5-Day Ha Giang Loop & Cao Bang Tour: Dong Van Karst Plateau

Five days on a motorbike through mountain passes, karst plateaus and villages where you stay with families instead of hotels.

A 5-day guided motorbike tour of Ha Giang and Cao Bang, Vietnam, where you ride the Ha Giang Loop and explore the Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Geopark with a local guide and easy rider. You stay in homestays, eat family dinners, and visit the northernmost point of Vietnam, Ban Gioc Waterfall, and the 400-year-old Khuoi Ky Stone Village. The tour includes all entrance fees, helmet and rain gear, and a dorm bed at the starting hostel the night before departure.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Ha Giang City to Yen Minh

• Have breakfast and meet guide at Lila Hostel
• Visit Bac Sum Pass
• Visit Khau Lan Waterfall
• Enjoy views at Quan Ba Heaven Gate
• Pass by Nam Dam Cultural Village
• Visit Lung Tam Linen Cooperative
• See Can Ty Viewpoint and rice terraces
• Travel to Yen Minh Town and stay overnight
• Enjoy family dinner and karaoke

Day 2: Yen Minh to Dong Van

• Visit Tham Ma Pass
• Drive through Pho Cao and Sung La Valleys
• Explore Dong Van Karst Plateau
• Visit Lao Xa Village
• Tour H’Mong King Palace
• View Vietnam-China border valley
• Pass Lo Lo Chai Village and Lung Cu Flag Tower
• Visit Vietnam-China Border and Northernmost Point
• Pass Ma Le Village and Khe Lia Viewpoint
• Pass Thien Huong Village and head to Dong Van Town
• Stay overnight in Dong Van with dinner and karaoke

Day 3: Dong Van to Bao Lac

• Have breakfast and visit Dong Van Ethnic Market
• Conquer Ma Pi Leng Pass
• Option 1: Hike to White Cliff
• Option 2: Boat ride on Nho Que River
• Travel to Bao Lac Town
• Stay overnight in Bao Lac homestay

Day 4: Bao Lac to Trung Khanh

• Have breakfast and travel Khau Coc Cha Pass
• Admire terraced fields at Cao Bac Pass
• Traverse Na Tenh Pass
• Walk in Ngoc Con Valley
• Explore Khuoi Ky Stone Village
• Stay overnight near Ban Gioc Waterfall

Day 5: Ban Gioc Waterfall to Cao Bang City

• Have breakfast and visit Nguom Ngao Cave
• Hike to Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda
• Boat ride at Ban Gioc Waterfall
• Visit Mountain Angel Eye at Thang Hen Lake
• Conclude tour in Cao Bang City

The experience

The tour starts at Lila Hostel in Ha Giang City at 9:30 AM on day one, after breakfast and a briefing with your guide and easy rider. A local motorcyclist with at least five years of experience on these roads. You ride 110 km that first day, crossing Bac Sum Pass, the longest pass in Ha Giang, then stop at Khau Lan Waterfall, Quan Ba Heaven Gate for panoramic views, and the Lung Tam Linen Cooperative where Hmong weavers work traditional brocade. By evening you're in Yen Minh, staying at a homestay where you eat dinner with the family and sing karaoke with locals.

Day two covers 115 km to Dong Van, passing through Tham Ma Pass with its continuous hairpin bends, then into the Dong Van Karst Plateau: a UNESCO Global Geopark where limestone formations rise from the valley floor. You visit Lao Xa Village to see the rammed earth houses and silver carvings of the H'Mong people, tour the H'Mong King Palace, and stop at Lo Lo Chai Village with the Lung Cu Flag Tower in the background. At the Vietnam-China Border and the northernmost point of Vietnam, you stand looking out over mountains and rivers flowing into China. The day ends in Dong Van Town with another family dinner and corn wine.

Day three is the most demanding: you conquer Ma Pi Leng Pass, known as the "King of Passes" for its sharp hairpin bends, then choose between a 5 km hike to White Cliff for views of the Nho Que River and Tu San Canyon, or a 30-minute boat ride on the emerald river through the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia. By afternoon you're in Bao Lac, crossing into Cao Bang territory. Days four and five take you through Khau Coc Cha Pass (one of Vietnam's Four Great Passes with 15 vertical levels), then Na Tenh Pass, the Ngoc Con Valley, and the 400-year-old Khuoi Ky Stone Village where Tay people live in stone stilt houses. The final day includes Nguom Ngao Cave, a hike to Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda overlooking Ban Gioc Waterfall, a boat ride on the Quay Son River, and the mysterious Mountain Angel Eye at Thang Hen Lake before ending in Cao Bang City.

Each night you sleep in a homestay dorm bed. Private rooms are available for a surcharge. Your guide speaks English, and the group stays under ten riders. You get a helmet, raincoat and plastic bag for your belongings, and a shower after the tour ends. The price is the same whether you join a shared group or book privately, and the operator pays riders 50% more than the regional average salary.

What’s included

• Your motorbike and easy rider for five days.
• helmet, raincoat and plastic bag.
• all entrance fees to attractions.
• four nights in homestay dorms with family dinners.
• a free dorm bed at Lila Hostel the night before.
• a shower after the tour.
• and luggage storage at Lila Inn in Ha Giang City.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 to 45 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Lila Inn & Motorbike Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to ride through remote mountain passes and stay with families instead of hotels: the homestays and local guide mean you're not passing through these villages, you're eating and singing karaoke inside them. The fixed itinerary and included transport, meals and fees mean the five days hold together without you building it.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Dong Van Karst Plateau and why is it on this tour?

The Dong Van Karst Plateau is a UNESCO Global Geopark in northern Ha Giang where limestone mountains rise dramatically from valleys. You ride through it on day two, visiting villages like Lao Xa and Lo Lo Chai, and stop at the Vietnam-China Border viewpoint where you can see the landscape stretching into China.

Do I need a motorcycle license to join this tour?

No, you ride as a passenger on the back of your easy rider's motorbike. Your guide is a local with at least five years of experience navigating Ha Giang's mountain roads, so you don't operate the bike yourself.

What happens on day three at Ma Pi Leng Pass?

After crossing Ma Pi Leng Pass, known for its sharp hairpin bends, you choose between two options: hike 5 km to White Cliff for panoramic views of the Nho Que River and Tu San Canyon, or take a 30-minute boat ride on the emerald river through the deepest canyon in Southeast Asia.

Where do I sleep during the tour, and can I get a private room?

You stay in homestay dorm beds for four nights: in Yen Minh, Dong Van, Bao Lac, and near Ban Gioc Waterfall. Private rooms are available for a surcharge of 500,000 VND per person per night. The night before the tour starts, you get a free dorm bed at Lila Hostel in Ha Giang City.

What is included in the tour price?

The price includes your motorbike and easy rider for all five days; all entrance fees to attractions; helmet, raincoat and rain gear; four nights in homestay dorms; family dinners; a shower after the tour; and luggage storage at Lila Inn. A free dorm bed at the starting hostel the night before is also included.

Is this tour suitable for someone who has never ridden a motorbike before?

Yes, you ride as a passenger, not as the driver. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy due to the long days on a motorbike and mountain terrain.