Ha Giang Loop: 3-Day Motorbike Tour from Hanoi with Homestays

Summary

Mountain roads homestays & karst plateaus on the ha giang loop

You’ll ride Vietnam’s Ha Giang Loop by motorbike with a local guide, sleep in family-run homestays or hotels, share meals with villagers, and cross epic passes like Ma Pi Leng. Expect early mornings in mountain air, laughter over spicy dinners, and views that linger long after you return home.

What’s the experience like?

I still remember stepping off that van from Hanoi — it was early afternoon in Ha Giang City, and I felt a little dazed from the winding drive. Our guide, Minh, handed me a cup of strong tea and grinned like he knew what was coming. The air smelled different already — kind of sharp and green, if that makes sense. We hopped on the bikes (I went with an easy rider because honestly, those mountain roads looked wild), and within half an hour the flat land dropped away behind us. Suddenly it was just cliffs, rice terraces, misty peaks. Minh pointed out Heaven Gate — not a real gate but this wild pass with wind whipping around us. I tried to take a photo but my hands were shaking from excitement or maybe nerves.

We slept that night in Nam Dam village at a family homestay. Dinner was hotpot around a low table; someone’s grandma kept refilling my bowl with something spicy I couldn’t name (Li laughed when I tried to say it in Mandarin — probably butchered it). In the morning there was this quiet before everyone woke up — just roosters and woodsmoke drifting through the open window. By day two we were deep into the Dong Van Karst Plateau. The rocks here look like they belong on another planet. Kids waved as we passed through Lung Tam village — some wearing these bright embroidered jackets you see in photos but somehow never expect to see for real.

The Ma Pi Leng Pass is something else entirely. Minh pulled over so we could stare down at the Nho Que River far below — it’s this crazy turquoise color that almost doesn’t look real against all that grey stone. There’s no way photos do it justice; you have to feel how your stomach drops when you look over the edge. We rolled into Meo Vac dusty and tired but weirdly happy, ate noodles with beef and herbs I couldn’t identify (tasted great though), then crashed out in a simple hotel where I swear I slept harder than I had in months.

On our last morning heading back towards Yen Minh and Ha Giang City, I watched women in patterned skirts working the fields while mist curled around their feet. It’s hard to explain how much life is packed into three days on the Ha Giang Loop — every bend feels like a new world opening up for just a second before you’re around it and gone again. Even now, sometimes when city noise gets too much, I think about that quiet moment before sunrise in Nam Dam.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel to Ha Giang and local tour

• Pick up from Hanoi hotel at 6:30am
• Travel to Ha Giang City by limousine van
• Have lunch in Ha Giang City
• Visit Heaven Gate and Tam Son
• Drive to Nam Dam Village
• Relax and enjoy Nam Dam Village

Day 2 — Explore Karst Geopark and Meo Vac

• Breakfast in Nam Dam Village
• Drive through Dong Van Karst Plateau
• Visit Lung Tam Village and H’mong King Palace
• Stop at Ma Pi Leng Pass viewpoint
• Drive to Meo Vac town
• Dinner and overnight in Meo Vac

Day 3 — Return to Hanoi via Ha Giang City

• Breakfast in Meo Vac
• Drive from Meo Vac to Yen Minh
• Continue to Ha Giang City
• Relax and shower in Ha Giang City
• Travel back to Hanoi by VIP limousine van

Top questions

How long does the Ha Giang Loop tour take?

The tour lasts 3 days including round-trip transfer from Hanoi.

Is hotel pickup included from Hanoi?

Yes, pickup from your hotel in Hanoi is included by VIP limousine van.

Do I need to drive my own motorbike?

No; you can ride pillion with an experienced local easy rider if you prefer.

Where do we stay overnight?

You’ll stay one night at a homestay in Nam Dam Village and one night at a hotel or homestay in Meo Vac town.

Are meals included on this tour?

The tour includes lunch on arrival plus dinners at homestays or hotels each night.

Is this tour suitable for children or families?

Yes; infants can ride with adults or use specialized infant seats if needed.

Are there wheelchair accessible options?

Yes; transportation options are wheelchair accessible throughout the trip.

What are some highlights along the route?

You’ll visit Heaven Gate pass, Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Lung Tam village, H’mong King Palace, Ma Pi Leng Pass, Meo Vac town and more.

What’s included

Your journey includes VIP limousine van pickup from Hanoi to Ha Giang and back again after three days of exploring by motorbike with a local guide (or riding pillion if you’d rather not drive), overnight stays at both family-run homestays and simple hotels along the route, all entry fees and taxes covered up front so there’s nothing extra to worry about, plus plenty of water to keep you going between stops for steaming bowls of noodles or hotpot shared with your hosts before heading home late afternoon on day three.