4 Days on the Ha Giang Loop: Complete Itinerary & Guide

Ever dream of cruising through some of the most jaw-dropping landscapes Northern Vietnam has to offer? The Ha Giang Loop is hands down one of the most epic motorbike adventures you can take in Vietnam. Picture soaring mountain views, winding roads that tightly hug steep limestone cliffs, and quaint villages tucked into valleys that are untouched by time. It’s the kind of trip that makes you feel like you’re riding through a never-ending postcard. And Ma Pi Leng Pass is one heck of a postcard!

Jason and I tackled the loop on a 4-day easy-rider tour in March 2023, and let me tell you, having an expert handle the hairpin turns while we soaked in the scenery was a great way to have an unforgettable adventure without white knuckling the entire journey. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker wanting to rent your own bike or looking for a laid-back ride with a guide and new friends, my complete Ha Giang guide will break it all down for you.

From how to get to Ha Giang, to deciding if you want to go solo or with a tour, and of course, an itinerary packed with must-see spots—I’ve got you covered. So buckle up (or, you know, helmet up) and let’s get onto the Ha Giang Loop!

What Is the Ha Giang Loop?

Ha Giang is the most northern province of Vietnam, bordering Southern China, and adjacent to Vietnam’s famous Sapa region. It encompasses the massive Dong Van Karst Plateau, which has been recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2010. The region is populated by only 700,000 inhabitants of various ethnic groups, namely the Black Hmong, Tay, Dao, Nung and Giay as the five main groups.

The Ha Giang Loop is a mountainous scenic road covering over 300km of terrain, that courses through valleys, rice terraces, hugs cliff sides high above canyons and blue rivers. It’s renowned for its unique scenery of the limestone mountains and cascading rice fields, as well as being a dangerous and narrow road.

Although it is possible to hire a driver for a private car tour, or hop on a smaller bus tour to take in the scenery and traditional culture of the region in a more luxurious fashion, it’s really more of a place of adventure and surrender. 

That’s why the Ha Giang Loop is most commonly undertaken by way of motorbike.

How to Get to Ha Giang

There is really only one way to get to Ha Giang, no matter where you’re coming from, and that is by roadway.

By Sleeper Bus

Taking the bus is the most common way to reach Ha Giang, and it’s way more often than not a sleeper bus, whether you take it in the day or at night. Departing from Hanoi, there are so many buses scheduled throughout the day, and cost give or take $15 USD. Booking through 12GoAsia, the most all-encompassing and accessible platform to book land and sea transfers in Asia, is the easiest way to secure your spot in advance and have a look at the bus provided and reviews. On the day of your journey, you’ll need to make your way to the bus terminal, which is detailed in your booking on 12Go.

It’s a 6-7 hour long journey with a pitstop for food and a washroom break, so sometimes people opt to do the overnight bus leaving around 9pm. If you opt to do the overnight bus, you’ll likely want to have a hostel stay booked when you arrive before dawn in Ha Giang. No one wants to figure out what to do at 3am in the quiet town of Ha Giang!

This sleeper bus and hostel combo is as convenient as it is inexpensive, which is very. The entire journey usually takes about 7-8 hours including a shuttle pickup from your hotel in Hanoi to the bus station, if you’re staying in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Honestly, this option beats figuring out your bus, transit to the bus terminal and accommodation in Ha Giang all separately.

Instead of coming from Hanoi, we were departing from Sapa and got ourselves on a day bus booked on 12GoAsia, which also happened to have sleeper beds instead of regular seats. It’s incredibly common in Vietnam to have sleeper buses instead, which can be cozy and private, but also a little nauseating. So make sure to pack some motion sickness medication with you for any bus rides! Dramamine will be your best friend if you’re taking a sleeper bus.

Once you arrive in the town of Ha Giang, the bus makes the effort to stop at or near passengers’ designated hostels that are located on the main road in town. 

Luxury Limo Van Transfers

If you’re looking to get to Ha Giang a little more comfortably, you can also ride in luxury limousine vans instead. These are also quite inexpensive, and you’ll be able to schedule your transfer to be during the day instead of at night. It also picks you up straight from any hotel in the Old Quarter, with the driver meeting you in the lobby, so you’ll have door-to-door service going from Hanoi (if that’s where you’re leaving from) to Ha Giang. For $20 USD, this is honestly such a steal.

Even though the limo vans are typically a shared transfer, they’re much more spacious and can be as few as seven seats for the entire van. Some limos stretch out much longer, offering more seats but still plenty of space per passenger. We took a limo van when we went from Hanoi to Sapa, and only shared with one other passenger. It was probably the most comfortable and spacious land transfer we’ve ever had!

Should You Do the Ha Giang Loop Solo or with a Tour?

Renting Your Own Bike and Doing Ha Giang Self-Guided

It’s entirely possible to do the Ha Giang Loop on your own by simply renting a motorbike. In fact, that’s what we wanted to do originally: just rent one bike as Jason drives and I ride and film. We had already done our extensive research and saved all the spots we wanted to hit up along the route.

Jason used to ride his own motorcycle at home and has his motorcycle license. At this point, we also had some experience riding motorbikes in tandem in Asia under our belt.

