3-day Ha Giang Loop motorbike tour: Dong Van Karst Plateau

Glide through mountain roads by day, share stories with locals by night

A 3-day private motorbike tour of the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam, with an English-speaking guide, two nights in homestays, and all entry fees included. You ride as a passenger or drive yourself with an international license, crossing the Dong Van Karst Plateau, Ma Pi Leng pass, and stopping at Hmong and Tay villages. Pickup from Ha Giang city is included. A return transfer from Hanoi and a driver rental are available for an extra fee.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ha Giang to Dong Van via Karst Plateau

• Pick up from hotel at 8:30am
• Leave Ha Giang city at 9:00am
• Stop at Bac Sum pass at 10:00am
• Visit Quan Ba Heaven Gate at 11:00am
• Drive to Yen Minh Town for lunch at 1:30pm
• Visit Vuong ancient house at 2:30pm
• Travel to Dong Van town at 5:00pm
• Check in hotel/homestay at 6:00pm
• Dinner and free walk in Dong Van at 7:30pm

Day 2: Dong Van to Du Gia village

• Breakfast in Dong Van town at 8:30am
• Boat trip on Nho Que river at 9:00am
• Drive Ma Pi Leng pass at 11:30am
• Lunch in Meo Vac town at 1:00pm
• Stop at Sa Li pass at 2:30pm
• Arrive Du Gia village and check in homestay at 5:30pm
• Family dinner with traditional music at 7:30pm

Day 3: Du Gia village to Ha Giang city

• Breakfast with mountain view at 8:00am
• Visit Du Gia waterfall at 8:30am
• Drive to Ha Giang city passing Hmong villages at 9:30am
• Visit Lung Tam village for hemp weaving at 12:00pm
• Lunch in Nam Dam village at 1:30pm
• Drive back to Ha Giang city at 2:30pm
• Visit city viewpoint at 5:00pm
• Finish tour at hotel or bus station at 5:30pm

The experience

The Ha Giang Loop is a 345-kilometer mountain route through northern Vietnam, and this tour compresses the best of it into three days without the logistics of finding your own transport, meals and rooms. You start from Ha Giang city at 8:30am on day one and ride 135 kilometers through the Dong Van Global Karst Plateau, Vietnam's first geopark, stopping at Bac Sum pass and Quan Ba Heaven Gate at 1,500 meters above sea level. Lunch is in Yen Minh town, then you visit the Vuong ancient house, a Hmong royal palace, before checking into a hotel or homestay in Dong Van town for the night.

Day two takes you down to the Nho Que River for a 90-minute boat trip through Tu San canyon, the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia, then back onto the motorbike to climb Ma Pi Leng pass: one of Vietnam's four most beautiful passes. You stop at Sa Li pass to see Dao villages and rice terraces from above, then arrive at Du Gia village in the evening to stay in a Tay family homestay with a traditional dinner and local music. The final day is 120 kilometers back to Ha Giang city, with a stop at Du Gia waterfall, a visit to Lung Tam village to watch Hmong women weave hemp the old way, and lunch in Nam Dam, a Dao cultural village. You finish at a city viewpoint with a final coffee or beer before returning to your hotel or the bus station by 5:30pm.

The motorbike itself is self-automatic, and you can ride it yourself if you hold an international motorcycle license. If you don't have one or prefer not to drive, you can hire a driver for $22 per day. Either way, the guide speaks English and handles navigation, stops and cultural context. Safety equipment (helmet, rain coat) is provided. A return transfer from Hanoi at night with dinner at the operator's hotel costs $37 extra if you need it.

What’s included

• Motorbike and petrol for all three days.
• two nights in a hotel or Tay family homestay.
• all entry fees to the Dong Van Karst Plateau and other sites.
• safety helmet and rain coat.
• English-speaking guide.
• pickup from your Ha Giang hotel or homestay on day one.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 to 70 years) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Under 12: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 29 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Green Capital Travel

Is this one for you?You ride as a passenger or drive yourself with an international license. Choose based on whether you want to focus on the scenery and villages or handle the mountain roads yourself. The fixed three-day itinerary fits the full loop into one trip without backtracking, so you see Dong Van, Ma Pi Leng, Tu San canyon and four passes without a longer commitment.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years). Under 12: they can't be included in the booking.

What is the Dong Van Karst Plateau and why does it matter on this route?

The Dong Van Karst Plateau is Vietnam's first geopark, a UNESCO-recognized landscape of limestone peaks and karst formations. On day one, you enter it at Bac Sum pass and reach Quan Ba Heaven Gate at 1,500 meters, where the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains frame the entire region.

Do I have to ride the motorbike myself, or can someone else drive?

You can ride yourself if you have an international motorcycle license, or you can hire a driver for $22 per day. Either way, your English-speaking guide travels with you and handles all the stops, directions and local knowledge.

What happens on the boat trip through Tu San canyon?

On day two, you ride down to the Nho Que River and take a boat for around 90 minutes through Tu San canyon, the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia. After the boat trip, you ride back up to Ma Pi Leng pass.

Where do you sleep on this tour?

Night one is in a hotel or homestay in Dong Van town. Night two is in a homestay run by a Tay family in Du Gia village, where you eat dinner with the family and listen to traditional music before sleep.

What does the tour cost include?

The tour includes the motorbike and petrol, two nights of accommodation, all entry fees and taxes, safety equipment, and an English-speaking guide. Meals are included except lunch on day one and day three, which you buy in towns along the route.