If you have never ridden a manual or semi-automatic motorbike on mountain roads, sit behind a local Easy Rider. If you are a confident rider with a valid licence for Vietnam, riding yourself is cheaper and more fun. If you want the views without the bike at all, go by private car. That is the short answer to Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang; the rest of this guide explains why, with the real prices we charge on each of our tours.
We are Ha Giang Ali Travel, a licensed tour operator based in Ha Giang city. Our tours run the loop in all three ways, plus a fourth one for people who bring their own bike. So instead of general advice, we will use our own options and prices as the worked example.
Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang: the options side by side
Here is how the four ways of doing the loop compare. Prices are per person, taken from our 3-day and 4-day tours, where most options are offered on the same route.
| Option | Riding skill needed | Comfort | Example price (per person) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Rider (you ride pillion) | None | Medium: open air, long days on the back of a bike | $163 on Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng (3 days); $213 on Du Gia Waterfall (4 days) | First-timers, non-riders, anyone who wants to look at the view, not the road |
| Ride by yourself (with a guide ahead) | Solid: steep hairpins, gravel, trucks | Lower: you concentrate all day | $125 on Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng; $160 on Du Gia Waterfall | Experienced riders with the right licence |
| Bring your own bike | Solid, on a bike you already know | Lower, same as riding yourself | $110 on Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng; $140 on Du Gia Waterfall | Travellers already touring Vietnam on their own motorbike |
| Private car (with driver) | None | Highest: seats, a roof, luggage space | $263 on White Cliff & Sky Path (3 days); $342 on Du Gia Valley (4 days) | Families, older travellers, anyone who does not want a motorbike at all |
On every one of these tours the English-speaking local guide, the homestays, the meals on the itinerary, entrance fees, the border-area permit (filed and paid for you at cost) and travel insurance with BIC for every guest, up to 50,000,000 VND, are the same. What changes is who holds the handlebars, or whether there are handlebars at all.
Option 1: Ha Giang Loop with an Easy Rider
A Ha Giang Loop Easy Rider is a local driver who rides the motorbike while you sit behind. On our tours the price covers the motorbike, the fuel and your rider. You do not need a licence of your own, because you are a passenger.
Why most first-timers choose it
- You actually see the loop. Self-riders spend Ma Pi Leng Pass watching the next bend. Passengers watch the canyon.
- Your rider knows the road. Where the gravel patches are, which trucks swing wide, where to stop for the photo that everyone else rides past.
- No licence question. The Ha Giang Loop with an Easy Rider removes the whole driving-permit issue for you.
- Every tour offers it. From our 2-day Ha Giang Loop Express ($107) to the 5-day Grand North Loop into Cao Bang ($406), the Easy Rider option is there on all our motorbike routes.
What it is not
It is not a lazy option. Day 1 on our 3-day Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng tour is about 150 to 160 km; we describe it as “easy as pillion, moderate self-riding”. Easy for the mind, but you still sit on a bike for most of the day, in sun, wind or rain. If back problems make a long day on a motorbike painful, look at the car instead.
What it costs compared with riding yourself
On our Essential tours, the Easy Rider costs more than riding yourself because you are paying for a second person’s day:
- Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng, 3 days: $163 with an Easy Rider vs $125 riding yourself, a difference of $38.
- Du Gia Waterfall, 4 days: $213 vs $160, a difference of $53.
On our Classic private tours, the gap is small: White Cliff & Sky Path is $202 with an Easy Rider and $188 riding yourself; Du Gia Valley is $267 and $248.
Option 2: riding the Ha Giang Loop yourself
Riding yourself is the version people picture when they hear “Ha Giang Loop”. On our tours you are not alone: the guide rides ahead and sets the pace, you follow on your own bike. The motorbike rental is included at cost, one bike per guest, and we give self-riders a helmet, body and knee protectors.
Who should ride themselves
- You already ride a motorbike at home, ideally with gears, and you are comfortable on hills.
- You have a licence that is valid for riding in Vietnam (more on this below).
- You are fine with concentrating hard for 100 to 160 km a day.
Who should NOT ride themselves
We would rather lose a self-ride booking than put someone on a pass they are not ready for. Please do not self-ride if:
- You learned to ride last week, or plan to learn on the loop. The loop is not a training ground: long descents, blind corners, loose stones and heavy trucks come all at once.
- You have only ridden automatic scooters on flat city streets. Mountain passes are a different job.
- You are riding with a passenger for the first time. Two people on one bike on these passes asks a lot of the rider.
- The forecast is heavy rain and you have never ridden in it. Wet roads here change everything.
There is no shame in choosing an Easy Rider instead: you still do the whole route, you just see more of it. For a fuller picture, read our honest guide on whether the Ha Giang Loop is safe.
