Welcome to your final information to the Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam, an exciting motorcycle journey that sweeps you throughout gorgeous mountain landscapes, refreshing waterfalls, and welcoming native hostels!
It’s a journey for the daring and the adventurous, the place each cease, twist, and switch is a pleasant shock. There aren’t any absolute certainties right here – besides the assure of an expertise that may final a lifetime.
Whether or not it’s a shock detour to a swimming pool on a scorching day or an sudden waterfall go to, this journey is as fluid and as thrilling because the rivers you’ll move alongside the way in which.
We’ll dive into all of the practicalities, beginning with attending to Ha Giang from Hanoi, packing the necessities in your journey, and selecting the right lodging in your journey. I’ll share my sincere evaluate of the Bong Hostel Ha Giang Loop Tour and their lodging, providing you with a glimpse into what awaits you at this thrilling vacation spot.
I’ll share prime recommendations on passports, security, police checks, and why selecting an ‘straightforward rider’ may simply be the most effective determination you’ll make.
So pack your luggage, rev up your engines, and be part of me as we navigate the breathtaking landscapes and exhilarating experiences of the Ha Giang Loop.
Let’s get this journey began!
What’s so particular concerning the Ha Giang Loop?
The Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam’s Ha Giang Province holds cultural significance resulting from its ethnic variety and conventional villages. It’s dwelling to varied ethnic minority teams, every with their very own language, customs and clothes. Alongside the loops, you possibly can witness the normal lifestyle in villages with historical structure and terraced rice fields. The area’s vibrant festivals and emphasis on sustainable tourism and cultural preservation add to its cultural significance.
The historical past of Ha Giang spans 1000’s of years. It was inhabited in historical occasions and got here beneath Chinese language affect throughout varied intervals. It later turned a part of French colonial rule and witnessed the wrestle for independence. Following the Vietnam Battle, the area underwent post-war growth, resulting in its present-day cultural id as a area with a wealthy historical past, various ethnic teams and gorgeous pure magnificence.
Find out how to get to Ha Giang
When travelling to Ha Giang, you’re more likely to begin from Hanoi. I extremely advocate reserving a sleeper bus by the hostel that you just select, because of this they arrange the pickup out of your lodge in Hanoi they usually drop you off on the proper hostel if you arrive in Ha Giang.
The journey from Hanoi to Ha Giang takes round 6-7 hours so it’s value shopping for tickets for the marginally costlier however comfy cabin bus. We paid 400,000 Dong per individual for the cabin bus (~£13). The bus will cease alongside the way in which for a lunch break (if you happen to take a daytime bus). For those who take an in a single day bus, it’s possible that your bus might need a rest room on board or the driving force will cease and switch the lights on to let everybody comprehend it’s a rest room cease.
Bong Hostel: Selecting the best tour for you
Earlier than planning on doing the Ha Giang loop, I had seen so many TikToks and Instagram movies of individuals doing the loop with Jasmine Hostel. Though there’s completely nothing incorrect with selecting this hostel, I had seen so many individuals doing it with them that I needed to decide on a special hostel with a bit much less of a celebration vibe!
I got here throughout Bong Hostel on Google and messaged them by way of WhatsApp to investigate about costs, dates and whether or not we must always select self-riding or easy-riding. They had been so useful and responded to my questions shortly. On the time, my companion Brett and I had been travelling with our buddies Matt and Chan so all of us agreed that Bong Hostel appeared like a very good possibility.
Bong Hostel organized the bus for us from Hanoi – Ha Giang, we obtained dropped off proper outdoors the hostel and obtained proven to our room shortly.
Bong Hostel lodging
This was truly the primary time I had ever stayed in a hostel, so I had nothing to match it to, however we had been proven to our dorm and every had our personal bunk mattress with a privateness curtain, pillow, cover, towel, and charging port. The mattress was tremendous cozy and the room had nice air con so we had an ideal sleep that evening! Within the morning you possibly can order breakfast without spending a dime within the frequent space earlier than you begin the tour.
