Are you ready to be wowed by gorgeous mountain scenery, visit small hilltribe villages, and feel the rush of steep climbs, followed by sheer drop-offs? From mountain passes and ricefield valleys to a H’mong king palace and a 54m² flag in the most northern part of Vietnam – it’s easy to see why exploring the Ha Giang Loop has made it to the top of everyone’s list of must-do‘s in Vietnam.
Itinerary of the Ha Giang Loop
There is not one indicated/signedposted Ha Giang Loop. The loop is a combination of roads you can travel in the enormous Ha Giang Province, all starting and ending in Ha Giang City. This is most convenient, as the provincial captial is easy to reach by a 7 hour (sleeper) bus from bustling Hanoi.
The most popular itinerary for tourists exploring the Ha Giang Loop is a 3 or 4 day trip spanning approximately 400 kilometers. This route typically starts in Ha Giang City, taking in Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Meo Vac, and returning to Ha Giang City on the third day. If you prefer travelling off the beaten track – like we do! – you can consider adding Du Gia to your Ha Giang Loop adventure.
Ha Giang Loop in 3 days: Ha Giang City – Dong Van – Meo Vac – Ha Giang City
- Day 1: Ha Giang City – Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Pho Bang – Sung La – Dong Van (160 KM)
- Day 2: Dong Van – Lung Cu – Ma Pi Leng Pass – Meo Vac (90 KM)
- Day 3: Meo Vac – Mau Due – Yenh Minh – Quan Ba – Ha Giang City (150 KM)
Ha Giang Loop in 4 days: Ha Giang City – Dong Van – Meo Vac – Du Gia – Ha Giang City
- Day 1: Ha Giang City – Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Pho Bang – Sung La – Dong Van (160 KM)
- Day 2: Dong Van – Lung Cu – Ma Pi Leng Pass – Meo Vac (90 KM)
- Day 3: Meo Vac – Mau Due – Du Gia (75 KM)
- Day 4: Du Gia – Yen Dinh – Ha Giang City (75 KM)
If you have even more time to spare, it’s worthwhile to include Ba Be National Park or easternmost Ban Gioc Waterfall in your itinerary.
Exploring the Ha Giang Loop by motorbike
The best way to explore the Ha Giang Loop is by motorbike. Feel the wind in your hair while you enjoy the lush landscape. The winding mountain roads in northern Vietnam are beautiful and spectacular. However, it can be quite dangerous to go on this adventure all by yourself. Quality of the roads can be poor, corners are often blind, and drop-offs are steep. Needless to say: unforgiving towards the inexperienced motorbike driver.
Don’t neglect your safety and allow yourself an awesome motorbike adventure with our Easy Riders! We’ve been around since 1991, use only high-quality equipment, and our English-speaking guides are licensed, experienced, and fun. For the Ha Giang Loop by motorbike in 3 days (clockwise), Ha Giang Loop Easy Rider Tour in 4 days (counterclockwise) or Ha Giang Loop & Ban Gioc Waterfall Combo (5 days), we only ride small-group tours with 2 to 6 people.
There are a lot of tour agencies offering the Ha Giang Loop as ‘Easy Rider experience’ and quality differs greatly. We’ve seen the most astonishing things: groups of up to 40 people, guides driving in flip-flops or without helmets, scooters that couldn’t make it to the top on steep climbs… On some tours, ‘accomodation included’ means sharing a dorm with 15 others. Great fun, but maybe not the best way to recharge for another day of focused driving on small winding mountain roads. All we’re saying is: make sure you know what you’re getting before booking anywhere!