Riding through Ha Giang self-guided certainly comes with its advantages! You’ve got your own freedom to stop, eat and stay overnight wherever you want. You can leave as early or stay out as late as you’d like. You have a lot more flexibility, without having to move with the same flow as the tour groups do. It can be much more adventurous and it’s a bigger leap into the unknown without the local guidance that you get with a tour.

It’s much more affordable doing the Ha Giang Loop solo, as you need only pay the cost of your bike rental, gas, food, accommodations and excursions. Bike rentals from Ha Giang are very inexpensive. You can pay as low as 180k VND ($7.25 USD) per day for a semi-automatic 110CC motorbike, typically for beginner riders. The maximum you might be looking at is 550k VND ($22 USD) per day for a manual 150CC dirt-bike with good suspension, giving you more power and control, better for experienced riders.

The most popular option that self-driving visitors will rent is a semi-automatic 125CC, which is typically 250k VND ($10 USD) per day. Fuel costs are also very cheap, with an average of 100k ($4 USD) per day.

You’ll want to ride either a semi-automatic transmission bike or a manual bike when doing the Ha Giang Loop, because although the roads are generally well-maintained, there are large sections of it that are still in development. Many long segments of the main road, and smaller roads you may take, have completely rocky terrain where patches of asphalt are broken off and there are massive potholes and boulders. Other sections are adjacent to mining areas and the entire road is covered in a thick layer of fine red sand.

It makes it easier for you to ride if you have better control over changing your gears when dealing with the various terrains of the road, and while you zigzag through the winding roads and hairpins of the mountainous drive.

The road conditions are one thing you’ll have to consider when weighing the option of doing the loop self-driven, with or without a tour. After we completed the loop and were heading back to Hanoi on the bus, we encountered one too many injured riders who were casted up after incidents along their journey.

The last thing we want is to be getting into a road accident and being severely injured. Not only because it could ruin the rest of our trip, but because it could have a serious and permanent impact on our lives. Personally, I wouldn’t get behind the steering head if you feel even a slight bit uncomfortable or nervous riding a motorbike. Let alone, do the whole loop on your own!

What You Need if You’re Renting and Going Solo

If you are deciding to take the adventurous route of doing the loop self-guided, I’ve said my piece about the dangers of the Ha Giang Loop roads! Now I’ll get into what you’ll need and any tips to make you most prepared for the road ahead.

Motorcycle and International Driving Permit

I mentioned that Jason did have his motorcycle license from home in Canada before we embarked on the loop. But one thing we didn’t have was a little paper booklet called an International Driving Permit (IDP). This permit allows your driver’s license to be internationally recognized, and although you can 99% of the time rent a motorbike in Ha Giang without showing the proper documents and permits, it is illegal in Vietnam to drive without them.

In Vietnam, especially in the Ha Giang Region, police are everywhere and are cracking down on foreigners who are driving a vehicle without a motorcycle license and IDP. An IDP is really easy to produce when you’re at home — in Alberta, it only costs $31 CAD, and all you need is two physical passport-sized photos and a valid driver’s license to get your own IDP stamped and signed off at AMA.

But if you don’t have this on you when you’re travelling in Vietnam, technically if you get caught, the police have good reason to fine you. Often times they’ll charge foreigners more than the actual fine for the traffic violation. They don’t shy away from lining their pockets a little if you don’t want to be taken to the police station to deal with the ticket.

P. S. Don’t bother looking up IDP services online, none of them are legit. Unfortunately, you need the paper one from your home country. So if you don’t already have one with you when you’re in Vietnam, you’ll be out of luck!

If your plan is to rent your own motorbike and do the Ha Giang Loop à la DIY, then be sure to pre-plan in advance and get your International Driving Permit before you leave home! Of course, if you’re living in Vietnam and have your own Vietnam driver’s license, go ahead and ignore this part.

Other Tips for Your Self-Guided Ha Giang Journey

I know it goes without saying, but make sure when you rent your bike that it comes with an adequate helmet! Check it yourself to verify it fits and provides adequate protection. And be sure to wear it at all times on the road! Not only for the risk of getting a head injury, but those coppers can easily pull you over and fine you for that too.

Take videos of your motorbike and provided gear before you take off from the rental place and once you come back to drop it off. If you decide not to pay for the damage insurance, which most rental places offer like QT Motorbikes and Tours, you’ll want to ensure that they don’t charge you for damages you didn’t cause.

Save your desired viewpoints, stops and your accommodations prior to leaving Ha Giang town. And download the offline map as you never know when you might lose signal! The same goes for downloading Vietnamese in Google Translate, if you don’t speak it already. As you’ll be doing the tour on your own, you won’t have guides with you to be your interpreter when visiting different attractions, ordering food, purchasing souvenirs or staying at homestays.

We recommend you book your stays in advance, especially during the higher season! It is possible to show up into town and book on the spot, but prices may increase and availability for room types may decrease as well. It’s very common for people choosing to do the guided tour to it book last minute, and once that happens, the tour groups swoop in and book out certain homestays in blocks. Being tired from a whole day’s adventure on the mountainous roads, you probably don’t want to be hopping door to door for guesthouses and homestays if vacancy is low.

Lastly, cash is king throughout Vietnam! Stack up on those bills in Hanoi before heading over—our favourite ATM’s with 0 withdrawal fees are at TP bank and VP bank machines, you’ll thank me later. Keep some US cash in handy as well for exchange. There aren’t many ATM’s available throughout the Ha Giang region, especially if you’re looking to avoid paying any ATM fees.