The hostel additionally has storage lockers the place you possibly can preserve your massive backpacks and suitcases when you do the loop. Keep in mind that you could convey your individual padlock to safe the locker.
Bong Hostel tour
- Period: 3 Days, 2 Nights
- Drivers: 5 (4 easy-drivers, 1 spotter)
There have been 9 individuals in our group in complete, Brett, Matt, Chan and I all had straightforward riders and the opposite 5 individuals had been self-riding. I cherished the truth that the teams are small since you get to know everybody very well and make nice buddies over the course of the journey.
Our straightforward riders had been pretty too, mine was known as Thuong and he was particularly attentive and supplied to take footage at any time when we stopped at a viewpoint. I had full belief in our easy-riders, Thuong was an skilled driver and I felt completely protected on his bike!
Days on the Ha Giang Loop
I’m fairly certain you’ll simply be in awe for many of your journey to Ha Giang! The surroundings is like nothing I’ve seen earlier than, mountain after mountain, flip after flip. There may be after all lots of driving concerned so that you spend the vast majority of your time on the bike. Nonetheless, you cease so many occasions alongside the way in which to have a relaxation, stretch your legs and admire the gorgeous views!
There are a couple of stops the place you possibly can climb up some rocks and get some superior footage on the prime. At most of the stops, there’s additionally the chance to purchase drinks and snacks.
Additionally, you will get to go to native villages and work together with the native kids who’re so candy! These interactions had been the spotlight of my journey.
Relying on the time of 12 months that you just go, the highway situations, the places of the police checks, and the route is open to alter. The drivers determine what they wish to do relying on the day. For instance, on our journey it acknowledged that swimming stops weren’t included, however as a result of it was so scorching the drivers took us to a swimming pool on the primary day after which to a waterfall on the final day. This was a very welcome inclusion to our journey and made it much more memorable for us!
Nights on the Ha Giang Loop
Relying on which hostel you select and which type of vibe you like, your evenings may very well be stuffed with pleased water, dancing and karaoke or they may very well be extra low-key relying in your choice. We had been fortunate to expertise a mixture of each!
Evening 1
On our first night, we arrived at Milk Milk Hostel with a great deal of different vacationers and loved a feast of noodles, rice, meats, greens, spring rolls and a lot extra! The pleased water was flowing (as had been the beers) and folks shortly obtained began on the karaoke.
The workers stopped the music at round 10:30 pm after which everybody headed as much as mattress by 11:30 pm-12 am. We had the most effective evening attending to know the individuals in our group higher and a few of us had been even a bit hungover on day 2!
Evening 2
On the second evening, we arrived at a hostel and it was simply our group staying there, so we had a little bit of a quieter night. All of us loved yet one more feast placed on by the beneficiant workers at our hostel. There was extra pleased water handed round to get us within the temper for some karaoke! This was a very nice night as a result of all of us obtained to talk in a quieter setting and replicate on the journey that we had spent collectively to date.
The highway situations
For the primary 2 days, the roads had been in good situation with minimal potholes and bumps. Nonetheless, on the third and remaining day, about 30km of highway was unpaved gravel/filth. It was difficult to navigate and the drivers needed to be further cautious as a number of the highway was on the facet of a cliff with a steep drop on the opposite facet.
It’s protected to say my coronary heart was racing in these elements! However fortunately, our group was completely nice they usually dealt with the dangerous highway situations very well.
For those who're having fun with this weblog, you should definitely take a look at my different journey guides right here!
Trustworthy evaluate of Bong Hostel Ha Giang Loop Tour
I used to be extremely impressed with our whole expertise with Bong Hostel. The communication we had earlier than arriving there was very clear and useful they usually organized all of our bus transfers for us. The hostel itself is clear, well-run and the workers converse good English so communication is just not a difficulty. The drivers are so candy and useful all through the whole journey they usually made it actually memorable for us. I cherished the truth that we had one occasion night and another enjoyable night, it was the right steadiness.
