Arriving in Ha Giang

At three o’clock in the morning the overnight bus I took from Sa Pa arrived in Ha Giang where the Ha Giang Loop starts. I find the idea of ​​overnight buses – with their reclining seats so that you can sleep – really useful. Since overnight buses are always intended for longer journeys of 6-8 hours, you don’t lose a whole day getting to a place. The downside, however, is that overnight buses always arrive at their destinations between 3 -4 am. Unfortunately, you don’t save the money for the accommodation that night and because you can’t really sleep through the night, you usually don’t feel very fit the next morning.

After checking in at Jasmine Hostel, I went straight to sleep because my alarm clock rang quite early the next morning. I had booked a tour that traveled the Ha Giang Loop over four days. I had heard from other backpackers in all the hostels I stayed in Vietnam that the four day tour with Jasmine Tours is the best option to ride the loop.

The Ha Giang Loop is a circular route in the far north of Vietnam, on the border with China and is best explored on a motorbike. Along the whole loop the view is always stunning.

Getting ready for four days on the road

Since I don’t have any experience when it comes to riding a motorbike and the roads along the Ha Giang Loop should be very challenging, I decided not to drive myself but to invest a little more money and ride with an experienced driver.

All the people who stayed with me in the hostel were also on the tour. In the morning everyone started packing their things. We left our big backpacks in the hostel and only took small backpacks with us for four days.

First of all we all registered at the reception and got our helmets. We also had the opportunity to borrow knee and elbow pads, which of course I did.

After that we started with a safety briefing and we were divided into six groups. The groups each consisted of about 15 people. Then we were all introduced to our Easyrider and then it was time to leave. It had been raining all morning, but luckily it stopped as soon as we left.

Meeting Group 2

We made our first stop at a viewpoint. There we had a really impressive view of nature. Here we were also able to get to know the people in my group for the first time. Everyone seemed very likeable to me and I was sure that I would be able to spend a great time with them. After we had all introduced ourselves, we continued.

The benefit of not driving by yourself is that you can enjoy the view much better because you don’t have to focus on the road. I was also able to film the view from time to time if we drove slowly enough and I didn’t have to hold on.

Only half an hour later we stopped at another viewpoint. There I was able to get to know the people from my group a little better. Of course, the view of nature was again breathtaking.

After a while we drove on. My driver continued to perform very well and I felt pretty safe. I couldn’t talk to him, let alone say anything to him, because none of the Easyriders spoke English.

Lunchbreak

We then stopped in a place where we first had lunch. Although we were all divided into smaller groups, all groups came together again at different times at the viewpoints or when eating.

Traditional Vietnamese food was served for lunch. Different food was put on the table for us, from which everyone could take something. After a long lunch break, we continued. We then stopped at a stalactite cave not far from where we had lunch.

Visiting the Lung Khuy Cave

We parked the motorbikes and then we had to walk constantly uphill for a while. Since the sun came out at that time, it got quite warm and we all arrived at the cave quite sweaty. We all took a break there first. Gradually all the other groups arrived, so it got pretty crowded.

When all the groups finally arrived at the cave, we went into the cave. Since we were over 70 people going into the cave at the same time, we just rushed through the cave. We didn’t have time to stop for a photo or let alone look at something. Otherwise a line of numerous people would have formed behind you. After five minutes we were all back at the exit.

When all the groups finally arrived at the cave, we went into the cave. Since we were over 70 people going into the cave at the same time, we just rushed through the cave. We didn’t have time to stop for a photo or let alone look at something. Otherwise a line of numerous people would have formed behind you. After five minutes we were all back at the exit.

This is one of the reasons I’m not a big fan of tours anymore. Most of the time you don’t have time to really appreciate the places you are in because you have a strict schedule to stick to.

After everyone was out of the cave again, we went all the way back down that we had laboriously climbed up. At least we had a nice view there. But it wasn’t really possible to stand still either, otherwise you would have lost your group or been overrun by other people.

