Highlight
Dong Van Sunday market
Dong Van rock plateau
Lung Phin market
Black Lolo at Khuoi Khon village
House of H'mong King
Trekking and hiking
Homestay at local houses
Dong Van Sunday market
Dong Van rock plateau
Lung Phin market
Black Lolo at Khuoi Khon village
House of H'mong King
Trekking and hiking
Homestay at local houses
Welcome to Ha Giang province, Vietnam !
Ha Giang province is located at the extreme point of northern Vietnam, about 320 km northwest of Hanoi. Surrounded by the provinces of Yen Bai, Cao Bang Lao Cai and Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang province shares borders with China in the north.
Compared to other hub tourist destinations in Vietnam, the province of Ha Giang still remains intact to mass tourism. This is actually a good number of French travelers who arrived there for their journey of 3 to 5 days in the province since 2006. The province of Ha Giang is in addition less frequented than Sapa. It has scenic landscapes such as Dong Van Karst Global Geopark, the limestone peaks, the rice terraces at Hoang Su Phi, the rustic villages that seem to live 100 years back. Minority ethnic groups are an irreversible charm during your trek in Ha Giang.
The best time to travel to Ha Giang falls in May and September each year. Why do we recommend this period in Summer ?
The rice has been transplanting between May and June, following the natural rains. During your trip in Ha Giang province, you will see the minority grow their rice on the fields in flanks where the rice terraces could be the subject of beautiful photos for photographers.
The rice begins to ripen in late August and early September each year. You will be astonished to see the yellow color everywhere when the harvest is coming, especially in the valleys on the road from Ba Be lake to Meo Vac or the road from Hoang Su Phi to Bac Ha, Lao Cai province.
In addition, the province of Ha Giang has two distinctive seasons: the dry season that lasts from September to April and the torrential season falls between May and August.
During the dry season, it is probably cold in December, January and February when the temperature can go down to 2 - 3 degrees Celcius. On the other hand, there is good weather in September, October, November, March and May, which are the most favorable months for your trip to Ha Giang province.
Finally, it is not recommended to travel to Ha Giang during the rainy season between June and September for a few days of heavy rains, because long hours rains can result from landslide. It would be dangerous for travelers and their itinerary would be changed.
All roads lead to Ha Giang province.
By car or bus
Indeed, Ha Giang province is accessible by bus from Hanoi or Lao Cai or Ba Be Lake.
From the capital of Hanoi, you can go to Ha Giang by bus day or night which takes about 8 hours drive. There are several large air-conditioned buses that take passengers in Hanoi old quarter with a ticket of US$ 10 - 16 per person. These buses are of good quality and they do not stop on the road to pick up other passengers. It's convenient and comfortable.
In addition, you have another choice to make. If you like adventure and you have time, go to the My Dinh bus station (located west of Hanoi, 10 km from the city center), where you take public buses that leave in the day only. The ticket is cheaper than the big buses that leave the old quarter of Hanoi. It costs about $ 10.
From Lao Cai to Ha Giang, take public buses that leave in the day only with the $ 5 per ticket. The journey lasts about 3 - 4 hours. In this case, you travel like the locals.
From Ba Be to Ha Giang, this option is only available to those traveling with their private driver. After visiting Ba Be lake, you will continue your discovery to Ha Giang province starting with Meo Vac. And then you make a tour from Meo Vac to Dong Van, Yen Minh and finally to the city centre of Ha Giang.
To learn more, visit this tour Hanoi - Ba Be Lake - Ha Giang
In fact, the road is in good condition, the journey becomes less tiring for passengers. If you want to travel on a small budget, you can rent a car with driver. Our drivers speak a little French or English. They are able to help you to travel pleasantly at your pace.
On a motorcycle
It's exciting way to discover Ha Giang highlights by hoping on a motorbike from Hanoi.
If you love motorcycle adventure, you can rent a motorbike like Wave Honda, Serius or Exciter Yamaha. You are advised to check the motorbike with your landlord before departure.
If you do not want to waste time on the road from Hanoi to Ha Giang, you can start your motorbike tour from Ha Giang city centre, then you explore Dong Van, Tam Son, Meo Vac and Bao Lac as a round trip. You stop at every town for one or two nights before going to the next destination. You may be excited to say how the beautiful landscapes Ha Giang has to offer.
Another important remark:
Since traffic in Vietnam is different from your system, please pay attention to road traffic and zig-zacs from local drivers to avoid unexpected incidents.
Please contact our travel advisors for more details, today.
In Ha Giang province , you have a wide choice of accommodation: there are many hotels or cheap hostels in the towns of Meo Vac, Bao Lac, Dong Van, Yen Minh, Tam Son, Hoang Su Phi, Coc Pai and downtown Ha Giang. At each place, you can easily find the hotel that suits your budget.
