[2024]4Days DIY How To Ha Giang Loop Ultimate Itinerary – Vietnam

The Ha Giang Loop, known as the ‘Adventure of a Lifetime,’ is famous for its captivating scenery and beautiful winding roads through the mountains of northernmost Vietnam.

This blog provides the most detailed itinerary and all the information that you need to know before starting your own DIY Ha Giang Loop journey!

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4 Days Budget

Bus (Hanoi-HaGiang): 350.000 VND
Bus (HaGiang-Hanoi): 350.000 VND
4Days Motorcycle: 170.000 VND/day Semi-automatic
4Days Fuel: 300.000 VND
Food: 1.300.000 VND for 4 days
4Nights Hotel: 1.500.000 VND

TOTAL: 17.470.000 VND (685 USD)

Day 0: Getting to Ha Giang

Detailed Itinerary: DIY Itinerary to Ha Giang

I highly recommend riding a sleeper bus as getting to Ha Giang can take 5 to 10 hours depending on where are you going to depart. Also, be wise in choosing your bus operator as well as the type of bus. Some of the operators are hard to distinguish, which may give you delays or other trouble finding your bus.

The comfort also goes with the price of the ticket as well as the reputation of the operator. A Vietnamese friend of mine recommended I choose Bằng Phấn. Their bus was very comfortable when I traveled from Ninh Binh to Ha Giang, and the price was not that expensive.

Another tip! Book your tickets in advance before you travel! Believe me, it will take away all the headaches that you may encounter when going from one city to another in Vietnam. I booked all my bus tickets from Vexere.com. It allowed me to pay for all my tickets using a credit card. They are very reliable and have fast English-speaking customer support.

How to go from Ninh Binh to Ha Giang

Here is a guide on how to go to Ha Giang if you plan to travel to Ninh Binh first before going for the Ha Giang loop, just like I did. My plan was to leave Ninh Binh at night and arrive at Ha Giang before sunrise.

Here are some key points and tips to take note :

1. I Booked a Bằng Phấn sleeper bus from Vexere.com for 450,000 VND.
2. My pick-up point of the bus is on the Map below or follow this link. This may be different so make sure to double-check your bus tickets about the designated pick-up point.
3. Make sure to give your phone number or at least contact the bus operator in advance because the bus conductor will call you on or before they arrive at the pick-up point. Sometimes, they will also ask for the last digits of your mobile number to verify your identity.
4. Make sure to ready your tickets and ID or Passport before onboarding the bus to show it to the bus conductor.
5. I believe the pick-up point is just a bus stop, so once all the passengers in the pick-up point got onboarded the bus will leave right away. So make sure to arrive at the correct pick-up point.
6. Last, when you book your ticket online indicate the name of your hotel in Ha Giang. As for me, my hotel is Ha Giang Loop Hostel & Tours. The bus dropped me in front of the hotel at 2 AM! Very convenient!

My Itinerary:

19:00 -> Pick-up in front of Mini mart Anh Đức or nearby the Banana Tree Hostel
22:00 -> Stop over at Nhà Hàng Cơm Quang Linh somewhere at the north of Hanoi. Here you may use the toilet and eat some snack or Pho.
01:00 -> Arrive Ha Giang proper. The bus will start dropping each passenger to their respective hotels or drop-off points.
02:00 -> Arrive at Ha Giang Loop Hostel & Tours

⚠️Always double-check your ticket and make sure to indicate the correct schedule, pick-up point, drop-off point, phone number, and ID number.

How to go from Hanoi to Ha Giang

If you are coming from Ha Noi, you may book Bằng Phấn sleeper bus from Vexere.com for  350,000VND.
Here are some key points and tips to take note :

1. Make sure to give your phone number or at least contact the bus operator in advance because the bus conductor will call you on or before they arrive at the pick-up point. Sometimes, they will also ask for the last digits of your mobile number to verify your identity.
2. Make sure to ready your tickets and ID or Passport before onboarding the bus to show it to the bus conductor.
3. You have 5 pick-up point options but it depends on the schedule:

Pick-up Points:

• Free pick up in the Old Quarter – This is a shuttle bus that will take you to the terminal.
• My Dinh Bus Station
• 156 Tran Quang Khai Office
• Giap Bat office (Giải Phóng, Giáp Bát, Hoàng Mai, Hà Nội, Vietnam)
• Noi Bai Crossroad (Hai Yen Restaurant)

⚠️Always double-check your ticket and make sure to indicate the correct pick-up point, drop-off point, phone number, and ID number.

Where to Stay in Ha Giang?