Riding the Ha Giang Loop With a Guided Tour

Sometimes it’s awesome to just lay back, relax and have everything figured out for you. That’s the beauty of doing Ha Giang with a guided tour, whether you still opt to drive your own bike or have an easy-rider do the driving. You don’t need to sweat the small stuff, like figuring out your entire itinerary beforehand, checking all the road conditions, seeing where to stop for food, filling up fuel, booking your stays and excursions, etc. There aren’t any surprise costs either or having to worry about your own bike!

With a tour, you’re pretty much along for the ride where everything is taken care of for you by your tour guides and leader. Not to mention, everything is paid for prior to, so there’s no need to carry more cash with you, except a little extra in case you’d like extra snacks, coffee or souvenirs.

The cost of partaking in a tour is much higher than doing the loop without, there’s no doubt about it. What you’re paying for is the local insight, guidance, navigation, convenience and peace of mind. Not to mention, if you opt to have an easy-rider, you’re really much more worry-free and can truly relax and not have to worry about getting yourself from A to B! 

For a 4D3N tour, you’re looking at about 5M to 5.3M VND ($200-$215 USD) with an easy rider. A little bit less at 4.3M to 4.5M ($170-$180 USD) without an easy rider. For a 3D2N tour, you’ll save yourself about 1M-1.2M VND ($40-50 USD) compared to having that extra day to explore.

Now, if we were to do our entire Ha Giang Loop tour again, and were coming from Hanoi, we’d book the entire thing all-inclusive of the pickup and drop-off in Hanoi as well as the hostel dorm bed to rest up in Ha Giang upon arrival. There are a number of well-rated tours on GetYourGuide that will often be discounted. Just check these out!

• 4 Days 3 Nights Ha Giang Tour with an easyrider, from Hanoi and back
• 3 Days 2 Nights Ha Giang Tour with an easyrider, from Sapa to other destinations

The majority of the accommodations along the loop will consist of shared rooms and bathrooms. You can pay a small fee to upgrade to private rooms if that suits you better! We opted to upgrade, which made it easier on us to relax since we had a lot of our camera gear with us.

Trading in your freedom and flexibility for full-time local expertise, peace of mind and a fun time with a new crew is worth evaluating, especially if you’re looking to share a good time with new friends and aren’t fully comfortable riding through mountainous roads that are unknown to you.

Why We Opted for Easy Riders vs. Riding Ourselves

Prior to arriving in Ha Giang, we were setting our hopes on renting our own motorbike. Our itinerary was already planned out, and as creators, we love to have our own freedom so we can stop for photos and videos as often and as long as we’d like. Rising early and setting off before the tour groups wake up is also what we were inclined to do, giving us more opportunities for golden hour content and to be ahead of the herd.

But given that we didn’t have that pesky IDP, we would be running the risk of getting caught along the road. The fines can be exuberant and the likelihood of being pulled over as lone wolf foreign riders is getting higher and higher.

We said, “no, thank you!” Plus, should we even be contemplating doing something illegal? Probably not!

And so, we made the decision that for our first time doing the Ha Giang Loop, we’d be a little less self-reliant for once and a little more hands off.

We traded the unknowns and freedom to do our own thing, for security and guidance, comfort and peace of mind. And a heck of a fun time! We hadn’t met our small group yet, but the next 4 days turned out to be some of the greatest memories we’ve ever shared with strangers. More on that later as I lay out our itinerary!

How Many Days Should You Attribute to the Ha Giang Loop?

If you’re deciding on doing the tour, the most popular range is doing the 3-day 2-night tour. If you’re doing it self-guided, from our research, we’ve read that most folks do it across 4 days and 3 nights. 

As our original plan was to do it on our lonesome, we were already decided on doing the loop across 4 days, even with it now being with a tour. After completing it, we can honestly say that the 3 days and 2 nights are enough. There weren’t any huge misses for our friends who did only 3 days compared to us. 

But keep in mind that it was a breath of fresh air to take things slow on days 3 & 4 and lose ourselves from the majority of the other tour groups. And on our final day, it did rain, so it’s possible we could’ve seen or done more had there been better weather.

So which option should you do? If you would like to slow your pace, get a little bit of quiet and have the budget for it, allocate 4 days—or more as there are 5-day tours as well! If you prefer to remain with the majority of other visitors, save some money while still getting an all-encompassing taste of the Ha Giang Loop, you’re not missing out on much with a 3-day itinerary. 

With that said, my itinerary below follows a 4-day route going counter-clockwise! For a 3-day itinerary, ignore section of Day 3 heading to the very North to the Lung Cu Flagpole, the 3rd overnighter and Day 4. The rest is all the same apart from the speed at which you go through Day 3!

Packing List for the Ha Giang Loop

Whether you’re doing Ha Giang solo or with a joined tour, here’s what you’ll want to have packed with you for the multi-day journey. 

