I had a wonderful time taking an easy rider tour on the Ha Giang Loop, one of the most scenic rides on earth. In this article, I will share my thoughts about Ha Giang Loop, the itinerary, and safety guide on motorbike and in the rainy season.
Ha Giang is a province located in north Vietnam, 6-7 hours by bus ride from Hanoi Old Quarter. It is a remote area near the border with China and is known for its breathtaking landscape, stunning limestone mountains, rivers, and winding roads.
Ha Giang Loop, is it worth it?
Yes, absolutely. 100 % worth it, especially if you are an adventurer or nature lover. I did it once and I want to do it again. It is a once in a lifetime experience where you can enjoy breathtaking landscapes with karst mountains, rivers, waterfalls, winding roads, and rice terraces.
Additionally, you can experience local life, sleep in a traditional-style house, try local food, learn more about various ethnic groups such as H’mong, Tay, Kinh, Nung, and Dao people.
Safety on Ha Giang Loop
Before deciding to take a ride on Ha Giang Loop, you need to consider safety first. It is a dangerous and winding mountain road, so if you want to drive yourself, you’ll need to be confident, have a valid license, and have experience driving on similar road conditions in Vietnam or in SouthEast Asia.
You will encounter some dangerous road conditions such as a tiny road on the edge of a cliff with no barrier, some parts of the road still under construction with gravel or dirt surfaces. It is especially dangerous when it rains, slippery, and rockfalls can create risk on the road.
The weather is also a factor of your safety. It is usually unpredictable. I started my first day in Ha Giang City center with heavy rain for a couple of hours, then it stopped, and it was sunny. It is sometimes foggy which reduces visibility. It can easily crash if you are not familiar with the weather conditions.
The best time to visit Ha Giang is in the dry season which is typically from November to April. I recently took the ride in late May. It was raining hard at some points but still had sunny days for sightseeing. But after a few days when I finished my trip, there were floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains. They happened quite often in June, July to November in northern Vietnam.
It is also recommended to wear a helmet, and gears to protect your arms and knees. Mosquito repellents and raincoats are also important things to carry. This remote area has lots of mosquitoes and you don’t want to be bitten by them. Extra stuff such as a sun cream and swimsuit.
If you can’t drive or don’t want to drive, you can consider taking easy rider tours. This means, you’ll seat back at local experienced drivers, enjoy the scenery and take pictures without stress about the direction and the road conditions.
You also need to choose the reputable easy rider company. Do some research and read the reviews to see which one best suits you. You should consider factors such as group size and the vibe of the tour. Do you need a quiet night after a long day on the road or you’re into a party. Maybe consider a small group, you need to pay a little bit more but you don’t need to wait for other people long.
How many days in Ha Giang is enough? 3 days or 4 days?
I originally booked the 3 days 2 night Ha Giang Loop, and was put in the group of people who do 4 days 3 nights tour (8 people in my group). So I had a chance to extend my tour to the 4th day.
I personally think 3 days and 2 nights is enough to see major points of interest in Ha Giang, and you will not miss any important things on the 4th day. The most beautiful viewpoints and roads appeared on the 2nd day.
If you spend an extra night, you will have more time to socialize with people in your group, experience another kind of homestay, or visit a couple of other attractions such as waterfalls and viewpoints. You can do a bit of hiking on the last day. The scenery is almost the same as the previous days.
Being said that, if you have time and don’t want to miss anything, the 4 days and 3 nights are the best options for Ha Giang Loop. Otherwise, 3 days and 2 nights do a good job of showing you what Ha Giang is known for. 4 days can sometimes be a bit exhausting for some people when sitting a lot on motorbike.
How to get from Hanoi to Ha Giang?
To get from Hanoi to Ha Giang Town center, you can book sleeper bus or overnight bus from companies such as Bang Phan or Quang Nghi on 12go.com or vere.com.
