Sapa to Ha Giang by motorbike – Get Lost in the Wonderland of Vietnam

Sapa ” Ha Giang Route ” A Proud Of Northern Vietnam

The route from Sapa to Ha Giang is undoubtedly special. Firstly, Sapa is located in Lao Cai ” a province in the Northwest Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ha Giang belongs to Northeast Vietnam. This means the route connects the two top hottest tourist sites of Vietnam. Secondly, this is a journey full of challenges. Rough mountainous terrain and 200-km tracks are challenging yet admittedly fascinating. Together with those obstacles are plenty of stunning spectacles and exciting things for visitors to explore.

However, a long journey with steep passes and narrow tracts of land is time-consuming and indeed not easy at all. Bad weather also causes danger, especially when it’s rainy, windy, or foggy. Therefore, depending on your health and travel experience, you can choose from motorbikes or buses. For professional motorcyclists who are familiar with mountainous terrain, a bike is the first choice. If you don’t have much experience moving on hilly terrain, as well as sufficient physical and mental health, coaches and buses are a better option. In this article, we will focus on experiencing the route by motorcycle.

Spectacular Landmarks

Northwest Vietnam is an ideal destination to admire the beauty of mountains, terraced fields, and waterfalls and discover the customs of ethnic minorities. With a height of 1600 meters above sea level, the temperature in Sapa is perfect for traveling. Here live different ethnic groups like Kinh, Black H’Mong, Red Dzao, Tay, Dzay, etc.

Ha Giang ” the northernmost land of Vietnam ” has a 300-kilometer border with China. Nature has bestowed on Ha Giang a charming beauty. Here you will be astonished by complex systems of rivers and streams, sublime mountains, and highlands. Here live ethnic groups like H’Mong, Tay, Muong, Thai, etc.

From Sapa to Ha Giang, travelers will go through many areas with different impressive landmarks. Depending on the plans and routes, they will choose which sites to visit. The following outstanding places on the journey have won many tourists’ hearts.

Fansipan Mountain

With a height of 3143 meters, Fansipan is also known as the roof of Indochina. This mountain belongs to the Hoang Lien Son mountain range and is about 9 kilometers southwest of Sapa. Although nowadays, the cable car system is available, many people still choose to reach the peak on their own. The attraction of this mountain is the wildlife with the rich flora and fauna. The Hoang Lien Son range is home to countless birds, animals, insects, and plants. Many rare animals, as well as precious medicinal plants, can be found here.

On the way to the top of Fansipan, you will admire a panoramic view of the majestic and poetic beauty of the Hoang Lien Son range, Muong Hoa valley, Cat Cat village, and the Love Waterfall. The best time to conquer Fansipan is October and November, or February and March. February is the blooming season of azaleas, so this area is even more beautiful. Standing on the peek surrounded by fog and clouds, you will feel refreshed and proud after overcoming such a significant challenge.

Ham Rong Mountain

Another familiar destination for visitors in Sapa is Ham Rong Mountain, which is located right in the center of Sapa town. The higher you go, the more stunning scenery you see – Orchid Garden, Heaven Gate, Cloud Yard, Peach Garden, etc. At an altitude of 1800m, you can contemplate floating clouds and the whole view of Sapa. Going further, you are going to see vast layers of stone with strange shapes.

There are two Heaven Gates here. Before reaching the second one, you have to go on a trail through Tam Mon Cave. The path here is so narrow that only one person can go each time. Right when you escape from the cave, you will be surprised by an orchard full of peaches, pears, and plums. Ham Rong Mountain is also famous for its graceful garden with flowers blooming all year round. You should rent the traditional clothes of H’mong people and take some photos in the area. It’s just worth it.

Dong Van Rock Plateau

Dong Van Rock Plateau is located at an average elevation of 1000 ” 1600m above sea level, on an area of approximately 2356 km2. It stretches across four districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac and Dong Van of Ha Giang province. This is one of the special limestone areas of Vietnam, containing the typical mark of the development of the earth’s crust in hundreds of millions of years.

This area is beautiful all year round, but the flower seasons are still the best time. Notably, from October to December is the blooming season of buckwheat flowers. The first flowers bloom white, then turn to pink, purple, and red. Go to Dong Van Plateau this time if you want to immerse yourself in a world of colorful flowers.

The Lung Cu flagpole and the Palace of Vuong are two highlighted attractions in this area. The Lung Cu flagpole is located on the top of the Lung Cu mount at an altitude of about 1700m. The panorama you can see at the flagpole is outstanding. Lying on the Vietnam ” China borderline, this landmark has a vital role. The superficial stone gate of the Palace of Vuong appears on the hilltop in Saphin, Dong Van. This unique structure belongs to Vuong Chinh Duc” one of the richest men in Ha Giang last century.

There are hundreds of other fantastic attractions for you to visit on the journey, such as The Stone Church, Muong Hoa Valley, the Silver Waterfall, Cat Cat village, Lao Chai Ta Van village, and Quan Ba Twin Mountain, etc. They all have their own exciting secrets waiting for us to reveal.

Hospitable people

In all the lands you cross in the Sapa motorbike tour to Ha Giang, you will meet a variety of ethnic groups. There are lots of H’mong people living in Sapa. Their traditional clothes are often made of linen and decorated with eye-catching patterns. The primary color of H’mong costumes is black, yellow, blue, and red. The designs are mostly square, rectangular, rhombus, and spire. They love wearing jewelry like earrings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, rings, etc.

