Ha Giang Loop Tour Prices: Everything you need to know

Want to explore the Ha Giang Loop - one of the most extreme motorcycle route in the northenmost province of Vietnam? Let us take you through everything you might need to know about the expenses of this tour, including transportation fees, tickets, tourguides, entrance permits, accommodation, food, etc. You just need to pick up your backpacks and go for a ride on this breathtaking adventure (both literally and figuretively, this route is not for the faint-hearted) and we'll help with the rest. 

Ha Giang Loop Permit

All foreigners are required to have Restricted/Border Area Permit to visit certains areas in this mountainous region. It's a very simple process, all you need is your passport and 10 USD (about 230.000 VND) and the Immigration Office will take care of the rest. Read more about the Ha Giang Loop Permit here.

Transportation

To get to Ha Giang, you need to take a bus from Hanoi, we recommend getting on a comfortable sleeper bus and take the night ride. Bus prices ranges from 250.000 - 550.000 VND, depending on the quality of the vehicle. Visiters from the Central or the South of Vietnam need to get to Hanoi first and then take a bus to Ha Giang, from there, you can either rent a motorbike, or a private car.

By motorbike: rentals and permits

This is a great choice to explore Ha Giang, and to admire the awe-inspiring scenery at your own pace.  The road conditions of th mae Ha Giang Loop have improve in recent years, but it's still one of the most challenging routes, the roads can be pretty steep and narrow, sometimes there are animals crossing the road, so pay attention, drive slow if needed and you'll be just fine. 

To drive a motorbike in Ha Giang, you first need a driving license or International Driving Permit (IDP). To obtain an IDP in Vietnam, you need an IDP from a country that has signed the 1968 Vienna Convention. You can also convert yout IDP to a driver's license in Vietnam to save the hassle, all you need to do is go to the Department of Transportation in Hanoi or Saigon, fill out some forms and you should have your license ready in 10 days. 

Now that the legal stuff is taken care of, it's time for an adventure. You can find motorbike rental shops almost anywhere in Ha Giang. Prices can range from 180.000 VND/day + 80.000 VND for insurance (optional) to 550.000 VND/day + 250.000 VND for insurance, depending on the model of the bike.

Riding a motorbike in Ha Giang can be fuel-consuming as the roads are so steep. How much fuel you need depends on the model of the bike and how much you and your luggage weight, but to give you an idea, expect to spend a round 60.000 VND per full tank for a YAMAHA 110cc. 

By car

If you want a safer travel and to save time and effort, you could also rent a car. We reccommend renting a private car through a travel agency to have a detailed trip that caters to your interests. The price differs based on the number of visiters. But in general, for a 3-day-2-night tour, a 4-seat car costs around 4.500.000 VND/car (185 USD).

Tickets

The sights and landscapes along the Ha Giang Loop are free to enjoy. However, there are some nearby attractions that require entrance fees, but generally they cost very little:

• H'MONG KING's PALACE, notoriously known as the "Opium Palace", is a century old mansion that survived 2 major wars - the French war and American war - and now recognized as the symbol of past glory for the H'Mong: 10.000 VND
• LUNG CU FLAG POLE, the northernmost point of the country at an altitude of 1470 m: 25.000  VND
• PAO's HOUSE, an attractive destination where the award winning Vietnamese movie "The Story of Pao" was filmed: 10.000 VND
• DONG VAN ANCIENT TOWN, where you can see historical remnants and ethnic groups with their ancient customs: 50.000 VND for an adult and 20.000 VND for children

Tourguides

To learn more about the history and fun facts Ha Giang and every place you visit, you can hire a tour guide to accompany you, generally their price ranges from 25-30$/day (600.000 - 700.000 VND). A tourguide could also be your travel expert, to take you to cool off the beaten track spots, and help you with every any problem or question that you may have along the trip.

Accommodation

There are many hotels and homestays in Ha Giang, so don't worry about not having a place to stay. If you prefer a more comfortable experience, opt for a hotel:

• Ha Giang Historic Hotel: a decent hotel in Ha Giang that also offers bike rentals, their prices range from 890.000 VND/person/night
• Hoang Su Phi Lodge, an eco-touristic project managed by the Dzao community with the assistance of tourism experts, for about 1.279.000 VND/person/night, breakfast and service charges included. They also donate every 2$ they make each night to support solidarity projects of local people.

If you prefer an authentic experience, go with homestays:

• Auberge de MeoVac, a wooden stilt house made from precious pine wood, adobe walls, tiled roof and stone courtyard.
  Prices: 330.000 VND/person/night for the dormitory room, or 1.320.000 VND/night for a private room
• Tho Homestay Ha Giang, located in Na Rang village, this is a stilt house roofed with palm leaves, surrounded by trees and terraced rice fields
  Prices: 150.000 VND/person/night 

P/S: Keep in mind that we picked quality hotels and homestays so they would be more on the expensive side, but you can totally opt for cheaper hotels and hostels.

Food

If you're staying at a hotel, breakfast is usually included, but if you want to wake up early for a local breakfast, consider paying around 30.000 - 50.000 VND. For lunch and dinner, you might pay around 70.000 - 150.000 VND/meal for local specialties. If you want to have an afternoon snack or a coffee to refuel on the road, you might want to throw in there another 50.000 VND. 

So overall, you shouldn't spend more than 200.000 - 250.000 VND for a whole day of authentic Ha Giang's cuisine. 

As for what to eat, Ha Giang is home to a plethora of specialties that highlights the cuisine of the mountainous region. Here are some of the must-tries:

- Trau gac bep: smoked buffalo meat, meaning "Buffalo meat hung up in upstairs kitchen".

- Com lam: grilled rice in a bamboo tube with a rustic taste and aroma.

- Thang co: stir-fried horsemeat with local spices.

- Banh cuon trung: similar to regular Banh cuon, but they add an egg to the steamed ravioli, and is eaten with hot soup instead of nuoc mam.

- Banh tam giac mach: a cake made from buckwheat flower, giving it the distinguished purple color and scent of the flower. This buckwheat cake is flavorful, soft, chewy and all around delicious. 

- Reu nuong: stone moss seasoned with herbs and spices then grilled on charcoal. It's a delicious and healthy dish that helps improve blood circulation and detoxify.

In summary: the daily cost for the Ha Giang Loop

• TRANSPORTATION: 180.000 VND
• INSURANCE: 80.000
• TICKETS: 50.000 VND
• GUIDES: 600.000 - 700.000 VND
• ACCOMMODATION: 150.000 - 1.279.000 VND
• FOOD: 100.000 - 250.000 VND
• EXTRA COSTS: 50.000 VND

So this trip would roughly cost each person daily from 530.000 VND (23 USD) to 1.310.000 VND or 54 USD (insurance and tourguide included). 

We hope that this article answered your most burning questions, for a detailed 3-day-2-night itinerary to Ha Giang, read here.