The ride is usually 6-7 hours with a 30 minute break on the way for toilets and meals. The ticket is usually 15 usd/ticket. You can choose to leave Hanoi during daytime, so you will have a good night’s sleep before exploring Ha Giang. But, many travelers choose to leave around 8pm, arrive in Ha Giang around 3-4am, then go straight to the tour next morning. It can be very tiring.
Usually, you need to go to the bus office, then they will transfer to the big sleeper bus to get to your hotels or hostels in Ha Giang.
On the way back to Hanoi, the main bus will normally stop at the main bus station in Hanoi called My Dinh. It is a 30 minute drive from the old quarter where most visitors stay. The bus company usually has a free transfer van to take you to the old quarter. So be sure to check with the bus office to avoid booking additional taxi rides to get to your hotel.
My 4 days 3 nights Ha Giang Loop itineraries
Day 1: Ha Giang City Center – Du Gia (Yen Minh)
We started our first day with heavy rains in the morning. We waited for the rain to stop until 10am. We stopped at beautiful places on the first day of Ha Giang Loop such as:
- Cat Ly Camping (Thuan Hoa). This stop has beautiful river and mountain views. You can order food and drink here for reasonable-price.
- Thác Nước Thái An. This is a beautiful waterfall right on the driving road, you can stop here for some photos.
- Quán Ăn Đức Dương Restaurant. For lunch. Great Vietnamese style meals.
- Viewpoint Lũng Hồ. Stunning view point with a nice coffee nearby.
- Du Gia Waterfall. Beautiful waterfall for swimming and socializing. There are souvenirs shops at the parking area, and a mini bar where you can buy beer and drinks.
- Duy Homestay Du Già. We will have dinner and sleep a night here.
Day 2: Du Gia – Meo Vac – Dong Van
On day 2 of the Ha Giang Loop we stop at popular sights such as Ban An stream, Tham Lin Cave, Nho Que River, Ma Pi Leng Pass, and Dong Van.
- Ban An Stream is located 40 km from Du Gia. You can sit on a bamboo boat and get to Tham Lin Cave for swimming.
- Drive through some beautiful rice terrace and corn fields in Mau Long commute
- Stop at Nhà Hàng Hoàng Thắm in Mau Due commute for lunch.
- Drive through narrow road on the cliffs on Sủng Trái and Lũng Phìn Commune.
- The we head to Meo Vac, Nho Que River, and some viewpoint on Ma Pi Leng pass
- Stay a night at Guest house Thu Tuyến in Dong Van.
Day 3: Dong Van – Border with China – Lung Cu Flag
Day 3, we continued driving through some very nice viewpoints in the Dong Van area, went close to the border belt with China, and checked out the Lung Cu tower Flag.
- Check out the cafe near border belt with China
- Went to Lung Cu Tower Flag
- Ripe Steeped Coffee (Chín Khoanh ramp or Nine Turn Pass). This is a popular viewpoint of Sủng Là and Phố Cáo.
- Dốc Thẩm Mã (Tham Ma Pass). Beautiful stop for pictures.
- Head to Quan Ba – Can Ty and visit the Can Ty brocade weaving village
- Stay at a homestay at Nam Dam Village
Day 4: Quan Ba – Ha Giang City Center
The last day we did some trekking around Nam Dam village where we stayed. Then we check a couple of viewpoints and a waterfall and then head to the city center and back to Hanoi.
- Quan Ba Heaven Gate, a famous stop on the Ha Giang Loop. You can have some coffee here and enjoy the views.
- Check out the Viewpoint of the Twin Mountains in Tam Son.
- Have lunch in Tam Son town center.
- Check out Khau Lan waterfall in Quyet Tien Commute. The hike to the waterfall is quite steep and difficult, but overall well worth it. You can swim here.
- Head back to Tran Phu Street where our hostel is located in Ha Giang city center.
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This is my wonderful 4 days and 3 nights on Ha Giang Loop. I’d like to do it again one day.