Vietnam Ha Giang Loop Tour

You reserve your spot for free and pay nothing to join, and reservations close 7 days before departure. Once enough travellers have signed on, usually around 10, we confirm the departure and email you a confirmation with an invoice for the full trip price. You pay it by card or bank transfer within 7 days, in US dollars, pounds, euros, Australian, Canadian or New Zealand dollars or Indian rupees.

A scan of your passport at least a week before Day 1, plus your e-visa or entry stamp as soon as you have it. The far north is a border area, and foreigners need a border-area permit for the communes near the Chinese border, which we arrange through the licensed operator. Some passports get 45 days visa-free in Vietnam and others need an e-visa, and the rules change, so check our Vietnam visa guide before you book flights and only apply on the official site, evisa.gov.vn.

Solo travellers aged 18 to 40, and most people come on their own. The maximum for each departure is shown with its dates, and it's never more than 12. We don't merge our group into other companies' convoys.

The Trip Host rides with the group for all five days, sorts out the permit, the van, the homestays and the meals, and is the person you go to if anything goes wrong. A licensed local guide rides with us too.

No. You ride as a passenger behind a licensed easy rider, so you don't need a licence, and we don't offer self-riding on this trip. Riding a motorbike yourself in Vietnam legally takes a motorbike licence from home plus a 1968-convention International Driving Permit, and permits from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India don't qualify. Without the right papers you risk a fine of about 2 to 4 million dong, and your insurer can refuse a claim.

Three riding days can work, but it usually means a long first day straight off the night bus and skipping Du Gia. We ride for four days and use the day van, so nothing is rushed and you arrive rested.

October and November are the best months: dry, clear and cool, with pink buckwheat flowers from late October. March and April are also good. December to February is cold, with fog on the passes some mornings. From May to September it's hot and wet, with landslides after heavy rain, so we don't run the trip then. We don't ride in heavy rain or thick fog. If a section isn't safe, the Trip Host and guide wait it out or change the route, and after heavy storms we skip the boat because the river turns fast and brown.

Family-run village houses with simple rooms, clean bedding and shared bathrooms with hot showers. Some rooms are small shared dorms with mattresses on the floor. Evenings can be lively, with rice wine offered at dinner, but you can always say no, and the Trip Host keeps a quiet corner for anyone who wants one.

Bring one small soft bag, around 10 kg at most, which is strapped to your rider's bike. The rest of your luggage stays with us in the van and waits in Ha Giang until Day 5. Pack a fleece and a windproof jacket (the passes are cold early in the morning, even in spring), long trousers you can sit in all day, closed shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, a swimsuit for Du Gia, earplugs for roosters and karaoke, a power bank and any medicine you need. Meals are included, so cash is mainly for drinks, snacks and tips. ATMs in the mountain towns can be empty or out of order, so bring enough Vietnamese dong from Hanoi. About 400,000 to 800,000 dong for your easy rider for the four days is a typical tip.

No mountain road ride is risk-free, and in March 2026 a young British traveller was fatally injured in a crash while riding as a passenger on the loop. In mid-April 2026 the provincial tourism department announced new rules for loop operators: licensed operators only, roadworthy bikes, helmets and protective gear for every rider, and written contracts. We only book through a licensed operator, give everyone protective gear, keep the group small and ride at a pace you're comfortable with. You can ask your rider to slow down at any time.

Yes, it's a condition of joining. It must cover medical treatment and evacuation, and it must cover you as a motorbike passenger. Some policies exclude motorbikes entirely, so check the small print before you buy.

Reasonably fit. Sitting on a bike for several hours is tiring, especially for your back and legs. The walking is short, but the steps up to Lung Cu flag tower are steep. If you have back problems, talk to us before you book.