Most searched road trip of Vietnam - Ha Giang Loop

Ha Giang Loop is an off the beaten path road trip through Vietnam’s far north. Until 1959, this region was virtually inaccessible; that year the government built the “Happiness Road” (QL4C) linking Ha Giang to the country.
In 2010 the Dong Van Plateau was recognized as a UNESCO Global Geopark.

The loop goes through limestone peaks and remote villages where each corner feels like a new path which you discover for the first time!
In fact, Vietnam’s official tourism site even calls the Ha Giang Loop an adventurer’s paradise which is a description I would wholeheartedly agree with by journey’s end and so will you!

Planning Your Ha Giang road trip

• Getting There: Most tours start in Ha Giang City. Book a nighttime bus (6-7h) from Hanoi’s My Dinh station (or from Sapa) to arrive early in the morning.
  Store your big luggage at the hostel and pack a daypack for the loop. 
  Many hostels in Hanoi partner with loop tours and even offer a free night upon return.
  
  
  
• Itinerary: We outlined a 4 day plan below. Some people squeeze it into 3 very long days, but this means >200 km riding per day. Don’t be those, you will regret it haha
  
  Within 4 days you can stop for photos, short hikes, and cultural visits (even a quick boat ride on the Nho Que River, if arranged).
  The official route is 4 days, but add a 5th day if you want a more relaxed pace or to explore Muc Suong Valley or nearby Du Gia.
  

• Best Time to Go:
  Spring (Mar-Apr) and autumn (Sep-Nov) are ideal months and most sought after by foreign motorcycle riders. 
  March-April offers clear skies (avg ~19-24°C).
  October is harvest season when the rice terraces turn golden (spectacular photos). November has the famous pink/violet buckwheat flower bloom.
  
  Summers (Jun-Aug) bring rain and storms, making steep roads slippery and winters (Dec-Feb) are cold and foggy (rarely below 10°C in day but very chilly at night).
  
  Always check weather forecasts as conditions in the Ha Giang mountains can and do change rapidly. Please please please…don’t take the weather lightly here!
  
  

• What to pack:

  • • Clothing: Layered clothing, warm jacket, gloves, and scarf (nights can drop to ~15°C even in spring). Breathable rain gear. Good riding shoes and a sunhat or cap for when off the bike.

    • Gear: Helmets (mandatory), a small repair kit (tire levers, spare tubes), and a large power bank (homestays often have limited power outlets).
      I carried a portable tyre air inflator which you should bring too if you have enough space left. It came in handy not for me but for another rider we found on the road with a deflated tire on his bike!
      Sunglasses and sunscreen (the sun is strong in clear weather).

    • Documents & Cash: 3 to 5 million VND per person should cover accommodation, fuel, and food. Bring extra in case of emergencies as you will hardly find ATMs outside Ha Giang City.
      Carry passport and either a Vietnamese driver’s license (ideal) or an International Driving Permit. 
      Many shops will rent bikes without checking permits, but riding without a proper license is technically illegal and chances are high you would get in trouble.
      I mean why take the risk and lose your peace of mind worrying about getting caught!
      
      

• Transport/Tours:
  You can DIY by renting a bike in Ha Giang City. Alternatively, book a guided loop with hotel pickup in Hanoi (often via hostel travel desks or online tours). Options include:
  

  • • Motorbike + Guide (“Easy Rider”): You sit on a local driver’s bike. Great if you don’t ride.

    • Self-Ride Tour: You rent the bike yourself and follow a guided route plan (or a guide drives a lead bike) which gives flexibility. If you can drive safely, this is the most recommended option since you really feel like having an adventure tour!

    • Car or Jeep Tour: Increasingly popular for families or non-riders. A private car (SUV) or open-top Jeep carries 4 to 6 people with luggage, so you only need a shuttle to Hanoi/return, no bus hassles.
      The scenery is just as good, but at a higher cost (roughly $450-600/person for 4 days).

4 Day Route Breakdown (Ha giang loop itinerary)

Day 1: Ha Giang to Yen Minh

We rolled out of Ha Giang city early, eager to escape the lowlands. Day 1 follows QL4C north into the mountains. Almost immediately, the road climbs into dense limestone jungle which I was not expecting so quickly. Within an hour we reached the Heaven’s Gate Pass (Deo Ma Pi Leng/Deo Tam Son) which is a series of switchbacks on a 1500m ridge overlooking valleys. From here the panorama was insanely beautiful, no kidding! (peaks and rice fields extend in all directions). This is our first major scenic highlight.

