northern vietnam | Ha giang responsible tourism

Over the past few years, Vietnam has become one of the top destinations for travelers of all ages. Thanks to its affordability, great food, friendliness of locals, and the ease of travel it is no wonder many choose Vietnam as their holiday destination. Most people usually start their journey either in Hanoi or Ho Chị Minh City and make their way up North to see the rice and tea fields. Luckily, many travelers have started adding Ha Giang and North east of Vietnam onto their bucket lists recently. So now let’s talk a little bit about why you should add Ha Giang on the top of your bucket list.

Where is Ha Giang & How to Get There?

Ha Giang city is located about 300km from Hanoi, and it will be the first stop on your way to exploring the Ha Giang province. You can either take a sleeper bus, or a limousine bus that will pick you up at your hotel/hostel in Hanoi and deliver you at the front door of your homestay in Ha Giang city. Busses are fairly frequent and take between 7 to 8 hours depending on the traffic. Prices range from 12$ to 25$ depending on the level of comfort, time of the day, type of vehicle.

Personally, I always go for a VIP cabin sleeper bus as they are affordable and comfortable to nap in. The bus makes 2 to 3 stops for food and toilet breaks, however, if you are vegan maybe pack some snacks with you just in case. The seat comes with a blanket, little pillow, and a little bottle of water, sometimes the AC can be quite strong so bring a hoodie/jersey with you on board.

Additional tip, carry some tissues or a toilet paper on you as some of the toilet stops don’t have any.

Why Choose Ha Giang?

There is a reason why travelers started adding Ha Giang onto their bucket lists and why it was awarded as Asia’s Leading Regional Cultural Destination in 2024 by World Travel Award. The World Travel Awards, launched in 1993, acknowledge excellence in the travel and tourism industry, and have been described as the travel industry’s equivalent of the Oscars. The annual awards are based on votes cast by travel industry professionals and the public. Aside for the World Travel Awards, in 2023 New York Times put Ha Giang onto their list of top 50 places to visit.

*World Travel Award 2024 – Ha Giang awarded as Asia’s Leading Regional Cultural Destination 2024*

The beauty of Ha Giang province is otherworldly, with its mountain passes, waterfalls, traditional craft villages, rivers and so much more. The most popular way of exploring Ha Giang province is in the form of a 3-4 day long motorbike tour. The loop is around 350km long, it can be stretched over more days, if you have extra time. Travelers can either rent a bike themselves for around 7-15$ per day, or join a tour and ride at the back of a bike with an easy rider. Travelers must have an international drivers license if they’re riding themselves, otherwise, they will be fined 2mil VND. Ha Giang roads are also classified as some of the most dangerous roads in the world, so it is strongly advised against riding them yourself if you do not have a motorbike experience as you can endanger both yourself and others. Additionally, if you decide to ride with an easy rider you are providing an income for their family, can take lots of pictures from the back of the bike, and due to their experience riding the roads you are pretty much guaranteed to be safe.

There are also other more comfortable ways of exploring for travelers who do not feel like spending the day on a motorbike, such as a private car rental or a VIP van rental for bigger groups. However, if you want to experience the elements like most of the locals do, the back of a motorbike is the way! Most tours start in Ha Giang City, leaving around 8 a.m., followed by 5–6 hours of riding each day with many stops for pictures, lunch, and coffee. Some of the most famous stops are Lủng Tắm village, Đồng Văn, Mã Pí Lèng pass, Nho Quế River and many others. Each night of the tour is spent at a traditional homestay where people share dinner cooked by the host family. After dinner activities usually involve drinking rice wine and karaoke, as this is a big part of Vietnamese culture.

*Traditional Hemp Fabric making*, *Lùng Tám village*

Mã Pí Lèng pass

Hidden Gems in Ha Giang that You Should Not Miss!

As there are many Ha Giang Loop providers around Ha Giang province it can be overwhelming to try and choose the best one. For that reason, we have decided to give you some tips for hidden gems, that do not always make it on the list. However, some providers are open to suggestions or even to adjusting the loop to fit in the desired spots – this is more common for private tours.

Our first hidden gem is Hoàng Su Phì district. Beautiful area where you can trek through the rice fields, learn about the lives of the locals and enjoy the breathtaking views. This district is located around 3 hours away from Ha Giang town.

Another hidden gem that is much closer to Ha Giang town is the Little Ma Pi Leng Canyon, if you do not have time to go all the way to Nho Quế River, but still want a beautiful scenery by the water this is your ideal choice. It is located approximately 30 minutes drive from Ha Giang town so it can be done in the morning or the afternoon before you catch your bus back to Hanoi. If you are lucky you might spot locals riding their boats on the stream through the canyon. Best part is, you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a tea while admiring this beautiful view.

One of the must-see stops is Quản Bạ; it is commonly a part of the tour, but just in case, ask your tour guides to make a quick stop at the twin mountains. The views are spectacular! It is located 50 km from Ha Giang, around 1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive depending on the traffic and weather. Don’t speed in the rain!

*Điểm Quan Sát ~ Quẩn Bạ twin mountains*

If you have extra few days and are into the great outdoors you should not miss out on the Du Già Natural Park. You can do lots of hiking, camping, and admiring of the nature and wildlife. The park covers an area of 8,035 hectares and is home to many endangered and rare species. The park is also home to some ethnic minority groups such as Tày or Đào people, who are happy to share their customs with visitors. The park is located around 2 hour 30 mins drive from Ha Giang town. Make sure to bring bug spray for mosquitoes!

Du Già national park’s natural habitants – Tonkin snub nosed monkey

Attend the traditional Khau Vai love market and find your soulmate! For this one you have to plan ahead as it is only held once a year on the 27th day of the 3rd lunar month of the year. This annually held festival is a way of celebrating love and the story that is tied to Khau Vai. The legend says that two lovers from different ethnic groups fell in love but were forbidden to be together, so they met once a year on the same day in Khau Vai. Apart for match making, people can also buy traditional crafts, enjoy cultural performances, and witness folk dancing and singing.

Our last hidden gem is Thôn Tha village, a beautiful village located 15mins drive from Ha Giang town. The village is famous for its traditional bamboo houses, luscious forests, beautiful rice fields, and is home to the Đạo ethnic minority community. It is a very peaceful place to walk around or cycle through on a bike. There is also a stunning waterfall around 30 minutes walk from the village, which is perfect for swims on hot summer days. The village is also a popular destination for trekking, offering many hikes through the nearby mountains.

Thôn Tha village views

Extra hidden gem for all my vegans, but also non vegans. If you are spending the night or afternoon in Ha Giang town you should have a meal at DT Quan. The food is very flavorful, at affordable prices, they do vegetarian friendly noodles or vegan friendly pancakes, meaty pho, and other delicious things! They are open till 9.30pm and the staff is very friendly.

Now you’ve got all the information and tips you need, so pack your bags and head to Ha Giang!