Ha Giang City: where the loop begins and ends
Most riders and drivers start the loop in Ha Giang City, in the river valley at the foot of the mountains. It is a practical base: you arrive by road from Hanoi, collect your bike or meet your Easy Rider, and set off north the next morning. Many people also come back here on the last night.
The city sits low, in a valley, while the plateau further north lies mostly between 1,000 and 1,600 m. Expect warmer, milder weather here than in Dong Van. If you are still choosing how to ride, our guides to Ha Giang Loop motorbike tours with an Easy Rider and Ha Giang Loop tours explain the options.
What "Ha Giang City" means today
The name is still the one travellers use.
In 2025 the province of Ha Giang was merged with Tuyen Quang to form the province of Tuyen Quang. Since 1 July 2025 the former city area is made up of two wards, Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2. "Ha Giang City" is still understood everywhere in travel talk, so you will keep seeing it on tickets and maps. It no longer describes a city administration with the same name or a provincial capital that stayed unchanged.
In practice this changes little for a visitor. If you need a formal address, for example for a booking or a registration form, match it to Ha Giang 1 or Ha Giang 2. The old district names Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac remain in everyday use for the places on the loop.
Our pick: a day tour from the city
From the city, a one-day easy rider ride starts without the overnight bus.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Ha Giang tours and day trips
Loop tours with an Easy Rider, trips by car and more, with live prices and availability.
Getting to Ha Giang City from Hanoi
The road is the way in.
Sleeper bus and limousine
Buses run from Hanoi, with sleeper cabins and a smaller "limousine" seat category. Tickets start from VND 350,000 one way for about 6β7 hours, and a service starting at the airport from VND 250,000 for about 6 hours. Cabin, day and pickup point change the final price.
Where you get off
Pickup and drop-off points differ between buses. Ask for the exact stop on your ticket. If you arrive at Noi Bai airport (HAN), the pickup point is often a junction near the airport, not the terminal. Confirm it before you land.
Departures in Hanoi
Buses leave from several parts of Hanoi, among them My Dinh and Gia Lam. Operator offices are not always the stop. More detail is on our Ha Giang getting there page.
Ha Giang Museum
A stop before or after the ride.
The Ha Giang Museum shows the history and cultures of the area through its exhibition. Plan on about VND 30,000 per person, or VND 15,000 with the 50 percent discount for groups such as older visitors, students and children from 6. Children under 6 enter free. Opening days and hours can change, so ask at your accommodation or at the door before you plan around it.
For the story behind the people of the plateau, read our history of Ha Giang.
Local food: chao au tau and other dishes
What to look for on the table.
Chao au tau (chΓ‘o αΊ₯u tαΊ©u)
A rice porridge with the au tau tuber, traditionally cooked by the Hmong. It is served in rice and meat broth. The tuber is toxic when raw, so the preparation takes skill and time. Order it from a place that makes it regularly and do not try to cook it yourself.
Men men, thang co and sticky rice
These dishes are typical of the markets of the plateau. Men men is a maize dish, thang co is a stew and sticky rice is a staple. Maize liquor is the local drink at the market stalls. Prices vary from stall to stall, so ask before you order.
You will meet many of these dishes again at the Sunday markets of Ha Giang.
The first legs out of Ha Giang City
Approximate distances and ride times without stops.
| Leg | Distance | Ride time |
|---|---|---|
| Ha Giang City to Quan Ba | 45 km | 1.5 hours |
| Quan Ba to Yen Minh | 50 km | 1.5β2 hours |
| Yen Minh to Dong Van | 50 km | 2 hours |
| Du Gia back to Ha Giang City | 80 km | 2.5β3 hours |
A good plan is to sleep one night in Ha Giang City before the start, so the first leg begins fresh. Check the weather and the road before you leave in the morning.
Plan the rest of your trip
From the city to the plateau.
Ha Giang City: frequently asked questions
Is Ha Giang City still the capital of the province?
No. Since the merger in 2025 the province is Tuyen Quang. Ha Giang City remains the common travel name for the former city area, which now consists of the wards Ha Giang 1 and Ha Giang 2.
How do I get to Ha Giang City from Hanoi?
By road. Sleeper buses and limousine buses take about 6β7 hours, with tickets from about VND 350,000 one way in 2026.
Does the bus stop at the airport?
Some services use a junction near Noi Bai as a pickup point. That is not necessarily the arrivals hall. Confirm the meeting point on your ticket before you fly.
Is there anything to see in the city itself?
The Ha Giang Museum and the local food are the main reasons to stay a few hours. Most travellers treat the city as a base and spend the days on the road north.
Should I sleep in Ha Giang City before the loop?
It helps if you arrive on the sleeper bus. One night in a bed before the first leg gives you a rested start. Some packages add an extra dorm night before departure.