After descending from Heaven’s Gate, we had lunch in Tam Son village. This tiny roadside stop had a few cafes where I devoured bowls of warm pho and plates of com rang (fried rice). absolute yum…
By afternoon the road leveled out a bit where we followed the Mien River valley through small farming villages. Rice paddies and old stilt houses were all around where in the shallows you could even spot water buffalo taking dust baths which was surprisingly my favorite memory of Ha giang. Buffaloes in Vietnamese villages, yea that.. I am weird like that I guess!

By late afternoon we arrived in Yen Minh township (approximately 110 km from Ha Giang). Accommodation ranged from modest guesthouses to homestays.
I stayed in a local homestay (shared bamboo dorms) where we had a family style dinner on the floor. The homestay was quite simple so don’t expect luxury of hotels but it was ultra clean.

I walked around the village and just chatted around with villagers (I know a little bit of Vietnamese). They live really simple lives yet seem happier than me. I really envied them at the moment. Don’t believe me? Try travelling to local villages of Vietnam, you perspective might change too!
While still in the field, a really nice old lady (in her 80s I think) invited us to join a hearty hotpot of mountain vegetables and pork, we tried mèn mén (pounded corn porridge). That’s village folks for you! Super kind and not expecting anything in return... 

Sleeping in one big room with other travelers going on the loop was just like a backpacker hostel experience. Even with basic facilities (cold showers, mosquito nets), the company and conversations made it special. I was in bed early since I was planning to catch sunrise the next morning.

Day 2: Yen Minh to Dong Van (via Lung Cu)

No, I couldn’t catch the sunrise in the morning. Lazy me!
Day 2 ramps up the altitude. I had an early breakfast of pho before dawn, then headed northeast out of Yen Minh on QL4C.
The climb was steeper today. Before long we were on the famous Nine Turn Pass (Dốc Chín Khoanh) which is a braided mountain road that was quite fun although a bit risky. We pulled over at the top to admire the 360° views of craggy peaks and river valleys stretched endlessly. No fog, it was an ultra clear blue sky…utter bliss!

Anyways we moved ahead and refueled our bikes (and ourselves) in the tiny village of Sà Phìn. Not many petrol stations here with only one station on this stretch so I filled up and ate banh mi sandwiches to go. 

Then came a highlight as we took a side road up to Lung Cu Flag Tower (about 25 km off the main loop). Climbing the 150 stone steps to the hilltop, I reached Vietnam’s northernmost point. A giant red-white-blue flag whipped in the breeze. I could see across the border the Chinese countryside which was very similar looking to Sa phin village.

People nearby were selling tiny flags and postcards with special passbooks (this flag tower has become a pilgrimage site).
I spent 20 minutes or so at the top taking photos with the border marker and just sitting for a while. It was a bit colder too so I moved down soon.

Back on QL4C, we descended late afternoon into Dong Van town. Dong Van is a small plateau town with cobbled streets and French colonial buildings. We dropped our bags at a guesthouse and wandered the famous market square. 
Vendors from the hill tribes (H’Mông, Dzao, Lô Lô) were selling brightly embroidered clothing, beaded jewelry, and local cheeses. I didn’t buy any due to lack of space but these villagers were happy to see us regardless haha
We tasted chè lam (sticky rice candy) and sipped warm herbal tea. The atmosphere was lively which was a contrast to the quiet roads. It was a nice break from the loneliness of driving on the loop.
After a simple grilled pork dinner, I turned in early, as tomorrow we had the biggest pass ahead (yeah I didn’t think I would wake up earlier than 6 am for the sunrise after driving all day!)

Day 3: Dong Van to Meo Vac (via Ma Pi Leng)

Day 3 stretch is often called the best part of the loop, and it lived up to its reputation. We set off pre dawn, and by sunrise we were climbing south out of Dong Van. The road ahead was the mighty Ma Pi Leng Pass.
From the summit’s skywalk point, our mouths dropped as below us was the Nho Que River gorge, nice green and 1,200m deep. The highway is literally cut into the cliffside, so sharp and narrow that we had to crawl through each hairpin. It is also the most scared I felt on the loop and had to drive really slow and carefully. It really is dangerous!

