Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour: Mountain Passes & Villages
Two days on the Ha Giang Loop: what fits in a short trip that takes a week to plan
A 2-day motorbike tour of the Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam, ridden with a professional guide and small group (maximum six riders), staying overnight in a 3-star hotel in Dong Van. Day one climbs from Ha Giang city through Bac Sum Pass and Heaven Gate to Tham Ma Pass and Sao Ha village, ending in Dong Van. Day two descends Ma Pi Leng mountain pass, views the Nho Que River from above, passes through Meo Vac town, and returns to Ha Giang via a hidden waterfall.
Options for this experience
4 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Ha Giang to Đồng Văn via scenic spots
- Enjoy breakfast and prepare
- Ride to Bac Sum Pass and Heaven Gate
- Visit Twin Mountains and Lung Tam Village
- Have local lunch in Quan Ba Town
- Stop for photos along the route
- Explore Tham Ma Pass and Sao Ha Village
- Check in and have dinner in Đồng Văn
Day 2: Đồng Văn to Ha Giang via Ma Pi Leng
- Enjoy breakfast at homestay
- Ride to Ma Pi Leng mountain-pass
- Visit viewpoint of Nho Que River
- Pass through Meo Vac Town
- Reach Quan Ba via different road
- Stop at viewpoints and enjoy scenery
- Have lunch in Thai An
- Visit hidden waterfall and swim if time
- Return to Ha Giang City and end tour
What’s included
- All entrance tickets and permits for the loop.
- dinner on both nights.
- full or half helmet, protective knee and elbow pads, and basic rain clothes.
- bungee cords and plastic bag covers to secure your luggage.
- free mineral water each day.
- one free night in a private hotel room the night before the tour.
Times
- Every day 08:00
Before you book
Operated by Ha Giang Loopers Tour
Prices and times updated 6 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The Ha Giang Loop is a 200-kilometer mountain circuit through northern Vietnam's most dramatic terrain, and a 2-day version compresses the essential stretch: the highest passes, the deepest canyon views, and the ethnic villages that sit between them. You ride a motorbike as a passenger behind a professional guide who knows the road and stops whenever you want to photograph. The group stays under six riders, so the pace is not a cattle run. Day one covers the western side of the loop: Bac Sum Pass, Heaven Gate (a limestone gateway the road cuts through), Twin Mountains, and the Tay minority village of Lung Tam, before lunch in Quan Ba and an afternoon push over Tham Ma Pass to Sao Ha, a village tucked into Dong Van that most tourists miss. You sleep in a private room at a 3-star hotel in Dong Van town.
Day two is the payoff: Ma Pi Leng mountain pass, which drops 500 meters in a few kilometers and opens onto a viewpoint above the Nho Que River. The river originates in China at 1,500 meters and winds 192 kilometers to the sea. The 46 kilometers in Vietnam include a 46-kilometer stretch through Tu San Canyon, Southeast Asia's deepest gorge and a National Scenic Heritage Site. You stop to look down into it, then ride through Meo Vac town (limestone cliffs, Hmong markets, no tour buses) and loop back to Ha Giang on a different road, stopping at viewpoints and a hidden waterfall where you can swim if the timing and season allow. The tour ends by 4:30 p.m., leaving the evening free.
The operator includes all entrance tickets and permits, dinner both nights, protective gear (full or half helmet, knee and elbow pads, rain clothes), and free mineral water each day. Your bags are secured with bungee cords and plastic covers. A free night in the operator's private hotel room is included the night before the tour starts, so you arrive rested. The guide speaks English and is trained to keep you comfortable on the bike and on the road.
Is this one for you?Book the private option if you're traveling with companions and want to set your own pace and photo stops. Book the small group option if you're solo or want to meet other riders and share the cost. Either way, the 2-day length captures the loop's highest passes and deepest canyon views without committing to a full week on the road.
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Top questions
What is the Nho Que River and why is the viewpoint worth stopping for?
The Nho Que River flows 192 kilometers from the Nghiem Son Mountains in China to the sea, with 46 kilometers running through Vietnam. The viewpoint on day two sits high above the river as it winds through Tu San Canyon, Southeast Asia's deepest gorge and a National Scenic Heritage Site recognized in 2009. The dramatic limestone cliffs and the scale of the landscape are visible only from that height.
Do I ride the motorbike myself or sit as a passenger?
You sit as a passenger behind a professional guide who rides the bike. The guide knows the road, handles the technical sections, and stops whenever you want to take photographs or rest.
How many people are in the group?
Groups stay under six riders maximum. The operator runs both private tours (you and your companions only) and small group tours (up to six unrelated riders), so the size depends on which option you book at checkout.
What happens if I want to swim at the waterfall on day two?
A hidden waterfall is on the return route to Ha Giang on day two. You can swim if you have enough time and if the tour is running in summer. The timing depends on how many stops the group makes earlier in the day and on the water level and season.
What protective gear is provided?
The operator provides a full or half helmet (your choice), protective knee and elbow pads, and basic rain clothes. You wear these throughout the ride to guard against wind, sun and the occasional spill on the mountain roads.
Is there a free night included before the tour starts?
Yes. One free night in a private room at Anio Ha Giang Hotel is included for the night before day one begins, so you can arrive in Ha Giang city and rest before the ride starts at 8 a.m. on day one.
Ha Giang Loop Motorbike Tour: Mountain Passes & Villages
2d · EN
from US$ 160 per person
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