When the whole group got back to the motorbikes, we continued. We drove a lot in the afternoon. In total we drove around 100 kilometers that day. Again and again we stopped at various vantage points. In contrast to the cave, we always had enough time to take photos and to enjoy nature.

Arriving at the homestay for the night

Around half past five in the evening we arrived at our homestay for the night. Each group slept together in one room. We all rested first before we got dinner at seven o’clock. There was also happy water. Happy Water is well known among the Vietnamese. It’s kind of like vodka, what you drink together as a Schott. I tried the Happy Water once but I didn’t like it at all.

In this homestay we were not with all groups but only our group was there and another one. We spent the evening together. We drank, got to know each other better and played games.

At ten o’clock the music was switched off. Since we were all pretty exhausted from the day, we all went to sleep.

Starting Day 2 on the Ha Giang Loop

The next morning we all had breakfast. Then our drivers picked us up and the tour continued.

We stopped at various viewpoints along the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark until we got to our first real stop of the day: the Vuong Royal Palace. In the early 20th century the wealthiest and most powerful family of Dong Van lived in this palace. But this did not remind of a real palace of a rich family.

During our visit, we also saw a couple of Vietnamese girls performing a traditional dance. Unfortunately, we are never told anything about the places we visit, as nobody speaks English. And the information boards are unfortunately also in Vietnamese, so we can’t even read them.

Visiting the Chinese border

After visiting the palace, we all got back on our motorbikes with our driver. We continued to a few viewpoints and then drove to the Chinese border. At the safety briefing on the first day, we were told that when we cross the border, make sure that the Chinese military isn’t there, otherwise we’ll have to face prison sentences. In case we see the military, we were advised to just run away as fast as we can.

However, when we got to the border we were a little confused by this information as there was no way to cross the border at all. The border was separated by a barbed wire fence. Beyond the border we could see a building with Chinese characters.

In itself, nature and everything behind the border looked no different than on our side in Vietnam. Nevertheless, it was something special to be right on the border to China.

After we all looked at the border once, we continued. Our next stop was the Lung Cu Flag Tower. From there we had a pretty good view of nature from high up. The view wasn’t that spectacular, but we could see the border to China in the distance again, which was of course super exciting.

Driving like crazy

After we took a longer break at the Lung Cu Flag Tower, we went on to lunch. In the meantime, my driver has probably become a little braver and has sometimes driven really fast. As someone who has a lot of respect for quite a lot of things that can cause bad accidents, then of course I got a little scared and clung to my seat the whole time.

Whenever I was one of the last in the group with my driver, he really accelerated and overtook everyone else in a dangerous way. As soon as we were behind the leader again, he matched his pace and I felt safer again. That’s why I started to hurry as soon as it went on, so that we were pretty close to the front.

Walking the Dead Road on the Ha Giang Loop

After the stop at the Lung Cu Flag Tower we went for lunch. After lunch we continued straight away. Our next stop was the Skywalk. This is a narrow path that goes right up along the rocks where it went down steeply on the other side. We parked the bikes downstairs and walked up there. Even though many locals and tourists drove up there, I was glad that we walked the dangerous route.

At the end of the skywalk you could then climb over steep rocks to a stone that jutted out of the rock. In contrast to a few others, that was far too dangerous for me. Especially since someone fell down there the month before. I then watched with a few others with a queasy feeling how some climbed onto this stone and thus stood directly over the abyss. Luckily no one fell and everyone got a cool photo. But just one wrong step and it would have been your last photo and it definitely wasn’t worth it to me.

From the Skywalk we could look over a canyon through which a river flowed and behind which lay the Chinese border again.

Welcome to our home for the night

From the Skywalk we went to our accommodation for the night. This was again a really nice homestay with a big garden. That night all groups stayed together in a homestay.

After arrival we all rested in our room, where we slept together with all the people from the group.

At 7pm we had dinner and then we had Happy Water again and we played games together. The music stopped at ten o’clock, but most of them continued to drink. But then I went to sleep because I was pretty exhausted from the day.

