Ha Giang is grey rock and switchbacks, not terraced green
Vietnam's northernmost province, on the Chinese border. Most photographs of it online are of somewhere else. This is what it looks like, how long to give it, and what it costs to be there.
At a glance
| Region | Northern border highlands, on the Chinese frontier |
| Nights worth staying | 3, and 2 is not enough |
| Nearest airport | Hanoi HAN, 300 km, six hours by road |
| Best months | September to November, then March to May |
| Altitude | Passes to about 1,500 m; genuinely cold in winter |
| Permit | Border-area travel permit required, issued in advance |
What the place actually is
Ha Giang is a UNESCO global geopark of grey karst — a plateau of eroded limestone that looks, from a pass, like a sea that has been frozen mid-swell. The colour is grey and ochre, not green. The famous emerald terraces that appear in most Vietnam photography are mostly in Mu Cang Chai or Sapa, several hours away, and travellers who arrive expecting them are briefly disappointed before the actual landscape corrects them.
The province has changed quickly. Ten years ago the loop was a genuine expedition; today the main road is sealed and good, Dong Van has hotels and coffee shops, and in October the passes carry a steady stream of rented motorbikes. That is not a reason to skip it. It is a reason to go in the right week and to leave the main route at least once, which is what the Du Gia night on our trip is for.
What has not changed is the human landscape. This is a province of Hmong, Tay, Dao and Lo Lo communities where the Sunday markets are functional rather than arranged for visitors, and where a village fifteen minutes off the road is still a village that farms.
How long to stay, and why less does not work
Three nights. The reason is arithmetic rather than taste: Ha Giang city is six hours from Hanoi, the loop is about 350 km of mountain road, and Ma Pi Leng is only worth having in morning light.
- Two nights means driving Ma Pi Leng in the afternoon, when the pass is backlit and busy with the day traffic out of Dong Van, and skipping Du Gia.
- Three nights gives you Quan Ba and the plateau on separate days, Ma Pi Leng at 08:00, and one night off the main route.
- Four nights adds Meo Vac and the Sunday market, or a slow day walking from a homestay. Worth it if you have the days; not worth extending a short trip for.
Whatever you do, do not attempt it as a day trip or a single overnight. Twelve hours of bus for one afternoon on a pass is the worst version of this province.
When to go
| Season | What it is like | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| September to November | Dry, clear, 15-25°C. The best light of the year | The rice harvest is mid to late September. Book six to eight weeks ahead |
| December to February | Cold, 5-15°C, hazy mornings, almost empty | Beautiful and quiet. On a bike, the cold matters more than the number suggests |
| March to May | Warming and dry, buckwheat and plum blossom | The second-best window and much less busy than autumn |
| June to August | Wettest. Green, hot, afternoon storms | Landslides close the loop for hours or days. Itinerary order may change |
The wet months are not a write-off and we run them. What you trade is certainty; what you get back is a province at its greenest with half the traffic and homestays that are not full. The reasoning in full is on when to go.
How to get there
There is no airport and no railway. Every route starts in Hanoi.
| Option | Time | Rough cost | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeper bus, overnight | 6 hours, 21:00 to 05:00 | USD 12 - 18 | What we use. Saves a hotel night and a day |
| Limousine van, daytime | 6 - 7 hours | USD 15 - 25 | More comfortable, costs you a daylight day |
| Private car | 6 hours | USD 150 - 200 | Only worth it for a group of four or more |
| Own motorbike from Hanoi | 2 days each way | Fuel only | Adds four days and a lot of highway |
Once you are in Ha Giang city the loop itself is 350 km on sealed road with two rough sections. Motorbike hire in the city runs about USD 10 a day, and it is where most independent travellers start.
Ha Giang is a border province and the loop requires a travel permit, issued in advance from passport details. Any operator who tells you it can be arranged on the morning is telling you something that is not true.
What things cost on the ground
Independent of any tour, so you can judge a quote against it.
| Item | Rough cost |
|---|---|
| Homestay bed, shared floor with mosquito net | USD 6 - 10 |
| Twin room in a Dong Van hotel | USD 18 - 30 |
| A meal at a local restaurant | USD 2 - 4 |
| Motorbike hire, per day | USD 8 - 12 |
| Petrol for the full loop | USD 8 - 12 |
| Nho Que river boat through Tu San canyon | USD 10 - 14 |
| Border-area travel permit | USD 10 - 12 |
Pictures of the province
When to skip Ha Giang
- You have fewer than four clear days including travel from Hanoi.
- Somebody in your group cannot manage long road days on continuous bends, or uneven steps and a shared sleeping floor.
- You are travelling in late July or August and cannot absorb a changed itinerary or a lost day.
- You came to Vietnam for green terraced rice specifically. Mu Cang Chai in September is the place for that, not here.
- You want comfortable hotels every night. Two of the three nights are basic.
Our trip here
We run the Ha Giang Loop over four days from Hanoi, with a private vehicle, a guide who is not also the driver, the permit obtained in advance, and a group capped at twelve. You can ride, ride pillion or sit in the car for the same price. It is also the trip that films best, and if you are going to buy the film package once, buy it here.
Four days, from USD 265
Tell us the month and the group size and we will send the itinerary, the total and whether a filmmaker is free.
What people ask before booking
Do I need a permit for Ha Giang?
Yes. It is a border province and a travel permit is required for the loop, issued in advance from your passport details. It costs about USD 10 and takes a few working days. On our trips it is obtained for you and included.
Can I do the loop without riding a motorbike?
Yes. A car covers the entire loop, and riding pillion with a local driver is the most common choice for people who do not ride. Neither costs more than riding yourself on our trip.
Is Ha Giang better than Sapa?
They are different landscapes. Sapa is green terraces and trekking, and its town has been heavily built up. Ha Giang is grey karst and driving, and it is harder to reach, which is most of why it feels the way it does.
If you want to walk between villages, go to Sapa. If you want passes, go here.
How cold does it get?
Down to about 5°C on the passes in December and January, with wind. In the valleys it is 10 to 15°C. On a motorbike, plan for it properly — gloves and a windproof layer, not a fleece.
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Tell us your dates and we will send a plan with a price
Dates, how many of you, and whether you want the film package. You get an itinerary and a total in writing, not a brochure.