Homestays: If you like to live near the locals in each region where you travel to, accommodation with locals is becoming fashionable now.
In fact, you spend the night with the locals, especially among the Tay ethnic minorities, H'mong, Black Lolo, Dzao, Nung. You are in direct contact with minorities to learn about their culture, customs and, of course, their daily lives. These are the highlights for your adventure. You absolutely immerse yourself into the ethnic culture and natural environment, surrounded by minorities who are delighted to welcome you home for the night.
Ha Giang province has several beautiful and natural delights to discover during your trip in this bordering province. It is indeed rich in cultural and ethnic heritages with a diversity of 20 ethnic groups living in the region. In addition, it has breathtaking scenery with Dong Van Karst Global Geopark, rice fields on terraces in Hoang Su Phi and weekly markets scattered both in the suburbs and remote villages.
To start any trip to Ha Giang, you must apply for the permit from the provincial police services at VND 200,000 per person.
Where to get your travelling permit:
And in case you are lazy, ask at the reception of your hotel, they will help you to get the permit with your original passport at local police office. It is very simple and easy.
Weekly markets
Most weekly markets are held on Saturday or Sunday morning, no matter how small or large. They are the highlight for your discovery in Ha Giang province. You need to plan your journey to discover one of these markets. They are colorful and animated with the minorities who live in the villages. This is a great opportunity to see the ethnic natives go to the market, walking a few miles from their home.
There are a few markets on your itinerary as follows:
Sunday markets on the travelers' road: Lung Phinh, Meo Vac, Dong Van, Yen Minh, Quan Ba which open every Sunday morning. It is the place of exchange of goods, meeting and reunion between the ethnic minorities. You can find all the products necessary for local daily life: vegetables, fruits, utensils, chickens, fish, pork, food etc ... One particularity surprisesyou, it is a corner of the market reserved for buffaloes and cows. Locals sell and buy their domestic animals for rice field work.
The rice fields on terraces
You have beautiful rice fields on terraces in the valleys on the road from Ba Be to Meo Vac, or on the flanks of road from Hoang Su Phi to Bac Ha.
In the region of Bao Lac, you explore some water wheels or "water mill" that serve to irrigate the rice plots. So we go back to medieval times.
The rice fields of Hoang Su Phi are as splendid as those of Mu Cang Chai. On this road, you will not meet any tourist and you are alone to contemplate the picturesque scenery. The landscapes are still wild, untouched by mass tourism. You can stay there a few days for a hike to meet the ethnic minorities which are 11 groups to know H'mong, Tay, Dzao, Nung etc ...The villages are scattered in the mountains making the landscapes more breath-taking.
Natural and wild landscapes:
The karstic rocks of Dong Van make the reputation of the "geological and karstic park of Dong Van" classified by Unesco in the list of "77 sites of world geological and cultural heritage". In fact, as you pass through the karst peaks of Dong Van, you feel lost in a park of karst rocks of all sizes and shapes. Among other things, there are crops of maize and cassava.
Mount Ma Pi Leng pass: one of the most impressive passes when you are at the top. You will have a breathtaking panoramic view of Nho Que river. Nice pictures to take. Guaranteed !
Fairy Mountain: These are two small mounts in the shape of a woman's breasts. An extraordinary image according to your imagination.
Rustic villages of the different minorities
Residential houses among ethnic groups:
In Ha Giang province, ethnic minorities live in houses on stilts or houses built with thick walls of clay. The materials come from nature: woods, bamboos, palm leaves, stubble or rice straws. In fact, these houses are very much in harmony with the environment and nature.
The royal palace of King H'mong - Vuong Chi Sinh
On the road to Yen Minh, you visit the royal palace of King H'mong Vuong Chi Sinh, located in Sa Phin village. It is a fortification well built in the Chinese style, because it was built according to the architectural style of the house of a Chinese Mandarin in the late 19th century. During your visit, you will be surprised to see a large wooden and stone palace with many doors, high and thick walls like a fortress.
In Ha Giang province, there is not much to buy like expensive brands or souvenirs. However, you can still look for handmade embroidery by ethnic women at Meo Vac, Dong Van or Lung Phin Sunday markets.
The products cultivated by the minorities are also valid to buy: green or black tea, plants with medicinal effect or vermicelli tubers etc ...
During your trip in Ha Giang province, you can eat very well at small restaurants at each destination or at the ethnics if you sleep at home for a hike. In the case you enjoy trekking throughout the mountains and villages, the best solution is to sleep at local house and to have lunches and dinners with ethnic minorities.
Duration: 10 Days/9 Nights
Price from: $670
Duration: 3 Days/2 Nights
Price from: $189
Duration: 6 Days/5 Nights
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