• A backpack with changes of clothes and your typical toiletries for the number of days you’re on the loop.
• Sunglasses to shield your eyes from the elements as well as a balaclava or face mask for the dusty sections of road. 
• Wear closed-toed shoes for when you’re on the bike, and preferably long pants. It can get hot but it’s better to have those legs protected in case of falls just in case! Plus it’s much cooler with the wind when you’re actually riding.
• A pair of waterproof sandals to wear at your accommodation, for trips to the bathroom and walking around comfortably. Most of the homestays throughout Ha Giang, especially if you’re doing a tour, only offer shared bathrooms. Sometimes they’re outdoors as well. 
• Bring layers as in Northern Vietnam, you can experience a dry sunny heat one day and a cold and wet day the next. This happened to us and we were grateful for our thicker sweaters! 
• A rain poncho is a good idea to pack, not only for the rain but for the dust that leave a dark layer all over your clothes. When on a tour, they will typically provide these for you depending on the conditions ahead.
• A swimsuit for the day at the Du Gia waterfall. You don’t want to miss out on this cooling dip.
• A microfibre travel towel is a good idea to have in case you want to dry off at the waterfall, and if you prefer using your own towel at the accommodations.
• A phone strap or something to keep your phone attached to you while you’re riding. 
• Cash, as I mentioned before. Use some time in Hanoi to stop at the TP Bank or VP Bank ATM’s! Zero fees and zero minimums!
• Ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones are a good idea in the case you go to bed early. Those karaoke nights can get late and rowdy!

When it comes to food and water, you won’t have to worry about pre-packing it if you’re on a tour. But if you’re driving the loop on your own, it might be a good idea to pack some. Water, at least. But truly, you’ll always have opportunities along the road to stop for food and drinks. Restaurants, cafés and street stalls are not hard to come by.

And don’t forget that IDP, if you are self-driving! With a tour, you don’t have to worry about the police if you choose to self-drive instead of have an easy-rider, as there is always one leader at the front who goes ahead and checks for cops, and one rider at the tail end of the group as well. But if you have it, might as well pack it with you!

The rest of your luggage can be left stowed away at your hostel/hotel in Ha Giang, or in Hanoi if you plan to stay in Hanoi before and after your time in Ha Giang. We prefer the former over the latter, as you can easily access your baggage right before you head off for the loop if you’ve forgotten anything.

When in the Year Is Best Time to Do the Ha Giang Loop

Although January to March is considered Ha Giang’s spring time, and you can see flowers blooming under clear blue skies with cooler and pleasant temperatures, this period is also Vietnam’s burning season. Because the rainfall is so low during this season, the climate is optimal for the rice hulls and residue from the previous harvests to be burned. This of course causes air pollution and haze in the atmosphere, which affects visibility. We came in the third week of March, so you can see from our photos that there was an impact on what we saw, but our weather experience was pretty great.

From April to May, you’d have warmer but still comfortable temperatures. April is nice and warm, while being breezy on the motorbike, and there’s still less rainfall as it’s on the tail end of the dry season. In May, you are starting to get into the wet season, so be prepared for some potential rain showers. Apart from being the least busy season and you can happily avoid the crowds, this is also the time when the rice field workers start irrigating the soil and you’ll be able to see calm reflective pools of water throughout the terraces.

There is really only one season you may want to avoid for the Ha Giang Loop, and that’s during the summer months. From June to August, the Ha Giang region’s climate is quite similar to the rest of Northern Vietnam’s, which is hot and rainy. The heat can make it uncomfortable and the rain can make the roads more slippery and dangerous. There are certainly windows lasting days of no rain, so you could be lucky! But the stickiness of the summer is something I would personally want to avoid.

September to October is probably going to be the best season because that’s when the rice fields are starting to come to fruition. The lush green terraces are in full effect in September, and as you approach the end of the month, you’ll be able to witness the golden rice fields! Humidity levels are still quite high but the temperature starts to cool down, averaging 16-24 degrees Celsius. Some time in mid-October, depending on the year, is when the fields would be harvested, so be sure to catch this golden period before it ends!

November marks Ha Giang’s buckwheat season, when these tiny flowers dot the mountains and cooler temperatures make for a brisk ride. If you come during this time, be sure to pack layers, perhaps even a puffer jacket! Our friend did the Ha Giang Loop in late October 2024 and he had to buy a jacket last minute as the ride was pretty chilly. In December, temperatures are as low as 5-15 degrees Celsius, so gloves and cozy outerwear will certainly be a must. The skies will be clear, and the crowds may come in strong in the latter half of the month for the holidays! But there won’t be any haze from the burning just yet.

4-Day Ha Giang Loop Itinerary Breakdown

Here’s a quick summary of what our trajectory across the 4 days and 3 nights doing the Ha Giang Loop looked like. It’s based on a counter-clockwise route, which is not the most-trodden way. Most of the large tour groups go clockwise, but sometimes, different tour groups will make the decision to go against the grain in an effort to not flow with the rest of the herd and be caught in endless crowds.

Since we were in a relatively small group—which we highly recommend to get to know all of your group mates and guides better and share more memorable times with them—our tour operator most likely decided that the best experience for us would be to not follow the majority of the tours. Only the first section of the lollipop loop (from Ha Giang to Quan Ba) flows with all the tours before heading in another direction.

In the map below, which you can save for your reference, I saved all the main spots colour-coded by day! It goes from blue to red as the days progress.

