Ha Giang Loop Motorbike, Vietnam

Ha Giang Province, Northern Vietnam · Vietnam

Moderate5 daysAsia~£300 est.

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Overview

Ha Giang Province in Vietnam's far north is the country's most dramatic and least-visited landscape: a vast karst plateau dissected by river gorges, terraced by H'mong and Dao farmers into staircases of rice and corn, and bounded to the north by the Chinese border mountains. The 350km loop from Ha Giang city through Dong Van, Meo Vac, and back is among the finest motorbike routes in Southeast Asia. The road to Dong Van crosses the Ma Pi Leng Pass — a 20km stretch of cliff-edge mountain road above the Nho Que River gorge that is legitimately one of the most spectacular stretches of road in Asia. The gorge is 1,000m deep and the road has no barrier. The river 1,000m below appears as a turquoise thread. On a semi-automatic 110cc step-through, this section takes two hours and commands complete attention. The H'mong and Lo Lo villages along the route have maintained their traditional dress, architecture, and market culture largely undisturbed by tourism. Sunday markets at Dong Van and Meo Vac bring together a dozen different ethnic groups in their full traditional costume. The corn wine is unavoidable and the lamb hot pot at altitude is excellent. Rent a semi-automatic Honda at Ha Giang (~200,000 VND per day). Rental shops rarely ask, but Vietnamese law requires a Vietnamese licence or an IDP carrying the A1 motorcycle category, and riding without one voids most travel insurance. The loop runs clockwise. Allow five days to avoid rushing any section. The roads are paved but narrow and trucks own the right of way.