The Ha Giang Loop is a must-visit for adventurous backpackers wanting an unforgettable journey through Vietnam’s most stunning landscapes. Located in the far north, this iconic motorbike route takes you through winding mountain roads, deep valleys, and remote ethnic villages, with breathtaking landscapes at every turn. If you’re not comfortable driving a motorbike, don’t worry! This experience is accessible to everyone, with the choice to hire a local driver. This guide will help you navigate everything you need to know about the Ha Giang Loop, from choosing your tour options to what to expect on the road.
Ha Giang Loop: FAQs
What is the Ha Giang Loop?
The Ha Giang Loop is a 300+ kilometer motorbike route in northern Vietnam that passes through rugged mountain landscapes, green rice terraces, and small local villages. Over three or four days, this journey takes travelers through the Ha Giang province, near the border with China, with stunning views of winding roads and towering limestone peaks. Each day, you’ll drive an average of 100+ kilometers, making stops for view points, local villages, waterfalls, food and drinks, and more. Most people do the Ha Giang Loop as a guided tour, with options to drive yourself or have a local drive for you.
Why should I do the Ha Giang Loop?
While I was backpacking Southeast Asia, I constantly heard “you MUST do the Ha Giang Loop” when I told others I was traveling to Vietnam. Everyone raved about it being their favorite experience of their entire trip, and let me tell you, it lives up to the hype. Nothing beats the feeling of sitting on a motorbike while taking in the most gorgeous views you’ve ever seen. Most Ha Giang Loop tours are social experiences, and bonding with your group is part of the fun, too. The daytime is full of stunning scenery and local experiences, while the nighttime brings group dinners, karaoke, and lots of “happy water” (more on that later). The Ha Giang Loop is an unforgettable mix of scenery, culture, adventure, and social activities.
When should I do the Ha Giang Loop?
The weather can greatly impact your Ha Giang Loop experience, so it’s important to try to time it right (“try” being the key word, because the weather is super unpredictable). The best time to do the Ha Giang Loop is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when the weather is mild and the scenery is at its best. This is the best time to see blooming flowers, lush rice fields, and clear skies, while having pleasant conditions for riding all day. Summer (June to August) is the rainy season, which can make the roads slippery and challenging. If it rains a lot, you risk your tour being cancelled or cut short due to flooding. Winter (December to February) can be quite cold in the mountains, but if you bundle up it can be a good time to go as well.
How to book the Ha Giang Loop?
Most Ha Giang Loop tour companies are also hostels or homestays where you will stay the night before your tour. I did a lot of asking around before my tour to make sure I chose one that was highly recommended and sounded like my vibe. After many recommendations, I settled on booking with Mama’s. I was told it was fun, safe, and social but not wild (and this is exactly how it ended up being!). I highly recommend booking through Mama’s if that sounds like your vibe. If not, Jasmine is known to be the younger, party option while Bong is known to have smaller groups and less party. These are the companies you hear the most about backpackers using, but there are many more out there.
You can either do “self rider” or “easy rider” options, meaning you either drive yourself or have a local person drive you. I highly recommend choosing the easy rider option and embracing the passenger princess role for a few days. Even if you’re a confident motorbike driver, the roads are no joke. Not only is it safer to let a professional drive, but then you get to enjoy the views, listen to music, and take pictures without any worries.
How many days for the Ha Giang Loop?
After you choose your tour company, then you can decide how many days you want to do the loop for. My top advice for the Ha Giang Loop is BOOK FOUR DAYS! Most people book three to begin with, but so many regret it and change to four days while on the loop. I knew I’d love it, so I booked four to begin with. Half of my group booked three and half booked four, but by the end, all of us did four! It’s THAT amazing that you will not be ready to leave after three days. If you only have the time to do three days then it’s still amazing, but it’s so worth four days if you can swing it.
Is the Ha Giang Loop safe?
The Ha Giang Loop is as safe as you make it through your choices about which company you use and if you do self rider (drive yourself) or easy rider (local person drives you). The Ha Giang Loop has some of the most dangerous roads in Vietnam, most notably the Dong Van Pass. Unless you are a very confident driver, it’s safest to put your trust in a local driver who has years of experience navigating these roads. Not only is it safer, but it gives you the chance to take in the views without worrying about the roads.