• Day 1 – Ha Giang to Du Gia
  Heading north on QL4C through the Quan Ba region, be greeted by stunning views of the “fairy bosom” verdant mountains and hairpin down through the valley on small village roads across Yen Minh. Cross canyons and be towered by tall limestone cliffs on both sides as you head east on DT181 to Du Gia. Settle into your homestay before you get ready for some cliff jumping and a cooling dip at the Tham Luong Waterfall before sunset.
• Day 2 – Du Gia to Dong Van
  Wake up amidst lush rice paddies before setting off heading north through the mountainous roads. Look out to your side over the cascading rice terraces before you reach the treacherous part of the Ha Giang Loop. This one’s a dusty drive followed by a bumpy ride along DT176 and DT182 before you reach Meo Vac. Cruise along the scenic Song Nho Que before driving along the iconic Ma Pi Leng Pass and settling in for the night in Dong Van.
• Day 3 – Dong Van to Quan Ba
  Set off to the most northern part of Vietnam. Peer out west into China a few feet away before climbing up to the Lung Cu Flag Pole. Learn more about Hmong history at the 1921 Hmong King villa Dinh Vua Meo. Meet adorable kids in their traditional ethnic wear playing music while overlooking the Tham Ma Pass. Take a shortcut off the QL4C heading west and take in the Can Ty valley views with a dark cup of Vietnamese coffee before relaxing in a quiet homestay in Quan Ba.
• Day 4 – Quan Ba to Ha Giang
  Head back south on QL4C and slow your pace as you stroll through the fields of buckwheat flowers of Thach Son Than. Climb up the short leg-burner stairs to the mouth of the Tham Luong Cave where you can inside by foot before heading back to Ha Giang to catch your bus out of town.

Day 1 – Ha Giang to Du Già

• Driving Distance & Riding Time: 120 km, 4-4.5 hours
• Highlights Along the Way: Bac Sum Pass, Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Du Gia Waterfall
• Where to Stay: Du Gia Field View Homestay

Getting Geared Up at Ha Giang Hostel

After arriving the afternoon prior, we spent the night at the Ha Giang Hostel, which is also the main “bus stop” when being dropped off or picked up by the sleeper bus. There are plenty of well-rated and low-priced hostels on the main road, just have a look here!

We booked our entire Ha Giang Loop tour through Ha Giang Hostel, although there are plenty of tried and true tours through other hostels, travel agencies and GetYourGuide. 

We took our complimentary breakfast at the hostel terrace, then met up with our tour group—only 9 of us in total—and guides and headed out back to get fitted for our helmets. Those who were driving themselves then did their little orientation and rundown of their bikes. It wasn’t long before our extra gear was strapped to their respective motorbikes and our easy-riders were mounting and revving up. All we had to do now was hop on!

Quan Ba

Driving out of town and onto the roads hugging the mountains of the Bac Sum Pass was already revealing the dreamiest sights. The smokey haze of March’s agricultural burning season was in full effect, so the sky and landscapes weren’t awfully clear. We had to really narrow our eyes to see further out into the valleys, but the glimpses of the terraced fields were starting to come into focus. 

As we kept riding north along the main loop road, QL4C, the warm sun kissing our skin was a nice welcome when we rode fast against the soft wind.

Once we reached the Quan Ba Heaven Gate, we were enthralled by the otherworldly scenery of the verdant conical hills sprouting out sporadically throughout the valleyed town of Quan Ba. 

As we climbed up the constructed steps amidst pine trees leading up to the Twin Mountain Viewpoint, we encountered a small snake that Van, our tour guide, relocated to the grassy part with a tree branch. Gotta watch your step in these woods! 

At the end of the steps, we were captivated by the bi-level observation deck revealing panoramic views of the colloquially named “fairy bosom” landscape. Yes, the dark green pointy hills are called fairy bosoms for the exact reason you’re thinking. The typography was so fascinating, making us wonder how on earth these perfect cones came to be in such uniform sizes and shapes, yet some dispersed from others.

Fields of different shapes and shades of green and laid out like an embroidered tapestry on the flat land between the hills. Limestone mountains towered in the background, blanketed by the late morning haze and clouds. I could already see what all the fuss was about this beloved loop!

Heading East on DT181

After grabbing lunch on the town of Quan Ba, we started our descent with tight hairpins and crossed a narrow bridge over the Lô River. This is where we split off from the rest of the much larger tour groups as they headed north and we went east.

It was pretty much just us as we drove along the smaller country road through the countryside villages, between the towering cliffs of the canyon and along the shimmering river. It was such a sight with the gorgeous karst mountain backdrop. 

It felt like a long and calming dream before we made a stop at a nearby Hmong village market for snacks. We tried some freshly fried doughnut balls as Jason popped up the drone and the cute kids, who’ve probably never seen a drone in their lives, stared bewildered with unwavering concentration as Jason took off our little drone and landed it in hand. 

The afternoon sun rays through the haze were now leaving soft lines across the tall mountains, making us wanting to savour every moment. 

We kept driving through the winding lonesome road of DT181 through the valley before we made a right onto DT176.

Lung Ho

Curving southwest and driving back up in elevation, we came to our final high viewpoint of the day, at the Lung Ho vista from this large mountain café. Seriously, what an awesome place for a coffee spot! 

By this point, the fatigue was setting in as well as some of the heat, and all I could think of—especially with the scent of roasted coffee beans hanging in the air—was a dark Vietnamese iced coffee. The thick creaminess and sweetness of the condensed milk mixed with the liquid black gold of slow-brewed Robusta coffee beans is one of the best things ever invented in Vietnam. 