Licence and IDP: check before you book
This is the part of the Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang decision that people skip, and it matters. Vietnam recognises the International Driving Permit issued under the 1968 Convention. Not every country issues that version, so check which one you hold, and that it covers motorbikes. We have written it all up, country by country, in our International Driving Permit for Vietnam guide. If your permit is not the 1968 kind, see your options for driving in Vietnam legally, or simply choose an Easy Rider, which needs no licence from you.
Option 3: bring your own bike
If you are already travelling Vietnam on your own motorbike, you can join two of our Essential tours with it: Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng (3 days) for $110 and Du Gia Waterfall (4 days) for $140. You still get the guide, the homestays, the meals on the itinerary, entrance fees and the permit; you just skip the rental.
The same rules as self-riding apply: licence, experience and a bike in good condition. Have the brakes and tyres checked in Ha Giang city before you head up to Quan Ba Heaven’s Gate on the first morning.
Option 4: the Ha Giang Loop by car
The Ha Giang Loop by car is the right answer for more people than you would think: families, couples who want to talk during the drive, older travellers, and anyone who simply does not like motorbikes. You sit in a private car with a driver, the guide comes with you, and your bags stay dry.
Where we offer it
- Private Trail, 2 days: $171 by car (or $134 with an Easy Rider).
- White Cliff & Sky Path, 3 days: $263 by car.
- Du Gia Valley, 4 days: $342 by car.
- Ban Gioc Traverse, 5 days into Cao Bang: $590 by car.
- Ha Giang & Cao Bang by Private Car, 7 days: $759, with the car, driver and fuel included for the whole route.
All of these are Classic tours with private en-suite rooms and small groups; the Classic loops are for six guests at most.
The trade-off
A car sits outside the usual Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang debate: it is the most comfortable way and the most expensive one. You also lose some of the feeling of the loop: the wind, the smell of the villages, stopping wherever you like on a narrow road. On the other hand, you arrive at each homestay fresh enough to enjoy the evening, and nobody in the group has to worry about riding skill.
If you would rather drive a car yourself, our rental list includes a Toyota Vios for self-drive as well as with a driver. If you drive yourself, check that your licence and IDP cover cars as well.
Which one should you pick?
Here is the quick version of Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang, the way we would put it to a guest at our front desk:
- Never ridden a geared motorbike on hills? Easy Rider.
- No 1968-Convention IDP, or not sure? Easy Rider or car, until you have checked.
- Experienced rider, correct licence, on a budget? Ride by yourself: $125 on Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng.
- Already touring Vietnam on your own bike? Bring your own bike: $110 for the same 3 days.
- Travelling with children, older parents, or a bad back? Private car.
- Only two days? The Ha Giang Loop Express is Easy Rider only, $107; the Private Trail offers Easy Rider or car.
- Mixed group? Pick a tour that offers several options and ask us, when you book, whether riders and passengers can be mixed in your group.
If you are still weighing the budget side, our Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng 3-day tour is the easiest place to compare, because it offers Easy Rider, ride-yourself and bring-your-own-bike on the exact same route.
FAQ: Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang
Is an Easy Rider worth the extra money on the Ha Giang Loop?
For most first-timers, yes. On our 3-day Dong Van & Ma Pi Leng tour the difference is $38 ($163 vs $125), and it buys you a local rider, no licence worries and the chance to watch the scenery instead of the road.
Do I need an International Driving Permit to ride the loop myself?
Vietnam recognises the 1968 Convention IDP, so check which convention your permit was issued under and that it covers motorbikes. If you ride pillion with an Easy Rider or go by car with a driver, you do not need a licence of your own.
Can I do the Ha Giang Loop by car instead of a motorbike?
Yes. Our Classic tours offer a private car with driver: Private Trail (2 days, $171), White Cliff & Sky Path (3 days, $263), Du Gia Valley (4 days, $342), Ban Gioc Traverse (5 days, $590) and a 7-day Ha Giang & Cao Bang tour by private car ($759).
What safety gear do self-riders get?
On our tours, self-riders get a helmet, body and knee protectors, and the guide rides ahead to set the pace. Every guest also has travel insurance with BIC, up to 50,000,000 VND.
Can I switch from riding myself to an Easy Rider?
On tours that offer both, ask us as early as you can, ideally when you book, so we can check whether a rider is free for your date. Changing your mind before departure is far better than riding a pass you are not comfortable on.
Still deciding on Easy Rider vs self drive Ha Giang?
Tell us your riding experience, your dates and who is travelling, and we will tell you honestly which option fits. Tours start from $107 per person with the permit and VAT included, and a 500,000 VND deposit per guest holds your place.
WhatsApp / Zalo: (+84) 787 652 333 · Email: info@hagiangalitravel.com
