Essential
Ha Giang Loop 5 Days 4 Nights: Ha Giang & Cao Bang: Grand North Loop
Ha Giang & Cao Bang: Grand North Loop — 5 days, day by day
Night 0 · Hanoi → overnight cabin bus → Ha Giang city
About 300 km, 6 hours · free dorm bed at Ali Hostel
Evening
- 20:00–21:00 Board the overnight cabin bus in Hanoi
- 04:00–05:00 Arrive Ha Giang city, rest at Ali Hostel
- Bus ticket sold separately, we can book it
Day 1 · Ha Giang → Quan Ba Heaven's Gate → Lung Tam → H'Mong King's Palace → Dong Van
About 150 to 160 km · breakfast, lunch, dinner
Morning
- 08:00 Breakfast · 08:30 briefing · 09:00 departure
- Quan Ba Heaven's Gate and the Fairy Bosom Hills
- Lung Tam village: H'Mong hemp weaving
Noon
- Lunch en route
Afternoon
- Tham Ma Pass switchbacks
- H'Mong King's Palace at Sa Phin
Evening
- Dong Van Ancient Town, homestay, home-cooked dinner
Day 2 · Lung Cu Flagpole → Lo Lo Chai → Ma Pi Leng Pass → Nho Que boat → Meo Vac
About 100 km · boat ticket included
Morning
- Lung Cu Flagpole, the northernmost point, 286 steps up
- Lo Lo Chai village of the Black Lo Lo
Noon
- Lunch in the Dong Van area
Afternoon
- Ma Pi Leng Pass and the Tu San Canyon viewpoint
- Boat through the Tu San Canyon on the Nho Que River, ticket included
Evening
- Meo Vac homestay, dinner with the host family
Day 3 · Meo Vac → Me Pia 14-turn pass → Bao Lac → into Cao Bang → Pac Bo
The longest transfer day · short trek at the pass
Morning
- Ride the Me Pia pass, the 14 turns stacked up the mountainside
- Short trek at the pass for the view down the switchbacks
Noon
- Lunch in Bao Lac, then cross into Cao Bang province
Afternoon
- 14:00 Pac Bo: Ho Chi Minh’s hideout from 1941 to 1943
- Pac Bo Cave, the emerald Lenin Stream and Coc Bo village
Evening
- Dinner and overnight at a Pac Bo homestay
- The longest transfer day of the trip
Day 4 · Pac Bo → Ban Gioc Waterfall → Nguom Ngao Cave
Border falls on the Quay Son River · 2 km of cave chambers
Morning
- Ride to Ban Gioc Waterfall, the border falls on the Quay Son River
- Time at the falls, bamboo raft optional at your own cost
Noon
- Lunch near Ban Gioc
Afternoon
- 14:30 Nguom Ngao Cave, over 2 km of stalactites and chambers
Evening
- Dinner and overnight at a Cao Bang or Ban Gioc homestay
Day 5 · Ban Gioc → Angel Eye Mountain → Cao Bang → bus to Hanoi
45-minute trek · arrive Hanoi about 19:00 to 20:00
Morning
- Breakfast, then drive to Angel Eye Mountain
- Trek to the summit, about 45 minutes, for the view over the Quay Son River
Noon
- 11:30 Back to Cao Bang · 12:00 lunch
Afternoon
- 13:30 Bus to Hanoi through mountain roads and rice valleys
Evening
- Arrive Hanoi about 19:00 to 20:00 · end of programme
- Bus ticket Cao Bang to Hanoi not included, ask us for a quote
Where you sleep
- Night 0 — Ali Hostel, Ha Giang city · Free dorm bed for tour guests · early check-in from 04:00
- Night 1 — Doan Ket Homestay, Dong Van Old Quarter · Shared dorm · private room +350,000 ₫ per room
- Night 2 — Da Nho Homestay, Meo Vac · Shared dorm · home-cooked dinner
- Night 3 — Me Farmstay, Pac Bo, Cao Bang · Shared dorm · dinner with the family
- Night 4 — Pa Hideaway, Dam Thuy (near Ban Gioc) · Shared dorm · minutes from the waterfall
Why riders pick this one
- The whole Ha Giang plateau, then east into Cao Bang province
- Ban Gioc Waterfall on the Quay Son River, the border falls
- Nguom Ngao Cave, two kilometres of stalactite chambers
- The Me Pia 14-turn pass and the Nho Que boat in one trip
- Pac Bo: the cave, the Lenin Stream and Coc Bo village
What is included
- Night 0 dorm bed at Ali Hostel, free · pick-up and drop-off in Ha Giang city
- Homestay nights as listed, shared dorm
- Meals as per the itinerary, home-cooked at the homestays
- 1.5 L drinking water per person per day
- English-speaking local guide throughout
- Easy Rider: motorbike, fuel and your rider · Ride by yourself: motorbike rental at cost, one bike per guest
- Helmet, body and knee protectors for self-riders
- Entrance fees for every scheduled stop
- Boat through the Tu San Canyon on the Nho Que River
- Pac Bo, Ban Gioc Waterfall and Nguom Ngao Cave entrance tickets
- Border-area permit, filed and paid for you at cost — Ha Giang and Cao Bang
- Travel insurance with BIC for every guest, up to 50,000,000 VND
Not included
- Bus ticket Hanoi to Ha Giang and Cao Bang to Hanoi, sold separately
- Personal spending, drinks beyond the included water, shopping
- Tips for guide, driver and homestay hosts
- Private room supplement at the homestays, +350,000 VND per room per night
- Anything not listed in the itinerary
Read before you ride
Other loops