The company you use is also a factor in your safety. My group with Mama’s always felt very safe, with drivers who didn’t go too fast, use their phones, or get distracted. Before booking your Ha Giang Loop tour, make sure to read the reviews to get a sense for if they take safety seriously. I can’t recommend Jasmine in this aspect because they were constantly flying by us.
As long as you book a reputable company and have a reliable driver, there’s no need to be overly worried about safety. These roads have inevitable risk, but minimizing it makes it much safer.
How to pack for the Ha Giang Loop?
You will bring only a small backpack with you on the motorbike which you’ll tie down and won’t be able to access during the day. Most companies allow you to leave your bigger bag at the hostel or homestay in Ha Giang city. Inside your small backpack, bring:
- Comfortable outfits (I recommend leggings or pants for comfort)
- A windbreaker/rain jacket (the weather is very unpredictable)
- A sweatshirt/hoodie (it gets cold at night and sometimes on the bike)
- Basic toiletries
- A swimsuit (only if your company says so, some homestays have pools)
- A towel (only if your company says so, Mama’s provided us towels at each place)
- Sunscreen and sunglasses (no matter what time of year)
- Wired headphones (wireless ones will fly away!)
I also recommend bringing a small bag like a crossbody with everything you want to be able to access during the day, like your sunscreen, sunglasses, wallet, and headphones. You can comfortably wear a secure, small bag on the bike for easy access.
Is the Ha Giang Loop good for solo travelers?
Yes! There are tons of solo travelers doing the Ha Giang Loop and it’s such an easy way to make friends. You’ll be with your group for three to four days, making it the perfect bonding opportunity. Many people travel to the same places after Ha Giang, meaning you can likely meet up with people in your group again. I ended up seeing my group again in a few places, and it was so nice to see some familiar faces after how close we got during the loop. I can’t recommend it enough for solo travelers.
Where else should I go in Vietnam?
Because the Ha Giang Loop is very northern Vietnam, most travelers use it as their starting or ending point. Many backpackers travel Vietnam from north to south or south to north, so it just makes sense for it to be the first or last thing you do. So what should you do in Vietnam before or after the Ha Giang Loop? Starting with northern Vietnam, you can visit the bustling capital city of Hanoi, go on a cruise in the gorgeous Ha Long or Lan Ha Bays, go trekking through the rice paddies of Sapa, or explore the rivers and caves of Ninh Binh. If you’re continuing to central Vietnam, check out the caves and ducks of Phong Nha, the ancient capital of Hue, the beaches of Da Nang, and the Old Town of Hoi An. In the south, explore the nature and culture of Da Lat, the sand dunes of Mui Ne, the canals of the Mekong Delta, and the history and nightlife of Ho Chi Minh City.
Ha Giang Loop Overview
Here’s a brief overview of my four day Ha Giang Loop tour with Mama’s. Every company does things slightly different, but most are very similar. This should give you a good idea of what your Ha Giang Loop tour will look like, no matter the company.
A note about the children on the Ha Giang Loop: Throughout your journey, you’ll encounter children begging for money or offering services or things in exchange for money. As hard as it is, please resist giving them any money. This encourages keeping them out of school to make money.
Day 1
We set off from Mama’s Homestay in Ha Giang around 10am after a briefing explaining our schedule for the next few days. We drove for an hour before we stopped at a scenic viewpoint with a tiny drink stand where you could buy coffee, sodas, juices, and teas. Throughout your time on the Ha Giang Loop, these stops will be frequent to give everyone a break and the chance to take in the views.
Then we hopped back on the bikes and drove for another hour before arriving in Tam Son, a small village where we saw local women making linen goods from scratch. It was so interesting and impressive, and there was a small gift shop where you could buy what they’re making right in front of you. Next up was lunch, which was family style with many Vietnamese dishes to choose from.
After lunch, we made the journey to Yen Minh where we spent the first night. On our way, we made two more breaks at scenic viewpoints. The first was a small coffee stand with gorgeous valley views, and the other was a tower that we climbed for panoramic views of the rice terraces and mountains.
We made it to our homestay in Yen Minh around 4pm, where we were led to our room for the night: a giant room with about fifty mattresses all pushed together. I was a bit shocked at first, but everyone was so tired that luckily we didn’t have any issues. Just view it as a mega sleepover and bonding experience with your fellow Ha Giang Loopers!