Once the coffee awakened me a bit, I could fully take in the magnitude of the lookout from here. The viewpoint had a large terrace, which was great as many tour groups had made a pitstop here along with us. The jagged limestone cliff of the limestone was not exactly the most pleasant place to sit for my butt, but it was for my eyes to see the towering rocky peaks and the lush hills at the base of the valley.

This is a fantastic viewpoint to end your day on the highway before you make your way to the town of Du Gia.

Du Gia

We dropped our stuff off and rested a bit at our stay for the night, Du Gia Lô Lô Homestay. After changing into our swimsuits, we made our way onto the bumpy and rocky road for the Du Gia Waterfall. 

It might have been a sketchy road to ride on, more of a hiking trail than a road really. But man was it beautiful, especially now that the sun was down below the mountain ridges and golden hour was in full effect. Those verdant hills reminded me a lot of Iceland’s lush landscape.

Feeling sticky from sweat and a little gritty from dusty, we were desperate to finally have a chance to cool off in the water. Jason and I did not hesitate to get right into the refreshing pool at the base of the waterfall. 

The little daring part of me was very much contemplating going up the trail to the cliff jumping point. I seriously love a good cliff jump! Alas the waiting line and the slippery rocks deterred me from it, but man was it exhilarating living vicariously through watching other people jumping off the different levels! One of them being our new friend August!

It was a serious party in that natural pool. A little hut was stationed there for snacks and drinks, beers included. Loud music was bumping, getting everyone hyped, especially those who were being cheered on to make their jump. We could’ve stayed longer if the sun weren’t setting and our tummies weren’t grumbling. 

We were all pretty exhausted from the last 8-hour journey, so we made it back to our homestay in time to clean up and get ourselves on the rooftop for dinner.

The party continued as all the food was now served on the table for our family style meal, including water bottles that were all open. It turned out it wasn’t water at all, but “happy water” as the locals call it (a.k.a. moonshine!).

Our tour guides joined us and got us all yelling “mot hai bat dzô!” in unison under the starry sky before many small shots of clear liquor. We definitely felt it hit sooner on our empty stomachs, but once we feasted on all the good Northern Vietnamese dishes, we were ready to take the party downstairs for some more drinks and karaoke. 

This was a nightly occurrence: drinking chants of “1, 2, 3, drink!” In Vietnamese, and sing-a-longs to sappy songs. You’ll probably fall asleep to the sound of both echoing in your mind.

Day 2 – Du Gia to Dong Van

• Driving Distance & Riding Time: 125 km, 4.5-5 hours
• Highlights Along the Way: Nham La View, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Nho Que River Cruise
• Where to Stay: Ethnic House Jr

Nham La View

We woke up to the most tranquil and serene lush rice fields surrounding our homestay in Du Gia. Even if it was all for that brief moment of early sunlight hitting the newly planted rice culms in the depths of Vietnam’s countryside, the journey was worth it.

After a light breakfast of crêpes and bananas, we set off north on DT176. As we zigzagged along the open mountain road, we were greeted by never-ending valley views and cascading terraced fields. That’s when we came across the Nham La View.

It was a gorgeous sight of verdant hills being hugged by the fine ribbon that is the continuation of the road we were to follow. And though the rice harvesting season was over, yellow reflection pools filled the rice terraces that created even ripples in the natural mountainous landscape.

Heading Northeast on DT176 & DT182

The road ahead was about to be the worst one of the entire journey. Once we got to the next small town, Mau Due, our easy riders and guide equipped us with a full-body plastic rain suit and face mask. It was hot and steamy with this plastic sauna sweat suit on, and we were prepared to be splattered with mud. But it was actually a soft flare of red dust that awaited us, from some excavation they were doing on the side of the road! Some thin layers of dust clung to our skin for the rest of the day where we weren’t covered.

Once we dismounted and took off our dust-proof protection, we revved up again, on yet another underdeveloped road. This time our butts suffered from it. The road was bumpily unpaved, scattered with big rocks and gravel, and we trudged along for two hours on it. My behind was definitely bruised after the ride, and I felt terribly bad for our easy-riders and our friends who chose to drive their own bikes. They were white knuckling pretty much the entire way!

Finally, we arrived in the town of Meo Vac where we rested up and had lunch before embarking on a much more relaxing journey.

Nho Que River Cruise

After Meo Vac, we made our way down the zigzagged road that leads to the Song Nho Que boat cruise marina. We dismounted our bikes at the main entrance point for ticket purchasing and hopping on the shuttle bus for the boat docks.

Surprisingly, the river was not busy at all and only a few motorized single-deck boats were embarking on the little cruise through the canyon. Our tour group had one boat all to ourselves and we set off on the gorgeous deep emerald river that separates one soaring limestone mountain from the other. The cliffs were so high up that we had to crane our necks to see the top of them.

The calm river cruise was very much the appreciated rest after that rough bike ride up to the northeast part of the Ha Giang loop. The views of the diagonal mountain faces tumbling straight into the calm shimmering water was the reward we didn’t realize we needed. Verdant rice terraces were also eloquently landscaped at the edge where land meets river.

As the afternoon sun was making its way back down, the light shone rays against the mountain ridges and through the soft clouds. Witnessing our new friends taking it all in, together and within their separate groups they came with, made us so glad we had decided to go with a tour for our Ha Giang journey. 

