Ha Giang & Cao Bang Loop: 7 Great Days with Motorbikes

Introduction

Ha Giang & Cao Bang Loop takes you through slopes, passes, and across vast fields of ripe rice. The majestic Khau Coc Cha Mountain Pass and beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall are like watercolor paintings.  No motorcyclist can resist the challenges of bends that nature bestowed upon Ma Pi Leng Pass – the magnificent and dangerous pass road in the northern mountainous area. Experiencing staying overnight at local ethnic minorities’ homestays is also memorable. Ensure that you will likely add the nice photos to your tourist handbook. 

7 Days to Discover Ha Giang & Cao Bang Loop by Motorbike

We temporarily say goodbye to a hot cup of egg coffee and a delicious bowl of fragrant Hanoi Pho to come with beautiful, rustic, and peaceful Ha Giang. Our trip will last 7 days. Let’s see how many things wait! 

Day 1 – Hanoi to Vu Linh Motorcycle Route

The Ha Giang loop by motorbike departs from Hanoi. The initial destination is an emerging tourist city located in Yen Bai-Vu Linh. We all decided to ride in the early morning to avoid the traffic jams during Hanoi’s rush hours.  The 180 km long distance to Vu Linh takes about 7 hours. We ride on single-track roads and highways, so the time can still be guaranteed.  It is certain that we must see Thac Ba Lake; therefore, we all follow the sealed road to here and then ride along a small road to the day’s destination. Vu Linh is the residence of the Dao ethnic people. When we set foot in this quiet and fresh commune, we felt comfortable escaping from the heat and noise of Hanoi to immerse ourselves in the beautiful view of Thac Ba Lake.  At night, we chose to stay overnight at a homestay of the local people named Ke Miu. 

Day 2 – Vu Linh to Ha Giang Motorbike Tour

After a delicious breakfast, we left Vu Linh to reach wild, beautiful Ha Giang. We said goodbye to the friendly and hospitable host and continued riding on the small roads with coconut trees lining both sides and rolling mountains in the distance. Magnificent sceneries show up in a peaceful atmosphere, which is very blended with roof-red houses. Ha Giang had welcomed us with all of its available beauty. If you come to Ha Giang for the first time, remember to pay attention to rough roads, which have risks and dangers due to deep pools beside them. We always remind each other when passing these roads.  It took us about 6 hours of riding to come to Ha Giang. Ma Pi Leng or Nho Que River – Let’s wait for us!

Day 3 – Ha Giang To Dong Van Motorbike Trip

Dong Van Town – the most attractive destination of Vietnam motorbike tours – will charm us on the third motorcycling day. Riding along 4C Road, we had to go another 132 kilometers to reach the Dong Van Stone plateau—a craggy, rocky area with speechless beauty. Now, we’re going through an astonishing mountain pass—Ma Pi Leng Pass that any motorcyclist also wishes to conquer once. It has sharp curves, wrapping around the mountain like a white python. We reached the peak of Ma Pi Leng; it wasn’t easy and even took more force. However, everything was worth it when everyone saw “Heaven Gate.” We had to admire the masterpiece that Mother Nature has blessed here.

Day 4 –  Dong Van to Bao Lac Motorcycle Ride

It is about 80 kilometers to move from Dong Van to Bao Lac, but the terrain here is complex and rugged, deeply divided by stretching mountain ranges with difficult up-and-down slopes. In addition, the severe weather is often very cold in winter and sunburn in summer. We chose to ride on Highway 34, which has been upgraded and renovated to be smoother for off-road Vietnam motorcyclists. Let’s skip those difficulties and enjoy the breathtaking landscape of both sides. There are bamboo forests looming on the hillsides, ancient stilt houses with moss-roof roofs, and rice fields waiting to be harvested. Every time we rode through this place, we felt peaceful because of its stunning views. Fortunately, we arrived in time to attend the weekly market. The market in Bao Lac town (Cao Bang) is a unique, simple cultural feature that might captivate visitors every time they visit. At night, we slept overnight at a homestay. 

Day 5 – Bao Lac to Cao Bang Motorbike Journey

On the fifth day, our Cao Bang loop trip must pass some winding roads. The rugged terrain contrasts with the beautiful nature, including mountains, cave systems, and lakes. Cao Bang’s beauty is magnified many times over. The weather in the Cao Bang mountains is very cold in the early morning and evening; the temperature can drop to 15-16 degrees Celsius. Therefore, our crew wore warm clothes and brought raincoats as we traveled by semi-automatic motorbikes. Crossing the green passages, there are floating clouds hanging on the top of the hill, creating a fabulous scenery. That’s why we sometimes stop a bit on the passing roads to take several photos as souvenirs. Next, we had dinner and prepared everything for tomorrow’s route in an affordable homestay.

Day 6 – Cao Bang to Quang Uyen Motorcycle Tour

We’re stopping our motorcycles right in the quiet, charming village of Quang Uyen after one hour and a half of riding. Everyone is eager to come to traditional cultural festivals here.  Fortunately, arriving at the right time, we could participate in the crop-praying ceremony that the Tay annually held in these months of the lunar calendar (April and May). People were cooking and preparing offerings in the morning. Until the afternoon, everyone worshiped and gathered at the village culture house. The village chief would represent villagers to offer wine, pork, sticky rice, and meat. All were done well. Through this festival, everybody wished for a year of bumper harvests, happy life, good health, and favorable weather. It’s high time to say goodbye to going to Ban Gioc. We must ride more than 50 kilometers. This is a majestic waterfall in the middle of Cao Bang’s mountains. The blue water made many tourists want to immerse themselves.  Roaming all day, we were tired, so we quickly chose a comfortable homestay at Quang Uyen to stay overnight.

Day 7 – End of the Trip to Lang Son

From Quang Uyen to Lang Son, we chose to follow the historical Highway No.4. The road passes through majestic mountains, winding rivers, and streams like silk, and in some places, cliffs standing up close to the road. Lang Son Province in the northeast of Vietnam has many beautiful landscapes and delicious foods. Two well-known specialties are sour noodle soup and roasted duck with bile leaves.   On the other hand, one of Lang Son’s tourist attractions is the market. This place is famous for Ky Lua, Dong Kinh, Dong Dang, and more. It is a commercial complex—a supermarket with hundreds of business stalls selling a variety of kinds of goods. 

Final Thought

Ha Giang & Cao Bang Loop really brings a cultural experience. In addition to discovering the engaging, famous destinations, you still know about the cultures and traditions of Vietnamese here. If we have more travel time, we will surely visit Pac Bo Cave belonging to Cao Bang Province and enjoy plenty of specialties, such as Khao cake, Heavenly Ribbon Vegetable, or Floating Cake. Hope to visit next time! What riders have said about PG-1 Adventure Tours on Tripadvisor!