Motorbiking from Ha Giang to Sapa: The spirit of weekend getaways

Nothing is better than enjoying the cold fresh atmosphere and diving into Ha Giang’s dreamy and romantic buckwheat blossom fields. And, visiting a fanciful Sapa shrouded by mist and surrounded by golden terraced fields will surely make you want to say: “Incredibleâ€.

So, why Ha Giang- Sapa route? Let’s find the answer together!

How to conquer the route  from Ha Giang to Sapa

Located about 250 km away from Ha Giang, Sapa is not easy to reach. It takes about 6 to 8 hours to overcome this distance. Unluckily, you can find no railway station in Ha Giang, so it is important for you to choose the right transportation to reach Sapa.

Traveling the 250 km route to Sapa can be done in only the 2 most popular options: you can either take a coach or ride there on your motorbike. Below,

Vietnam Motorbike Tours Club have listed all the detailed information that you will need. Take a look

Travel by coach

Coach travel is the best form of traveling for those who do not have enough health and confidence to conquer the long distance from Ha Giang to Sapa. Normally, tourists can easily find any coach running between the two destinations  through Highway 2, Highway 70, and Highway 279. And the ticket price is quite reasonable, ranging from VND 250,000 to VND 300,000 depending on the quality of the vehicles.

High-class limousines may cost more, but they are highly recommended, thanks to their amazing benefits to travelers. Sleeper coaches are the best choice for those who are new to high mountain tourism because they are perfect for traveling a long distance and enjoying the breathtaking views in the most comfortable posture without worrying about climate changes.

Some notes: 

Use anti-motion sickness medicine if you often get car sick. The distance from Ha Giang to Sapa is quite long, through a rugged road with endless winding, bumpy roads, and multiple curves, so you may easily feel tired on the way.

You should take a coach to Sapa at Ha Giang bus station. Address: 19/5 Street Nguyen Trai Ward, Ha Giang City, Ha Giang Province

Each coach line has a different schedule, so you must call them before your trip to know the schedule well. If the coach stops in Lao Cai only, you can still take the bus to Sapa easily.

Motorbiking from Ha Giang to Sapa

The  Ha Giang-Sapa route is a challenging road but full of wonderful experiences, especially for those who are addicted to off-road conquest. Riding on your two-wheel through this mountainous pathway is relatively difficult and dangerous and can make anyone frustrated. But, one certain thing is that the road is worth conquering.

To be honest, I can’t imagine anyone can complete the discovery of the route in less than 4 days since these two rising stars of Northern loop  Vietnam offer us a lot to explore and sightsee. Therefore, a 5-day trip with the first 2 days of conquering the Ha Giang  loop is good for the exploration of the high mountain experience.

If you are wondering how to plan a perfect trip with your fellow drivers, paying attention to the following itinerary will not waste your time. Here we go!

Before coming to the  itinerary of the route from Ha Giang to Sapa,  you should also refer to  the route from  Sapa to Ha Giang.

Day 1: Ha Giang – Quan Ba – Yen Minh – Dong Van

Welcome, all off-road enthusiasts, to the first day of the inspiring route. Absolutely, unforgettable experiences are promised. After having breakfast, tourists will leave Ha Giang city at 8 a.m and jump on their motorbikes.

On the way, your eyes are welcomed to a party of stunning landscapes on the steep Bac Sum slope, a charming sketch of your Ha Giang motorbike loop. Riding through the slope through graceful curves, you surely get maximum satisfaction.

Saying goodbye to Bac Sum slope, you pass zigzag paths across significant cat-ear mountains to Quan Ba Heaven Gate. The picturesque Co Tien couple mountain and fanciful Tam Son town appear like fairyland through the mist.

Don’t be shy to overcome the challenging off-road tracks! After completing the full tracks, it’s time for a lunch break after tasting delicious local delicacies. Take some rest since you will have a busy schedule in the afternoon at numerous local spots, including the King’s Palace and the White H’mong village. While the village highlights the cultural diversity and rustic beauty, Hmong King’s Palace leaves a deep impression on tourists thanks to its impressive appearance, unique architecture, and historical stories of the H’mong ethnic group.

Then, the Lung Cu flag pole, another awesome attraction in Ha Giang, will make your ride perfect. Tourism is not only about sightseeing. This historical spot will help you know more about the long Vietnamese history. But, to get to the flagpole, visitors need to climb 389 stone steps before standing in awe in front of the spectacular scenery of Dong Van plateau, a masterpiece of nature.

In the late afternoon, we will stop at Dong Van town, where visitors can enjoy the majestic beauty of the romantic highland. Here, you can find old houses with distinctive architecture. Great! Check in the hotel, then have dinner before visiting Dong Van Old Quarter. This place exists in the ancient market with hundreds of years of culture.

Day 2: Dong Van – Meo Vac – Yen Minh – Ha Giang

Have your breakfast finished, and then jump on your vehicle to go straight to Ma Pi Leng Pass. The journey will be much more challenging today since you will have to cross through one of the most hazardous and dangerous passes in Northern Vietnam. It is undeniable that this Ha Giang  loop tour requires a great two-wheeler, perfect riding skills as well as excellent off-road capacity.

Once you’ve finished that track, the road will finally lead you to Meo Vac, a romantic valley surrounded by thousands of rough rocks. This small rural district seems to fit the palm of your hand, but it is the home of the culture of multiple ethnic minorities here. Cruising down from the top of the pass, you will need to overcome the distance of 5km of winding slopes to reach Yen Minh town. This place will make you want to stop multiple times to discover the rustic beauty of lush green pine forests and breathtaking buckwheat blossom fields stretching to the horizon.

