owners and his friends. We even got to meet a couple of other people on different Ha Giang Road Trip tours which was nice! A night of drinking homemade happy water is always a night to remember!
The next morning as we were scrolling Facebook we noticed the owner of the restaurant uploaded his security camera footage of us to his Facebook page. So enjoy these hilarious stills!
Day 3: Dong Van to Ma Pi Leng pass to Du Gia Village (90km)
8:30am: Breakfast In Ancient Town
The next morning we got up bright and early, put on as many layers as possible and found breakfast in Ancient Town!
It wasn’t hard to find the best breakfast with so many people waiting patiently for the Auntie to whip them up some of her deliciousness. This Dong Van bánh cuốn was incredible, I guess that’s why she’s been serving it up for years!
9:00am: Nho Que River & Tu San Canyon
Back on the bike again, we were about to drive down to Nho Que River. I honestly can’t believe this is considered a two lane road because really it’s not a road. At all. I mean, a steep, narrow, dirt path where you hug every switch-back for dear life? It’d make even the most advanced drivers hold their breath.
This road to the summit is known as ‘Vietnam’s Great Wall.’ It’s terrifying, but beautiful. Terrifyingly beautiful.
The Nho Que River originates from the Yunnan mountain region of China, and enters Vietnam through Dong Van District. Its beautiful milky blue colour just makes your jaw hit the floor instantly!
Once we made it safely to the bottom we boarded the boat to head into Tu San Canyon. The deepest canyon in Vietnam and all of South East Asia! The endless panoramic views, lush green mountains and turquoise waters made for one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life! And I’m sure Lee feels the same!
Before heading back up on the road of no return, we decided to sit down for a couple of snacks with the locals that live down by the river! Opi told us that for most of the year it’s hard to come by rice because the grounds aren’t good for growing. So instead they use a lot of corn, crushing it down into crumbs and pairing it with tofu to make soup!
I scraped the bowl clean, it was so good!
11:30am: Ma Pi Leng Pass
Back up we went to Ma Pi Leng Pass. One of the four most beautiful passes in the country, it’s known as the King of the Vietnamese mountain passes.The road along this mountainside is stunning and really is the ideal destination for riding a motorbike. And taking photos!
1:00pm: Lunch With A View
As we drove on we stopped in at Tu San Coffee to grab some much needed food and coffee! This cute little rustic cafe was such a treat! The owners were so lovely and the view was undeniable. I mean, who doesn’t like their coffee with a view of milky blue turquoise water split between a lush mountain range?
2:00pm: En Route To Du Gia Village
On the road again, this time all the way to Du Gia Village. Driving these roads never gets old! Luckily Opi was awesome and let us pull over to take photos of everything! Poor guy!
Along the way we stopped at Sa Li Pass to have a look over the Dao villages and rice terraces from above, we wandered around little villages and soaked in the beautiful views of the valleys. To say our eyes were overstimulated would be an understatement!
6:30pm: Checking-In To Du Gia Panorama
We arrived to our last night out on tour and couldn’t be more amazed by this spectacular homestay! Uncle Chu Chu welcomed us with open arms and led us to the fire he had waiting to warm us up!
Du Gia Panorama was built by hand by the lovely Uncle Chu Chu. He handcrafted this homestay on stilts using traditional architecture to fit perfectly over the Du Gia valley. He poured his heart and soul into his homestay and made sure each guest room could watch sunrise right from your bedroom window.
That evening, we enjoyed a massive feast prepared by Uncle Chu Chu and were lucky to sit down and eat with a few others on tour! We all had our fair share of happy water, which led to karaoke-ing Celine Dion and attempting to play bamboo flutes! What a night!
Day 4: Du Gia Village To Ha Giang City (120km)
8:00am: Breakfast In The Mountains
Waking up to a panorama view overlooking the lush valley below was definitely a highlight of our trip! After a lovely breakfast by Uncle Chu we hit the road, saying goodbye to the beautiful Du Gia Panorama.