Starting day 3 with a boat tour

The next morning after breakfast we continued our journey. We first went to the Nho Que River, where we took a boat trip. The view we had while driving to the river was just unique. I was particularly impressed by the huge waterfall that splashed down the high rocks.

Arriving at the river, we were taken to the boat by bus. Each group had their own boat, which we took across the river through Tu Dan Canyon. This canyon is one of the three deepest canyons in Asia.

I really liked the boat tour and for me personally it was one of the highlights on the whole Ha Giang Loop.

After cruising the river for a while we finally stopped at a waterfall where we all disembarked and were able to bathe in the water. Finally we were taken back to the jetty by boat. There we were picked up again by a bus, which then brought us back to our motorbikes.

Driving on the worst roads of the Ha Giang Loop

Then the tour continued for us. We covered a total of 160 kilometers that day. The routes we rode that day were not properly developed, which is why we rode through a lot of mud and over a lot of gravel. I have to admit, I’ve been scared a few times at these tracks. Even though our drivers were very safe driving, in my opinion some of them drove much too fast. Because we drove through a lot of potholes at high speed, the ride was also quite painful due to the constant jumping up and down on the motorbike. I was thankful for every break we took and especially every ride we survived without crashing.

Before leaving for lunch we stopped at a small cafe which had a great view. After lunch we stopped every few kilometers at viewpoints and took breaks there. My whole body was already aching from the past few days when we just sat on the motorbike. Especially when we drove downhill, you automatically slip over the leather of the seat with your wet, sweaty legs, which can be quite painful.

Finishing Day 3 on the Ha Giang Loop

After a few stops in the afternoon we checked into our homestay for the night in the early evening. All groups spent the night together again, but since some had only booked the three-day tour, it wasn’t quite as crowded as the day before.

As soon as we arrived we rested for a while. At 7 pm there was dinner and happy water again. Afterwards we all spent the last evening together with drinks and games.

The last day on the Ha Giang Loop

The next morning after breakfast, which included noodle soup, we started the last day on the Ha Giang Loop with our Easyriders. Our first stop was the Du Gia Waterfall, which was not far from our homestay. But the waterfall wasn’t really spectacular, I’ve seen much nicer ones in the last few weeks. In addition, it was far too crowded, since all groups were at the waterfall at the same time.

After many went swimming, we then went back to our motorbikes and set off to ride the last few kilometers of the Ha Giang Loop. The track was pretty bumpy again. Nevertheless, my driver drove way too fast for my taste. When he drove through a deep pothole at high speed, I used sign language to tell my driver that he would please drive a little slower.

Luckily he stuck to it. When we stopped at a viewpoint a short time later, he asked me using Google Translate if I was afraid if he drove too fast. And yes I was.

We stopped again for lunch and from there we drove on towards Ha Giang. Shortly before we arrived at the hostel we stopped again at a creek and took a break there. I was quite grateful for the break, because by now my butt and legs were really hurting from riding the motorbike.

After the break we finally drove back to the hostel. When we got there it was already half past four.

Survived the dangerous roads on the Ha Giang Loop

I then packed all my things and bought something to eat, because at 7.30 pm the overnight bus left for Hanoi. The bus was fully booked and everyone there was also on my tour. At three o’clock in the morning we arrived in Hanoi. Unfortunately, no one else in my group had booked the hostel I had booked. But I had only booked a few hours in advance, so everything was fully booked. As soon as I got to the hostel I went straight to sleep.

I really liked the Ha Giang Loop. The view was just breathtaking and you could see so much of the nature of Vietnam. Also, the people I was with were really cool.

However, I’m not a big fan of tours at all. I much prefer to be flexible, decide for myself where I want to be and for how long.

Before I arrived in Ha Giang, I had heard from many backpackers who did the tour that the Ha Giang Loop was the best thing they had ever done in their life. Yes it was a cool time and yes the nature was really often spectacular and the north of Vietnam is really beautiful but I wouldn’t say that the tour is the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.

The next day I made my way to Cao Bang. If you want to know what I experienced during my time in Cao Bang, please have a look at my next post Off the beaten part in Cao Bang – Vietnam Travel Diary.