- Value of the journey: £359 for two individuals. This included the bus transfers to and from Hanoi, a one-night keep at Bong Hostel, 3 days and a couple of nights Ha Giang Loop tour with easy-riders and all meals and pleased water included.
What to pack for the Loop
I had seen so many alternative suggestions of what to pack for the loop earlier than I did it and I didn’t know till the day earlier than once I noticed the climate forecast what I ought to truly pack!
I did the loop on the finish of Might (2023) and it was tremendous scorching. That is what I like to recommend taking with you:
- Small backpack
- Underwear (duh!)
- Shorts x 3
- T-shirt x 2
- Tank prime x 1
- Pajamas
- Towel
- Swimsuit
- Common Adaptor + Telephone Charger
- Energy Financial institution (optionally available)
- Light-weight rain coat (optionally available)
- Cleaning soap + Shampoo
- Toothbrush and Toothpaste
- Hairbrush
- Sun shades (take a look at these climbing sun shades)
- Hat
- Cash
- Small first support package
- Plastic bag for moist/soiled garments
After all, if you’re going at a special time of 12 months, the climate may very well be a lot cooler or hotter, so be sure that to test the climate earlier than you go and attempt to pack as calmly as attainable!
Take a look at our climbing gear information.
My prime ideas
1. Passports: You don’t have to take your passport with you on the loop. I like to recommend locking it safely away in your massive rucksack that you just depart on the hostel. All you want is an image of your passport in your telephone.
2. Convey a padlock so you possibly can safe your belongings within the storage locker.
3. Convey money with you, as you could pay in your drinks and any snacks you wish to purchase.
4. Convey a swimming costume and a towel, even when swimming isn’t included in your tour.
5. Apply solar cream! Cowl up if you’re using. We noticed individuals who had been very sunburnt on the primary day and it could be uncomfortable to sit down on the bike like that afterward.
6. Police checks: For those who don’t have an Worldwide Driving License and also you wish to self-ride, some hostels (like Bong Hostel) will nonetheless allow you to journey. They assist you to do that however they can not assure that you just gained’t be stopped, fined and doubtlessly have the bike confiscated.
After we went, we had a spotter who drove forward and checked for police stops. We solely encountered 1 police cease and people of us on easy-riders handed by first. We then obtained off the bikes to permit our riders to circle again and choose up those that had been self-riding with out an IDP in order that they may very well be introduced by the police test with none points.
7. Solely self-ride if you happen to really feel assured: The motorbikes you get to journey are semi-automatic and never everybody in our group had ridden considered one of these earlier than. They take some getting used to as you need to change gears utilizing your foot. Bong Hostel provides a lesson within the morning earlier than you set off on the primary day.
8. Don’t really feel dangerous about getting a straightforward rider! Getting straightforward riders was probably the greatest selections we made! We had been all free to benefit from the surroundings and be current within the second somewhat than specializing in the highway. There isn’t any disgrace in straightforward using and it was truly actually enjoyable! Brett additionally thought it was extra comfy than driving your self.
Conclusion
Wrapping up my journey by the Ha Giang loop, it’s evident that the expertise is way over only a bike tour. It’s an immersion into a fascinating world of towering peaks, dramatic passes, and vibrant cultures.
My suggestion to future adventurers is straightforward: embark on this journey with an open thoughts and a willingness to adapt to the sudden. The situations is perhaps robust, and the itinerary may change, however that’s a part of the fun. Use my packing record as a tenet but in addition tailor it to your wants and the climate situations on the time of your journey.
Whether or not you select to journey solo or go for a straightforward rider, the aim stays the identical: to witness the mesmerizing great thing about Ha Giang, immerse in its wealthy tradition, and make unforgettable reminiscences. For us, getting the simple riders was a profitable alternative, permitting us to soak within the sights with out worrying concerning the highway. However, on the finish of the day, it’s about what fits your consolation and confidence stage.
So, are you able to strap in your helmet and kickstart your individual Ha Giang journey? Bear in mind, the journey is as rewarding because the vacation spot. Secure travels, fellow globetrotters!
Take a look at our information to backpacking by motorcycle!