These are the best hostel options when you are about to do the Ha Giang Loop. These hotels are ideal because they are near the bus pick-up and drop-off points when you are arriving and leaving Ha Giang. They are also near the starting point of the loop. And most importantly, they rent out the motorcycles for the Ha Giang Loop.

1. Ha Giang Loop Hostel & Tours : I booked my hotel here for a night for only 75,000 VND or 3 USD. They allowed me to arrive and check in in the middle of the night (2 AM). They serve breakfast and coffee. They also rent motorcycles for Ha Giang Loop, with or without a driver.
2. Ha Giang Hostel
3. Garden Villa Homestay and Tour Motorbike&Car for Rent

Where to Rent a Motorcycle in Ha Giang for Ha Giang Loop?

The best place to rent a motorcycle in Ha Giang for the Ha Giang Loop is in your hostel! Yet, if your hostel doesn’t have it you may still find motorcycle renting shops around Ha Giang or from another hostel. Just ask your hostel attendant to help you look for one.

I rented the motorcycle I used for Ha Giang Loop from Ha Giang Loop Hostel & Tours. They’ve got all I need to get started for the loop. With the motorcycle, they will provide you with the following:

• Helmet
• Bag Carriage and Attachment accessories like wheel rubber bands.
• Plastic bags to wrap your bags and protect it from dirt
• Protective Gears. If you are lucky that they don’t run out of supply, you may just take it from their shelf
• Motorcycle Insurance.

What Motorcycle to Use in Ha Giang Loop

I wrote this guide on the best motorcycles to use in Ha Giang to provide in-depth information and help you choose the most suitable motorcycle for your journey.

I completed the Ha Giang Loop on a 110cc semi-automatic Honda Blade, with a passenger behind me and two large backpacks stacked behind us. And one in our group used an automatic one. Although we managed to finish it, there were moments when the motorcycle would shut down on steep roads. Moreover, I found gear shifting tiring during long rides. Reflecting on my experience, I realize I could have opted for an automatic or a motorcycle with a larger engine.

That being said, when tackling the Ha Giang Loop, you have the freedom to choose any type of motorcycle you prefer. However, based on my experience, comfort, reliability, and most importantly safety are paramount considerations.

Check out this guide for more information: Ha Giang Loop The Best Motorcycle to Use

4 Days DIY Ha Giang Loop Route Itinerary

In this guide, I will take you through the full route of the 4-day Ha Giang Loop, providing you with the most detailed information, including the best places to stop for amazing scenery, the dangerous roads to watch out for, and other useful tips for your adventure.

First tip: the roads in the Ha Giang Loop are very dangerous, and it is wrong to assume that even if you are a skilled driver, you won’t encounter any trouble along the way. During my trip, I met a few riders using the best gear and motorcycles, yet they were still unfortunate enough to get into accidents.

In this blog, I am going to provide you with the most complete information that I learned during my trip.

Day 1: Ha Giang to Yen Minh

Road to follow

• Ha Giang to Yen Minh: QL4C (90km)

Note: For display purposes, I set the map using a car because it is more accurate than setting it to the motorcycle.

Best Stops: Ha Giang to Yen Minh

• Bac Sum Pass
• Quan Ba Heaven Gate
• Lung Khuy Cave

Driver’s License

The first thing to be prepared for is the police inspection. Make sure that you have the correct International Driver’s License before you take on this adventure. In my experience, the police did not easily believe me when I showed them my International Driver’s License obtained from Taiwan. They also asked for my local driver’s license. So, you better bring both of your driver’s licenses and any extra ID you have.

Dangerous Spots to Watch Out

1. After the town of Tan Son, this road is a very steep and narrow zigzag going up
2. Another narrow and steep zigzag road, before you arrive at Quan Be Heaven Gate.

Gasoline Stations

• Yen Minh: Petrolimex

Day 2: Yen Minh to Meo Vac with Lung Cu Side Trip

Roads to follow

• Yen Minh to Lung Cu: QL4C →  Đ CC QG (57 km)
• Lung Cu to Meo Vac :  Đ CC QG → DT 182B → QL4C (48km)

Best Stops: Yen Minh to Meo Vac

• Dốc Thẩm Mã
• View Point Sủng Là
• Pho Cao peach blossom viewpoint
• Thịt xiên nướng (Restaurant on Mountain)
• Dong Van Plateau
• Khe Lia Panorama
• Viewpoint Tam giác mạch
• Lung Cu Flag Point
• Mỏm Đá Tử Thần
• Đèo Tà Làng
• Mã Pí Lèng Pass Viewpoint
• Bến thuyền hẻm Tu Sản
• Meo Vac Market

Dangerous Spots to Watch Out

• The QL4C road going to Dong Van and Meo Vac are mountain side and mostly going down. Make sure to check your brakes and stay focused while driving.

