Everything you need to know before you go
The Loop
The Ha Giang Loop is a circular route in the far North of Vietnam, near the border with China. It's one of the most beautiful areas and the highlight of Vietnam. The loop is 350 to 400 km, starting from Ha Giang City. Then you travel by motorbike for 3-4 days (even more days depending on your time) to complete the loop by ending in Ha Giang City. This means that you will sleep in different villages during your journey. You should be ready for bad road conditions, road constructions, sharp turns and an overall challenging ride.
Weather in Ha Giang
Ha Giang is a mountainous area. Therefore you should always be prepared for sudden weather changes.
Ha Giang is located in the northern region of Vietnam and has four seasons. In wintertime temperatures can drop to 0°C, but can rise to 38°C during the summer. So keep that in mind when packing your bag(s).
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Winter: December, January, February (2°C - 14°C)
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Spring: March, April, May
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Summer: June, July, August (28°C - 38°C)
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Autumn: September, October, November.
PACKING LIST
What to bring on the Ha Giang Loop:
How do you get to Ha Giang?
You can travel to Ha Giang by bus, car, or motorbike. There are no direct train or flight connections.
You can take the bus to Ha Giang from Hanoi, Cat Ba, Ninh Binh, Sapa and vice versa. The easiest way to get to Ha Giang is to take a bus from Hanoi. The journey time is approximately 6-7 hours and there are morning, afternoon and overnight buses.
Summertime
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Raincoat/poncho
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Waterproof shoe covers
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Bag cover
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Sunscreen
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Sunglasses
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Swimsuit & towel
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Mosquito repellent
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Shoes
Wintertime
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Warm clothes
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Gloves & scarf
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Raincoat/poncho
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Waterproof shoe covers
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Bag cover
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Mosquito repellent
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Shoes
Extras
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Small bag
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Simcard
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Extra shoes
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Cash
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First-aid kit