Ha Giang Loop: 3-Day Small Group Motorbike Tour & Homestays

Summary

Ha Giang’s wild roads, homestay dinners and the Ma Pi Leng pass

You’ll ride Vietnam’s legendary Ha Giang Loop by motorbike (with an easy rider if you want), stay overnight in real local homes, eat with ethnic minority families, cruise along Nho Que river beneath towering cliffs, and walk ancient towns at dusk. If you want raw mountain landscapes mixed with genuine human moments — this is where you’ll find them.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to feel nervous just sitting on the back of a motorbike, but there I was — helmet slightly crooked, watching our guide Minh tie my bag down with practiced hands. The Ha Giang Loop started early, after a night at the hostel in Ha Giang city (free shower came in handy later). The city faded fast; soon it was all sharp mountain air and that weird mix of petrol and pine. Minh pointed out “Km0” on the Road of Happiness and grinned — he said it took 11 years to carve this road into the cliffs. I tried to imagine that while we climbed toward Quan Ba Heaven Gate, but honestly I was too busy clinging on and staring at those hills that looked like something out of an old painting.

Lunch somewhere near Tam Son — I lost track of time — was rice and pork with a family who barely spoke English but smiled a lot. Afterward, we visited Lung Tam linen village. The women there let me touch the rough linen before it’s dyed; their hands moved so quickly over the looms. Li laughed when I tried to say “xin chào” in her dialect (probably butchered it). That night in Du Gia village, dinner was sticky rice and corn wine around a smoky kitchen fire with our host family. The quiet outside felt huge — just frogs and distant laughter from kids chasing each other past the rice paddies.

The next day was all winding roads and switchbacks through Meo Vac to Dong Van, with those sheer drops off Ma Pi Leng pass making my stomach drop more than once. Minh kept pointing out places where workers had chipped away at rock decades ago. We took a boat trip on Nho Que river through Tu San Abyss Alley; water so green it almost looked fake under the sun. Later, wandering Dong Van ancient town after dinner, some locals played music in the square — not for tourists, just for themselves really — and we listened until it got cold enough to see our breath.

On the last morning we visited the Hmong King’s palace — stone walls still cool even as the sun came up. There were pine forests on the way back toward Ha Giang city that smelled like rain even though it hadn’t rained yet. It’s strange how fast you get used to waving at strangers from a motorbike or sharing tea with people you’ll never see again. I still think about that view from Ma Pi Leng sometimes when I’m stuck in traffic back home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Ha Giang to Du Gia Village

• Breakfast at hostel
• Drive to 4C highway and photo at Km0
• Climb Quan Ba mountain pass
• Enter Dong Van Geopark and visit Heaven’s Gate
• Pass Fairy Hills
• Lunch in Tam Son town
• Visit Lung Tam linen weaving village
• Drive to Du Gia village
• Stay overnight at ethnic minority homestay
• Dinner with homestay family

Day 2 — Du Gia to Dong Van Town

• Breakfast at homestay
• Depart to Meo Vac town
• Lunch in Meo Vac
• Boat trip on Nho Que river
• Drive up Ma Pi Leng mountain pass
• Check in Dong Van homestay
• Walk in Old Hmong village
• Dinner at homestay
• Evening walk in Dong Van Ancient town
• Enjoy traditional Hmong music and culture

Day 3 — Dong Van to Ha Giang City

• Visit Hmong King Palace
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Drive through pine forests
• Return to Ha Giang city

Top questions

How long is the Ha Giang Loop tour?

The tour lasts 3 days and 2 nights.

Is pickup included from Hanoi or Sapa?

Yes, pickup from Hanoi or Sapa is included by sleeper bus or limousine.

Do I need to know how to ride a motorbike?

No, an easy rider (driver) can take you if you don’t want to drive yourself.

Where do we stay during the tour?

You’ll stay one night in Du Gia village homestay and one night in Dong Van ancient town homestay.

Are meals included on this trip?

Yes, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included each day.

What are some highlights of this tour?

You’ll visit Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Lung Tam linen village, Ma Pi Leng pass, Nho Que river boat trip, Dong Van ancient town, and Hmong King Palace.

How big are the tour groups?

The group size is small: between 2–10 people maximum.

Is this tour suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, vegetarian meals are available upon request.

Is this tour recommended for travelers with health issues?

No, it’s not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What’s included

Your journey includes round-trip sleeper bus or limousine transfer from Hanoi or Sapa to Ha Giang city (plus a free hostel night before departure), all motorbike transport with experienced guides (or easy riders), two nights’ accommodation in local homestays including shared dinners and breakfasts with host families, daily lunches at local spots along the loop route, entry fees for sites like Hmong King Palace and Nho Que river boat trip—and yes, there’s always hot tea waiting after every ride.