On the way, I kept stopping for photos (and deep breaths). Even the official Vietnam travel site gushes this is as arguably the most mind-blowing stretch of road in all of Vietnam which I can vouch for too!

By mid morning we descended to the market town of Meo Vac (about 24 km from Dong Van). Meo Vac is green and rocky, home to more ethnic groups. We had a late lunch at a street stall (hu tieu noodles and fresh sugarcane juice) and stocked up on bottled water and snacks. On the Ha Giang loop carry more water than you think you need people!

If time and energy permit, another option here is to briefly detour onto smaller Road 193A, which goes down to the river. Local tours sometimes arrange a short bamboo raft ride on the Nho Que River or a scooter ride into the gorge. (We skipped it today to keep to our schedule, but it looked beautiful.)

By late afternoon we arrived in a tiny village just south of Meo Vac called Bao Lam which was also our homestay for the night. This hamlet was very remote; there were no hotels, just a row of family homestays. We climbed concrete steps up to a wooden barn on stilts and opened the door. Inside was one large room where everyone sleeps which felt like a family loft.
We cooled off with a swim in the icy mountain stream nearby. Back at the house, dinner was cooking: rice, mountain greens, corn wine…and lively karaoke on a small speaker under the porch lights. Our host insisted we take shots of homemade corn wine (“rượu ngô”, nicknamed Happy Water). It’s a strong 35-45% liquor. We each downed a sip and joined their chorus of Songs. (Fortunately we had loaded up on food first otherwise we might have woken up in terrible shape!)
For light drinkers, avoid this as even at around 40% alleged alcohol V/V it felt insanely strong to me. Maybe have a taste as it was surprisingly smooth haha

Disclaimer: Do not drink and drive. Infact, I do not recommend consumption of alcohol.

Even though we were exhausted, we stayed up chatting with our hosts and other travelers by a kerosene lamp, sharing travel stories in broken English and bit of Vietnamese I think I mistakenly thought was good enough lol
Then we slept soundly to the sound of crickets on the wooden floor (Use mosquito nets no matter what, carry one just in case your homestay might not have it).

Day 4: Bao Lam to Ha Giang City (via Bac Me)

I woke up late again! Maybe I should hire someone to throw a bucket of ice cold water on my face every morning at 6 am.

Anyways, the final day was largely downhill. We took our time over breakfast (banh mi and coffee at 8 am) before setting off on QL34 southwest. This road follows the valley of the Gam River.
Compared to Day 3, the curves were not too sharp, letting us finally relax our shoulders. The valley scenery was different with wide golden rice terraces (harvested) and sunflower fields under open sky. We passed roadside stands selling wild orchids and fresh sugar cane. And ofcourse stopped a couple of times to fly my drone and take beautiful shots of the valley!!

About midday we stopped in Bac Me town. We enjoyed local thick pho and grilled corn for lunch. The restaurant lady smiled at me as we strapped the bikes back together. The restaurant vendors were very social here where they always offered me a seat and a drink even when I didn’t buy much. I really loved it here!

Moving ahead, the last stretch back into Ha Giang was on a good highway which was a smooth, straight descent into the subtropical lowlands.
The air felt more humid and warm, and for a moment it felt like we left the mountains behind. I already started missing the cold mountains of Ha Giang!

At 3 pm we rolled into the parking lot where we had started 4 days earlier. All our buddies from the tour group cheered as we took off our helmets (I still miss them!)
We were dirty, tired and proud with 350+ km of twists, turns and triumphs conquered! Someone half joked, “Am I a biker now? Should I sell my car?”
I really think that yes you can call yourself a biker after doing the Ha giang loop safely because it can really test you at times!

We want to come back here again one day. I hope. I really do hope! Maybe on a Jeep next time, so we can snap even more photos on the way. 

I just have to say that if your Vietnam itinerary allows it, don’t skip the Ha Giang Loop. It’s challenging (yes) but entirely doable and 100% rewarding. You’ll truly be cruising through adventure on these roads. 
There is a reason it's so popular among motorcycle enthusiasts all over the world. Ask one if you don’t trust me!

Have you ridden the Ha Giang Loop yet? If not, what’s stopping you?