Riding the Ha Giang Loop

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Ha Giang
Duration:
6 days / 5 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £ 554.- per person (excluding flights)

For a unique and memorable experience, explore Ha Giang, Vietnam’s remote north, by motorbike. Riding as a passenger with a local, you'll navigate the region's winding roads, take in views of towering karst peaks, and descend into lush valleys. Along the way, experience authentic Vietnamese culture by staying with welcoming host families and exploring traditional markets.

Days 1-2 – Hanoi – Ha Giang – Nam Dam

You will be collected from your hotel in Hanoi and transferred to the town of Ha Giang, which takes around 5 hours. Here, you will sleep in a simple hotel for the night so you can start your adventure fresh tomorrow morning. After a restful night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast, you will meet your guide who will be taking you along for the epic ride along the Ha Giang Loop. While some travellers choose to ride themselves along this iconic route, we believe it’s much safer and more enjoyable to sit back and let a local, who’s familiar with the roads, do the driving.

Having met your motorbike driver for the next four days, your journey begins in the direction of Nam Dam. On the way, you will pass the impressive 1500-metre-high Bac Sum Pass for breathtaking views. After lunch, you will explore a cave with your guide and continue the journey to the homestay where you will spend the night. Get ready to toast with a strong glass of rice wine during dinner. If it happens to be a Friday, you will also make a stop at the Minh Tan Friday Market.

Day 3 -H’mong Palace between Nam Dam and Dong Van

For your second day on the road, after breakfast, you will travel from Nam Dam to Dong Van. A day full of beautiful views, visits to ethnic villages and the palace of the ‘H’mong King’ awaits you. Take a refreshing dip in the river at an ancient H’mong village and stroll along the Dong Van market in the afternoon, where local ethnic groups offer their goods. The rice wine during dinner will taste even better today, dzô! Here too, you will spend the night in a homestay.

Day 4 – Via Ma Pi Leng Pass to Du Gia

Today is a long day of travel, but the route is one of the most scenically beautiful in the country. The famous Ma Pi Leng Pass, often considered the highlight of the Ha Giang Loop, is not far away. Along the way, you will pass viewpoints with breathtaking valleys and deep cliffs, and you have the option to go for a walk or a boat trip – let your guide know what you would prefer today. The day ends again with a delicious local dinner at the homestay in Du Gia, inhabited mainly by the Tay people. By now you have made toasting with rice wine a habit: Một, Hai, Ba, Dzô! (1, 2, 3, cheers!)

Days 5-6 – Back to Ha Giang

After breakfast, there’s time to walk with your guide to a nearby village to see several waterfalls and learn more about the White Mong people who live here. If it’s not too cold you can even take a dip in the crystal clear water. After lunch, depart back to Ha Giang and stay in the same hotel for the night.

The following morning, after another tasty breakfast, you’ll check out of your hotel and be driven back to Hanoi where your journey through Vietnam continues. From Hanoi, explore the limestone peaks and stunning waters of Bai Tu Long Bay, head North and trek into the mountains in Sapa, or paddle through the rice paddies in magical Ninh Binh.