After maneuvering back through the deep canyon, it was time for us to head back up the mountains and see it all from above.

Ma Pi Leng Pass

We saw the postcards, we read the reviews. But nothing could’ve really prepared us for riding through Ma Pi Leng Pass firsthand. At every few seconds, we wanted to stop to feast our eyes on every new angle. The Nho Que River was an absolute marvel to see from above, and its blue colour was something I could not peel my eyes from. 

It astonished me that the various ethnic groups of Northern Vietnam had decided to pitch their figurative agricultural flag on the steep faces of these mountains. Field patches upon field patches were planted and harvested along what looks like a complete vertical, and they don’t seem to end until you reach the bottom.

The granite and limestone peaks of the pass appeared to be painted red and pink in some areas, which was a stark contrast against the grey of the granite and shades of blue the mountains were giving off in the distance.

We cherished our last moments taking in the Nho Que River views at Ma Pi Leng Pass Viewpoint, where there’s a café and mini mart pit stop. There’s an al fresco high table and bar stools that overlook the mighty Ma Pi Leng. Here, we had the option of simply relaxing or walking down the steps to a lower viewing platform. 

With the sun starting to set, we headed off to our final spot at the Ma Pi Leng Skywalk. There’s a memorial patriotic landmark right front and centre that you can’t miss, and just to the right of it, was an epic sunset view of the karst mountains and the snaking road of the Ha Giang Loop. 

The viewpoint isn’t marked, nor is it on an actual viewing deck. It’s laden with jagged limestone boulders, which make the vista less inviting to other visitors, but on the plus side, less crowded. After I started getting some photos here, our group was ecstatic about the photo location, especially with the sun turning the hazy sky into a bright canvas of warm pastels.

Dong Van

The town of Dong Van has a number of accommodations and a popular morning market. If it were just us, we might’ve booked one of the many comfortable and affordable hotels. But with a tour, that would be boring!

We stayed at a local Hmong Homestay, specifically the Dong Van Hmong Homestay. We all slept in the attic of the main building, while our some of our guides and the owners slept in the downstairs quarters. 

Our private room was still within earshot of the shared room, since the wall separating them only went so high. Only a little metal hook could lock our room, but we didn’t care as it was only our group we were with. We slept on comfy mattresses on the floor and made do with the lights and electrical sockets. The bathrooms were shared and clean, and were set outdoors in stone laden stalls. 

A good thing to note is that, typically in homestays, the shower is in the same stall as the toilet. So it’s always a smart idea to keep your fresh clothes in a bag and away from the showered trajectory!

Shampoo and conditioner may be a hard find as well, which is why I added these items to the packing list in case there aren’t any where you’re staying. But honestly, we can all survive a few days without washing our hair. Embrace the not-so luxurious lifestyle and find yourself within new comfort boundaries!

Day 3 – Dong Van to Quan Ba

• Driving Distance & Riding Time: 115 km, 3.5-4 hours
• Highlights Along the Way: Lung Cu Flag Pole (Northernmost Area of Vietnam), Tham Ma Pass
• Where to Stay: Looc Homestay

Lungcu Flag Point

The morning of our third day, we woke up and said our goodbyes to our friends who were only doing the 3D2N tour, as they had to complete much more of the loop and head back to Ha Giang. Luckily, we got to meet them again for a day exploring Hanoi later on! We left about an hour after and went northwest, first coming just feet away from the China border.

We kept riding north to check off a major landmark, the Lungcu Flag Pole. This area is the northernmost part of Vietnam, and it overlooks into the mountains on China’s side of the border. The flag pole sits high up and you have to climb some stairs to get to the base, and further (much narrower) stairs within the pole itself to get to the very top.

Views are all around you, 360-degrees, at the flag point. But what may obstruct your view are the many dozens of other visitors here. This is a major stop for tours, not only motorbike ones but all van tours as well. So at 11am when we were here, it was incredibly busy. We could only get so far without rubbing shoulders with strangers! 

After working up our appetite, we headed back down south, meeting the QL4C road once again. We had a hearty meal in the small town of Sa Phin of the Dong Van, with the best cha giò (fried Vietnamese spring rolls) that we had in Ha Giang. 

In this town is where you’ll find the Dinh Vua Mèo, a well preserved Hmong Palace with influence from the French baroque style and Chinese architecture. It’s a top cultural attraction along the Ha Giang Loop, showing the way of life of the last Hmong king. We didn’t end up stopping here, but if you’re doing the loop without a tour, you could definitely check out this historical site, for a price of 40k VND per entrance ticket.

Tham Ma Pass

After lunch, we continued on QL4C and came for a quick stop at Thung Lung Sung La. The view of the road curving through the valley and around the rice terraces was worth hopping off our bikes for a few minutes!

As we kept going along the road, we started to see plenty of Hmong kids running alongside us on the road, cheering, laughing and extending their hands for a high five. They were adorable, most of the boys dressed in their black outfits and hats, looking like exact copies of what their dads wear.

We came up to an iconic view along the loop, one you’ve probably seen in photos before, which is the serpentine road of Tham Ma Pass. It’s such a popular spot that many market stalls selling souvenirs and food line the side road where you park and check out the viewpoint. 