Tip

• Start very early in the morning as this day will be a long drive and has many alluring stops along the way.
• Make sure to check your brakes and fuel before starting the day.

Gasoline Stations

• Dong Van: Petrolimex 

Day 3: Meo Vac to Du Gia

Roads to follow

• Meo Vac to Thanh Thấn : DT182 (34 km)
• Thanh Thấn to Du Gia :  DT 176 (56 km)

Best Stops: Meo Vac to Du Gia

• M shape turn Viewpoint
• Nham La View
• Mau Due Viewpoint
• Di tích Tường thành thời Pháp
• Di tích đồn Pháp
• Viewpoint Lũng Hồ
• ĐƯỜNG TỈNH 176

Dangerous Spots to Watch Out

• DT 182 road is under construction
• DT 176 road, some parts are under construction and rough roads

Tip

• Expect 80% of the road to be under construction!

Gasoline Stations

• Du Gia: Fuel Station
• Du Gia: Trạm xăng

Day 4: Du Gia to Ha Giang

Roads to follow

• Du Gia to QL34 Intersection: DT176 (39 km)
• QL34 Intersection to Ha Giang :  QL34 (34 km)

Best Stops: Meo Vac to Du Gia

• Bãi đá bản Kẹp

Dangerous Spots to Watch Out

• DT 176 is under construction! Watch out for the huge trucks and expect muddy roads.

Tip

• DT 176 is under construction, as much as possible avoid going through this road when it is raining. The road is muddy and the mountainside roads aren’t safe.

4 Days Ha Giang Loop Full Route Map

This is the map of the full route that I covered in doing my DIY Ha Giang Loop. Please note that this is not the full Ha Giang Loop, but most loopers are also doing this route. It all depends on your schedule and preferences.

I do belive that the full Ha Giang Loop follows the QL4C from Ha Giang to Nà Phòng then turning to QL34 going back to Ha Giang. But this will require at least 5 days, and I have read from other blogs that by doing this can be too much for some, but it all depends on you.

Hotels to Stay in 4 Days Ha Giang Loop

Where to stay in Ha Giang?

There are many hostels in Ha Giang. Make sure to choose the hotel that offers motorcycle rental and will help you get started to your journey.

• Ha Giang Loop Hostel & Tours – We stayed in this hostel, their rooms are quite comfy and cheap. They accept check-in in the middle of the night. We also rented out a motorcycle from them and help us to get our journey started!
• Green Hill Homestay & Tour
• Trip – Tours & Hostel

Where to stay in Yen Minh?

Yen Minh is a town with several hotels to stay. Watch out for hotels that cancel the reservation for no reason! I’ve got two reservations in Yen Minh canceled by Pura Homestay and Khách Sạn Kiên Thảo.

• Nhà Nghỉ Hải Linh – This hotel accommodated us without advanced booking. Rooms have their own toilets and shower as well as air conditioning.
• Pura Homestay
• AKa Homestay
• Khách Sạn Phương Đông

Note: If you don’t like noisy hostels caused by parties of other Ha Giang Loopers, don’t stay in the hostels that partner with Ha Giang Loop organizers

Where to stay in Meo Vac?

• Ong Vang Meo Vac – we stayed in this cheap but comfy capsule hotel in this location. The rooms have hot showers, toilets, and air conditioning. I booked them through agoda. They are located near the Meo Vac Market.
• Little Yen’s Homestay – is also a popular hostel among Ha Giang Loopers. They are located 5km from the Meo Vac town proper.

Where to stay in Du Gia?

There aren’t many hotels in Du Gia, so make sure to book yours in advance.

• Tom’s Du Gia Homestay – We stayed in this homestay I booked from booking.com. Their rooms are very nice! They have a pool and a restaurant.
• The Hill Homestay
• Du Gia View Homestay

FAQs : Read Before you Follow my Journey!

Is this the full Ha Giang Loop?
This 4-day itinerary is not the full Ha Giang Loop! If you plan to do the full Ha Giang Loop, I believe you have to a lot at least 5 days and follow the QL4C from Ha Giang until Nà Phòng and QL34 going back to Ha Giang.

Can we hire a motorcycle driver?
Yes, you don’t have to do the Ha Giang Loop as DIY. You may ask your hostel if they have this service or checkout the following:
– Ha Giang Easy Riders
– Style Motorbikes

Can we do the Ha Giang Loop using a Car?
Yes!

Will the rental shop ask for an International Driver’s License?
Yes, they will ask you for it as they are partly liable for letting you drive without a valid license.

What is the risk of not bringing a valid International Driver’s License?
A fine, and the police officers will not allow you to go through.


For other questions that I missed, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me through admin@carloistraveling.com