Spend some time taking photos of the town. You are ready to enjoy your lunch in romantic Yen Minh town, rest, and prepare to be on the way back to Ha Giang city.  Stop at Lung Tam village to admire traditional fabric and brocade weaving. This place is the home of all H’mong ethnic groups in Ha Giang, which not only helps the locals make a living but also maintains their traditional cultures. The road to return to Ha Giang is also not safe at all, so be careful through Vietnam off the beaten tracks. Your Ha Giang exploration will end on this second day of the memorable off-road trip.

Day 3: Ha Giang – Hoang Su Phi- Chieu Lau Thi peak- Phung village- Tay Con Linh- Xin Man

The most special destination in the next two days is Hoang Su Phi which is an upland district located in the west of Ha Giang. Once you’ve crossed through Hoang Su Phi, you will need at least 2 days to conquer Chieu Lau Thi peak, Phung village, and Tay Con Linh peak by enduro tours, or else you will miss a lot of amazing things.

Starting from Ha Giang, you will visit Hoang Su Phi in the early morning. Located upstream of the Chay River, Hoang Su Phi is such a standard mountainous area with craggy slopes. This scenic village is the peaceful home of people of 12 different ethnic groups, including the Dao, Nung, Tay, La Chi, and Mong.

Coming to Hoang Su Phi, passing the Quan Ba heaven gate via Km17, the route of Bac Quang – Hoang Su Phi, the first thing that makes a strong impression on tourists is the vast space opening up ahead with the identical mountains of the West. Tay Con Linh’s peak is hidden in the fog. The primeval forests are scattered between the tributaries of the Chay and Bac rivers, and the ancient tea fields, and the terraced fields on the slopes are also marvelous. Here, you can visit the communes of the monument of Hoang Su Phi rice terraces, landscapes, and terraced fields located in 6 communes, including Ban Luoc, San Sa Ho, Ban Phung, Ho Thau, Nam Ty, and Thong Nguyen. Have lunch in the afternoon at Hoang Su Phi

Next, after the break time, go away about 42 km from the center of Hoang Su Phi district, tourists are welcomed to Chieu Lau Thi mountain, which is called “Nine floors†in the local language. This is one of the highest peaks in the Northeast of Vietnam. The highest area of the mountain peak is formed by huge blocks of stones in succession so it is very convenient for you to observe from above with the view reaching up to 10 kilometers on beautiful days. On rainy days, it looks like a fairy-tale place with fog covering the mountains.

Come visit Phung village, which is the place where you can sightsee the highest terraced fields in Vietnam, crouched on steep slopes. The soft “curve” leading to Phung village is an endless source of inspiration for many photographers to arrive here and be captivated by the wild beauty of nature. The roofs of local houses dotted between layers of golden fields mixed with colors create a quiet and peaceful picture.

Day 4: Phung village – Tay Con Linh – Xin Man

After breakfast, you will stop by  the Tay Con Linh mountain range stretching on Hoang Su Phi and Vi Xuyen districts, located about 46 km from Ha Giang town. With a height of 2419 m, this is the highest peak in Northeast Vietnam in particular and one of the highest peaks in Vietnam in general. On top of the mountain, there is dramatic geodesy. At the foot of the mountain, a sub-tropical primary forest is preserved. Tay Con Linh is considered the sacred mountain range of La Chi ethnic people. Conquering this peak is not an easy task, even for backpackers or professional riders. This is an extremely hard, arduous and dangerous journey.

After the imposing off-road pathways, take a break and go back to Thong Nguyen commune to have lunch. Subsequently, climb on your bike following the inter-district road to reach Xin Man, one of the remote areas that are famous for its untouched beauty of poetic, peaceful, and majestic mountains, fresh scenery, and many cultural and historical sediments of the Tay People. The colorful picture of the rice harvest, buckwheat fields, rains, mountains, and clouds seasonally all year round creates an alluring attraction for anyone who has ever come here.

Day 5: Xin Man – Bac Ha

On this day, we will continue the 6-day tour from Ha Giang to Sapa on the back of your motorbike to Bac Ha– one of the most outstanding destinations in Northeast Vietnam. You will need to travel Xin Man in the morning to the Wind pass, a path with wild mountains covered by white clouds all year round. Immerse yourself in the cool climate and admire the thousand-year-old ancient trees. Tien Waterfall and Ancient rocks with mysterious patterns are also hot spots that anyone coming to Xin Man would like to visit once.

Take a break to recover energy  and  continue the journey to the Bac Ha market, which is full of bright, vivid colors and unique traditional costumes of the local people. Here, travelers can buy the natural products of the high mountains collected, such as honey, mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, etc. End up a tiring day full of fun with a tasty dinner. You and your group will sleep at a homestay or hotel.

Day 6: Bac Ha – Lao Cai – Y Ty – Sapa

Heading to Lao Cai city, you will need to buy some traditional gifts as souvenirs for your family and friends. The last day of our tour will leave you with the experience of one of the highest enduro roads in Vietnam with a height of over 2000m from Y Ty back to Sapa. Visit the border marker 92 between Vietnam and China, where the Red River flows into Vietnam. Y Ty not only gives you the peaceful feeling of mountain life, the majestic scenery with the smell of the mountains, and the rice season. Great experience of hunting clouds and immersing yourself in the poetic space like you are on cloud nine are served.

In conclusion

Considered one of the most beautiful offroad roads in the Northern Uplands, the complete route of Ha Giang to Sapa is a must-visit journey for those who love conquering the charming but challenging remote lands. If you are a passionate backpacker on the roads of Northern Vietnam, it’s time for you to pack your essentials, climb on a motorbike and start your journey. Good luck!