If you are going to Vietnam, one thing I insist you have on your itinerary is the Ha Giang Loop. It’s a city up in the northern part of the country, famous for its mountain range of oddly shaped pointy mountains that create the most amazing scenic 360 views. It’s home to 22 different ethnicities and covers approximately 135 Kilometres. All are covered in natural growth and animals.
The Ha Giang area is quite big and is actually made up of many small communities. You could realistically spend weeks driving through the mountains discovering new spots and scenic streets. But we don’t all have the time to do that, so, instead, I would recommend 3-4 days with a motorbike to drive through the main viewpoints and areas of interest through this landscape.
Vientman Travel Blog has a short breakdown of the route to follow: here
There are two options when it comes to motorbiking around the loop of Ha Giang
- Take a Tour
- Rent your own bike and drive yourself
Taking the Ha Giang Loop Tour
As someone who can’t drive a motorbike (and was too scared to learn) I didn’t want to miss out on this experience. I figured that going with a tour company would be my best bet, and I was not disappointed!
I would highly recommend taking a tour through the mountains. With many tour companies, you have a group of experienced drivers to navigate the terrain as you get to enjoy the views and company. They also arrange your lunch and dinners, your overnight stays, and know all of the secret spots for views and waterfalls.
On my tour, it seemed that many groups went on different routes to see various viewpoints, so everyone’s experience was a little different!
Benefits of a Ha Giang Loop Tour
Most tours also offer a safety and security buffer on the mountains. The Ha Giang loop roads are known for being quite dangerous, especially in the case of rain that causes potential landslides and flooding. Having the tour group to navigate the dangers with reduces the chance of being stranded or stuck anywhere in a bad-case scenario. The drivers know many routes to any location on the maps and have experience driving through the weather conditions in the mountains.
If you are interested in the tour but not in riding on the back of someone else, there often is an option to drive yourself and follow the tour guides. This way you can still stay with a group!
You can look at tours on booking.com or getyourguide. I would also recommend looking at which companies you would be interested in going with and messaging them.
Some popular Ha Giang loop tours include:
Self-Driving through Ha Giang Loop
Self-driving through the mountains in the Ha Giang loop is an attractive option for many people. It allows you your own schedule to discover the mountains as you wish, and the freedom to go as you please.
You may be glad to hear that the logistics of driving it yourself are not actually that difficult. The main things to think about are:
- Renting a bike
- Where to stay
- Food
Renting a Motorbike For the Ha Giang Loop
If renting your own bike and touring the mountains alone is the better option for you then you have many places to pick from. The city of Ha Giang has numerous motorbike rentals. I would recommend going into each shop and comparing prices and insurance policies.
I would consider the following when renting a bike:
- Cost
- Insurance if it gets scratched
- Upkeep/maintenance of the bike (make sure it’s in good condition and won’t break down)
- Manual or automatic
If you wish to book bikes/cars before you arrive in Ha Giang, you can take a look at Booking.com for available and trustworthy bikes for rent.
Food and Stay on the Ha Giang Loop
As mentioned before, the Ha Giang Loop is covered with small communities scattered around the mountain range. Many of these little communities are growing to accommodate travelers on the loop, meaning that more shops are opening, there are markets in most towns, and you can always find a homestay or hostel along the roads to stay at.
Unfortunately, because I rode the loop with a tour, I don’t have as much information to share with you regarding riding the loop solo. However, there are many blogs I can share that do have more information! If you wish to learn more about riding the loop yourself, check out The Relentless Beans Blog as they cover EVERYTHING you may need to know when tackling this adventure solo.
Caution on the Ha Giang Roads
I want to give caution to everyone looking into the loop adventure. It is an amazing journey, filled with so much inspiration, beauty, and scenery. I will 100% recommend it to everyone in Vietnam because it truly is an experience second to none. However, it does come with its dangers.
Road Conditions
The Ha Giang Loop roads are known for being quite dangerous. You are riding along cliffs, through mountain passes, and very remote areas of the North. Sometimes the roads are less road and more dirt paths to follow as well which can lead to some difficult driving.
Weather
Additionally, when the good weather turns to rain, some roads can quickly turn into rivers leading down the mountain. Like any mountain range landscape, this can lead to landslides. This is a cautionary tale for anyone driving the loop – whether with an easy rider or not.
Police on the Ha Giang Roads
If you choose to drive yourself, I would caution you of the police around the mountains. There are often stop points to check for valid driver’s licenses and rentals. This is the government’s push for responsible driving and keeping the roads as safe as they can be.
In Vietnam, to legally drive a motorbike, you need a valid driver’s license, an international driver’s license, and a motorcycle license.
Best Months to Ride the Ha Giang Loop
November to April are the dryer months in Vietnam. So less rainfall and more sunny days for a perfect view of the mountains!
Vietnam Extras
Vietnam is an absolutely amazing country. As a solo female traveler, I’m always very weary of who I’m with, where I am, and so on. However, my time in this country was filled with so much joy and awe. Although it can be busy, it surpassed my expectations with its charm, safety, and amazing range of natural landscapes.
Accommodation
I use hostel world when looking for hostels or private rooms when I travel. Especially in Vietnam, it has proven to be the easiest and cheapest way for me to book my accommodations.
I have also been recommended to use Agoda by multiple people for hostel/hotel booking in Asia. It is a competitor app for travel booking so it has some amazing prices!
Sim Card
You can buy SIM cards at most airports, but e-sims are easier to get data in other countries. You can buy your plan before you go to any country, and you have data ready for you as soon as you land. Airalo is great for e-sims, it covers over 180 countries and is so easy to use!
Transportation
Grab is the “Uber” of Vietnam. They have competing prices so it’s good to check out both!
Vexere is also the local app for booking overnight buses between major cities. It’s half the price of booking transportation with hotels or hostels.
Related Posts
Now, I have many places and cities in Vietnam I can recommend! If you’re interested in where else to go, check out my posts about the following:
The Duck Stop: A Unique Experience in Vietnam
Beautiful Places to Go in Vietnam: Ninh Binh
About the Author
Hi, I’m Shannon. A small travel lover with a laptop.
I’m an avid plane rider and backpacker, currently traveling between lots of working days. This year I am making travel my #1 priority, and I plan to document it as much as I can.