9:00am: Hmong Village Kids
We were back on the road to Ha Giang City stopping along the way to see some of the quaint little Hmong villages! The people here are just so lovely always waving as we drove by!
We even stopped to play with some of the kids outside because they are just TOO cute! Both their mom and grandma told us we could take some photos and before leaving we gave them little bags of chips and candy as a treat! I think they were happy!
12:00pm: Lung Tam village
Before lunch we stopped into Lung Tam Village, known for its long standing traditional craft of brocade weaving. Here, the art of making linen has been passed down from generation to generation. You’ll see for yourself that they still use these ancient weaving techniques!
You can see linen products everywhere in this village! Drying out in the sun, whirling on handmade looms and lined throughout the shops. It’s a really cool opportunity to get a better idea of how the Hmong women make linen fabric and even try to weave hemp yourself.
1:30pm: Lunch In Nam Dam Village
We made a quick stop for lunch in Nam Dam Village, the cultural village of the Dao People. We tried their local buffalo meat and chowed down our delicious meal before getting back out on the open road for another 45km back Ha Giang City.
5:00pm: Back in Ha Giang For One Last Coffee All Together
Back in Ha Giang we headed up to Cafe Núi Cấm viewpoint for one last coffee altogether! With panoramic views of the city it was a such great way to end the tour!
A Roundup Of Our Tour With Ha Giang Road Trip
Where do I even begin with this legendary road trip around the Ha Giang Loop? The 4 day 3 night trip with Ha Giang Road Trip we booked on a whim (totally paid for ourselves) turned out to be the most epic road trip we’ve ever done. Ever.
Our motorbikes were great, they were super safe and we were all very responsible on the road (if you don’t feel 100% comfortable driving yourself, they offer an easy-rider option so you can ride on the back of Opi’s friend’s bike as they drive the loop for you, which is awesome). There is nothing quite like driving through a place where the road twists and turns through jaw-dropping canyons and breathtaking mountain passes. The Ha Giang loop is a total dream!
The accommodations were also lovely! The first night we stayed at a local homestay and enjoyed hot-pot with the family who lived there. It was a pretty incredible experience to be invited into their home for dinner and some local wine! The second night we stayed in a nice little hotel in Dong Van and also enjoyed food and wine with the locals that Opi knew there. Finally, on the last night we stayed in a beautiful homestay in the mountains, all handcrafted by the owner himself. Karaoke-ing Celine Dion at dinner and waking up to a panorama view overlooking the lush valley below was definitely a highlight!
The food was also always delicious and there was always more than enough to go around! Most dishes were traditional Vietnamese with lots of choice to choose from. I left every meal happy and full!
Opi was such a great person to do the Ha Giang Loop with as he speaks perfect English and Vietnamese. He constantly made us laugh and was super informative when it came to history and locations. He wanted to help establish a connection between tourists and locals and give travelers the opportunity to discover Northern Vietnam from the inside out!
We’re so happy to have been able to see just how special Ha Giang really is all thanks to Opi and Ha Giang Road Trip! Thank you Opi for everything and hope to see you again one day!
Get In Touch With Opi & Ha Giang Road Trip
Facebook: @HaGiangRoadTrip
Instagram: @HaGiangRoadTrip
Online: www.HaGiangRoadTrip.com
Phone: +84 948242421
Email: hagiangmotorbiketour@gmail.com
If you have any questions or just want to see some more travel content find me on Instagram at @agirl.enroute! I’m always happy to chat!
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After living in Vietnam for over 4 years, a piece of my heart will always be left in Ho Chi Minh City! Vietnam should be a top destination for all travelers! White sand beaches, limestone mountains, terraced rice fields and incredible street food make Vietnam a bucket-list destination! From foodies to beach hoppers, arts & culture buffs to adventure seekers, Vietnam has something for everyone! Checkout more of my Vietnam blogposts below!
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