Tons of kids dressed up in traditional and vibrant Hmong attire hang out here with their parents. They don’t haggle or bother visitors at all, just smiles all around. But if you wanted to get photos with them, you could give them a little tip or buy some flowers from them. Most of them time, they’re just hanging out and helping their parents if need be. It was honestly such a pleasant experience compared to some encounters we had in Sapa, where some of the local folks are very persistent in trying to sell you something.

We heard and saw some of the boys playing traditional instruments like a khen – a Hmong bamboo flute – beautifully, which begged us to want to stay put instead of rushing to our next spot!

Can Thy View

As we were nearing the town of Lao Va Chai, we veered south taking a shortcut off QL4C. Taking this road not only saved us some time and distance slicing the loop up north on the main highway, but it also offered us a vista into a new and possibly final valley. 

We made a stop at a café and minimart that had an outstretched viewing deck where we could sit back for a few and take in the view. From what I could gather, this is the Can Thy Valley, and if you’re lucky enough to see far into the mountain ridges after some rain, you might be able to catch a cloud inversion below! We, on the other hand, had one hazy and foggy view. But we could visualize the beauty of the landscape in spite of the air conditions!

Quan Ba

Finally, for our final stay on the loop, we made it back to Quan Ba, staying deeper in the quiet village.

Our place at Looc Homestay felt like luxury after roughing it a little bit with the previous guesthouses. It was a stone and concrete cozy room which made it much cooler and insulated, had a comfortable double bed, cute and vibrant Hmong decor, a curtain opening up to a large window overlooking the pond, we had a desk and some seating to place our things and well located wall outlets. The room connected to a private outdoor bathroom which felt very clean, albeit a bit chilly when. we had to shower and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. But it most definitely beats having a shared bathroom, that’s for sure!

Dinner was intimate with our group of four plus Van and Quan, our easy riders. It was one of the best spreads we had for dinner at the next door homestay restaurant. After two late nights of drinking and karaoke, it was a nice change to have this relaxing dinner while being able to hear each other and speak with one another more intimately. It was definitely going to be a bittersweet end when we would part the next day!

Day 4 – Quan Ba to Ha Giang

• Driving Distance & Riding Time: 63 km, 2 hours
• Highlights Along the Way: Tham Luong Cave

Quan Ba Morning Market

We started our day with a morning market stroll in Quan Ba. It was going to be a rainy rest of the day, and it was already pretty wet, so we didn’t spend an awful long time out there. In all honesty, the Quan Ba market was fairly underwhelming. We’ve certainly seen better so this wasn’t all that memorable.

We did have a quintessential Vietnamese/Chinese market breakfast experience when we had some chicken pho in a not-so-clean hole in the wall! Tiny kid-sized red stools, trash thrown on the floor, but the tasty, freshly made noodle soup makes it all worth it. After we zigzagged out of the chaos of the morning market, we headed south for our final stop on the Ha Giang Loop.

The little rainfall from the morning made the roads splatter our shoes and ankles with wet dirt and some mud while we were on the bikes! We later wrapped our feet and shoes in plastic bags to protect during the drive, but a little too late! Think about doing this if you notice it being a wet road ahead.

Tham Luong Cave

Only our small group found ourselves at the parking lot and entrance point to the Tham Luong Cave. It definitely made me wonder where the other 4-day tour groups went off to! But this is typically the last place you visit on your day 4 if you take the counterclockwise route.

We walked up the paved staircase for 15-20 minutes to the mouth of the Tham Luong Cave, and the views we caught behind us of the valley and rice fields were beautiful! Especially now that the mist was rising, it gave off such a moody and lush scene.

Once we got up to the cave, I couldn’t believe how well maintained it was! Stairs led down into it, and the entire cave was lit up with purple lights, giving it a fairyland vibe. The stalagmite and stalactite were so impressive, and from the ceiling rose quite a few stories from the floor of the cave. Cute little bats hung on the roof having a snooze! We did our best not to wake them as we wandered every corner of Hang Tham Luong before we made it back up and out.

There was some traffic between us and Ha Giang town, but we made it back to town with enough time to clean up a little and repack some things with our luggage back in our hands. And then it was time to say bye to our amazing team, leave them with a little gift and set off on our sleeper bus back to Hanoi!

Conclusion

I want to wrap things up by saying that the Ha Giang Loop wasn’t just a highlight of our trip to Vietnam—it’s one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had, period. The jaw-dropping landscape of the Dong Van Karst Plateau is just incredible, and carving our way through its winding roads on a motorbike felt so freeing. There’s something magical about being out in the open air, with dramatic peaks, lush valleys and tiny villages unfolding before you.

What made it even more unforgettable was our tour group and guides. Your group can seriously make or break your experience, so we felt so fortunate to click with them right away! Choosing easy riders for our first time on the Ha Giang Loop was the best decision we could’ve made. It took away the stress of navigating the roads and let us fully immerse ourselves in the beauty around us.

That said, after this trip, we definitely feel more confident about the idea of riding solo in the future. Next time (and there will be a next time), we might just take on the loop ourselves now that we’ve got the lay of the land. But for this first round, everything—our guides, the group, the scenery—came together so perfectly that we wouldn’t change a thing.

If you’re on the fence about doing the Ha Giang Loop, trust me: just go. You’ll walk (or ride) away with memories and views that will stay with you forever.