The Red Dzao people live mainly in Ta Phin and Nam Cang villages in Sapa. Their most prominent feature is the red hats or scarves on their heads. They believe that dogs are their ancestors, so they love and respect this animal. They often invite you to take a bath in their special herbal water.

Tay people have their own spoken and written language. You can quickly realize that they master many traditional crafts such as weaving, forging, etc. Their clothes are often made of cotton with no decorations. They also possess many unique instruments. To learn more about the unique culture and customs of the ethnic minorities above, as well as the Giay, Pa Then, Phu La, and Co Lao people, you must come and see it yourself.

Exceptional Cuisine

The motorcycle trip from Sapa  to Ha Giang is also an excellent opportunity to enjoy new cuisine. The roast pig and smoked buffalo here are globally famous. Another superb dish is gruel cooked with water-caltrops and pork. Reu Da is considered a specialty in Tay people’s cuisine. This vegetable is nutritious, while its flavor is unique. Sticky rice with five different colors is one of the most popular foods in the Northwest and the Northeast. Not only delicious, but this dish also represents the philosophy of people here. You should not ignore delicious food like Com Lam, Thang Co, Thang Den, and of course, the local wine. Food is definitely one of the best things about this trip.

Itinerary for Sapa to Ha Giang route by motorbike

You can have plenty of different itineraries according to your own travel plans. Here is a typical one for you to consider.

Day 1: Sapa ” Y Ty ” Bac Ha

Before setting off, ensure you have spent enough time in Sapa. In addition to the above locations, you should visit Lao Chai – Ta Van Village. This thousand-year-old site is a majestic, tranquil landscape with terraced fields. The rock carved with strange shapes on the stream’s banks is worshiped by people craving peace and prosperity. We also highly recommend stopping in the Ancient Stony Field in Muong Hoa Valley. This vast area was discovered in 1925 by French archeologists. The gigantic rocks with unusual patterns have a mysterious attraction. To immerse yourself in the cultural space of the ethnic people, you are suggested to local kermises. You will witness their daily life, listen to the cheerful sounds of ethnic instruments, and enjoy tasty foods. Now let’s head for Y Ty.

The distance from Sapa to Y Ty is about 70 km long but quite difficult to travel. Y Ty is a commune in Lao Cai province. It is located at an altitude of over 2000m. The climate in Y Ty is cool all year round, but the winter here is really severe. This is one of the attractive destinations for tourists because all the roads here are challenging. Especially exploring Den Sang’s ancient forest in the area is an extraordinary thing for adventurous people to try. From Y Ty, we will continue to drive to Bac Ha ” a must-visit place in the North.

Day 2: Exploring Bac Ha

Because Bac Ha is full of stunning attractions, we should spend at least a day exploring it. Bac Ha – a district of Northeast Lao Cai ” is well-known for its superb mountains, rivers, caves, and hospitable people. First and foremost, you should join the Bac Ha kermis, which is organized every Sunday. The kermis is where people of different ethnic minorities from nearby villages trade and exchange everything.

Another fantastic place to visit is the Palace of Cat King. This palace will impress you with its architecture. French and Chinese architects designed this fortress-like structure, which was unlike any building back then.

Hang Tien is one more charming site for tourists. Following the dreamlike Tien stream, visitors will encounter a vast cave with numerous stalactites of odd shapes. Local people or tour guides will tell you an interesting legend about the name of this cave. Besides, visiting flower fields is not a bad idea.

Day 3: Bac Ha ” Xin Man ” Hoang Su Phi ” Thong Nguyen

Hoang Su Phi is a highland district in the west of Ha Giang. Located on the upper stream of the Chay River, Hoang Su Phi is mainly mountainous with steep slopes. There are up to 12 ethnic groups living here. Hoang Su Phi is most famous for its magnificent terraced fields such as Ho Thau, Ban Phung, Thong Nguyen, etc. Tourists come to Hoang Su Phi with a burning desire to witness the golden fields.

Located 42km from the center of Hoang Su Phi district, Chieu Lau Thi is another one of the high mountains in the Tay Con Linh range. Huge blocks of stone form the upper area of the mountain peak. The landscape here is always stunning regardless of the weather. The ecosystem here is vibrant with plenty of rare herbs, ancient trees, and renowned San Tuyet tea. Almost all adventurous travelers long to conquer this mountain.

Day 4: Thong Nguyen ” Ha Giang City

On the last day, we will definitely visit Tay Con Linh as well. With a height of 2419 meters, this is the highest mountain in Northeast Vietnam. On top of it, there is a geodetic landmark, while at the foot of it, a sub-tropical primary forest is preserved. However, the journey to the top of Tay Con Linh is arduous, long, and even dangerous. The route from Thanh Thuy through the Tay Con Linh range to Hoang Su Phi is a favorite route of many motorcycle travelers. From Ha Giang city, you can visit other beautiful tourist attractions. But one big recommendation for those who love motorcycle tours is that you should never miss O Quy Ho Pass (Tram Ton Pass)  and Ma Pi Leng Pass. They are two of the four greatest passes in the North of Vietnam. Conquering them is a challenging task since the roads are long, narrow, and absolutely hazardous. Sound quite exciting, right?

For a final word,

Considered one of the most beautiful off-road routes in the North of Vietnam, the motorcycle trip from  Sapa  to Ha Giang is an irresistible choice for those who love conquering remote lands. The trip is going to be full of joy. That’s what we guarantee, so what are you still waiting for? Have a good trip!