Note: You do have the choice to book a private room for an additional fee if this just isn’t going to work for you (I get it).
We ate another family-style meal for dinner, which was accompanied by free “happy water”. Happy water is a home-brewed corn wine that’s very potent but apparently doesn’t cause hangovers (but be careful mixing it with beer). Once we had enough happy water, karaoke began and all the small groups took turns singing songs. We sang until 10pm, when it was quiet time and everyone started to settle in for the night.
Day 2
Our wake up call was at 7:30am, and we quickly packed up and ate an egg bahn mi before hitting the road at 8:30. Our first stop was an iconic viewpoint of the winding road in a valley, where you can also buy drinks and souvenirs. Then we drove through the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, an area of huge mountains and valleys covered in 80% limestone. We stopped at a scenic viewpoint of the geopark before driving to Lung Cu, where Vietnam borders China. We stopped at a coffee and snack stop right next to the border, where we could see the Chinese flag and border fence. I randomly had the best vegetarian spring roll of my life here; don’t miss it.
Then we climbed the many stairs at Lung Cu Flag Point to see panoramic views of the China-Vietnam border. We were starving by this point, so we were happy that lunch was our next stop. Lunch was in Dong Van, where we were staying the night. After lunch, we drove into Dong Van town where we could get a coffee, shop, or just stroll around. Around 4pm, we arrived at the homestay for the night, where I was relieved to see 8-person dorms instead of another mega room (it was fun once, but would’ve gotten old fast).
The second night was very similar to the first night. We ate dinner, drank happy water, and did karaoke until they turned the music off. Some people continued the party at a local karaoke bar, and some fell asleep.
Day 3
We woke up at 7:30 again, eating breakfast before departing at 8:30. We stopped at a viewpoint of Tu San Canyon before taking the very rough and bumpy road down to the bottom of the valley. This was the worst stretch of road we drove on the entire time – be ready to hold on tightly! Once at the bottom, we got on a boat and sailed through the canyon. This was a unique opportunity for views of the mountains and valley from below instead of above.
Then we headed back up the evil dirt road before stopping at a scenic viewpoint for a coffee and photo break. Next up was lunch before we hit the road again, getting some serious elevation gain before another stop with panoramic views. We drove for another long stretch before our last scenic viewpoint of the day. Today was our longest driving day, but the views were the best!
We got to the homestay in Du Gia around 5pm, where everyone was glad to see a pool. We were covered in dirt from the journey up and down the dirt road earlier, so jumping in felt amazing. Tonight was a little different than the other nights, as we didn’t do karaoke but just hung out around the pool, drinking, playing games, and listening to music. It was our last night together, so it was also our latest night.
Day 4
We woke up at 8, ate breakfast, and hit the road for the last time at 9. Our first stop was a waterfall where you could swim, but this was a bit of a flop for my group. We didn’t know we were swimming first, so no one was properly prepared with swimsuits and towels. The waterfall was also extremely crowded, so we weren’t able to enjoy it. I recommend asking your driver when the waterfall stop is so you can be in your swimsuit and ready to go.
Next was a stop I was really looking forward to – the iconic cliff overhang with the Vietnamese flag. If you’ve seen any content about the Ha Giang Loop on social media, you’ve seen this picture! There was a line to take a photo when I went, but it was worth it. There’s also a coffee stand so you can refuel and rest for a bit.
We had one more scenic viewpoint before lunch, and it ended up being my favorite. We could see the valley framed by mountains and the winding road cutting through it. It felt like a great view to summarize my time on the Ha Giang Loop – jagged mountains, deep valleys, and a winding road of bikers passing by. Then we had our final meal together before completing the loop and heading back to Ha Giang, with two more scenic viewpoints on the way back.
We got back to Ha Giang around 4pm, and the buses for everyone’s next destination started departing at 5pm. Queue the hard goodbyes, because we bonded so much over the past four days having a once-in-a-lifetime experience together.
If you’re backpacking Vietnam, I cannot recommend doing the Ha Giang Loop enough. Everyone you meet in Vietnam will be raving about it, and for good reason. The views are absolutely stunning, but the experience is much more than that. Bonding with other travelers, interacting with locals, and feeling the wind blow through your hair all day is the most special feeling. Do yourself a favor and make the Ha Giang Loop your top priority on your Vietnam trip!
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