Is the Ha Giang Loop Worth the Hype? (5 Things I Wish I Knew)

If you're anything like I was, you've decided you are going to Vietnam, the flights are booked and now you need to plan the trip out and, the minute you start researching things to do, the Ha Giang Loop comes up constantly. You see so many videos about it being the best thing ever done and you decide to add it to your list of things to do, but will it live up to the hype? 

Before booking, here are 5 things you might want to consider and look into further to help you plan this part of your trip. 

1. Your tour company makes or breaks the trip.

There are a large number of companies out there offering the Ha Giang Loop experience, so make sure you do your research before you commit! Think about what you want - do you want the party experience with dorm rooms and lots of alcohol? Do you want a quiet, small group? Or something in the middle? For me, I did not want something that was solely focused on drinking and partying late into the night, but I also did not want it to be a super quiet experience. After lots of research, I decided to go with Road Kings, and I did not regret this decision! They have smaller groups (ours was 8 people) and offer a great route, seeing all the key things you would expect but also adding in a few not-so-popular spots. They also go a different route to most of the other tour operators, meaning you are not on super busy roads and the stops are not overcrowded.

We opted for the 4-day dorm option, which works out around £180 (includes 3-nights accommodation, all meals and bike/helmet hire and pays for your Easy Rider - bargain!), meaning we shared accommodation, but this was absolutely fine. We actually had not only our own room together (I travelled with my sister), but one room each the first night! The second night we shared a dorm with a couple of others from our group and the third night we had a room to ourselves. For £225 you can upgrade and get completely private rooms, but for us this option worked well. 

Road Kings were great. Super organised. Great guides. The food was incredible every day. I could not recommend them enough! 

2. Don't make the mistake of booking too few days.

The second thing to consider is how long you should do. Most operators offer 2, 3 or 4 day experiences. For us, once we decided we were going to do this, we decided to go all in and I would recommend this option to everyone. We saw a lot of posts saying how it was the best experience of people’s lives and we decided to take them at face value and do the full 4 day trip. This meant it took up over a quarter of our overall time in Vietnam, so it was a big commitment but, one I wholeheartedly stand behind. 

The trip was one of, it not the, best experiences of my life, and is something I still think about on a daily basis all these months later! There were people we spoke to who had only done 3 days and who were crying at the thought of having to leave early whilst others carried on. If you are doing the loop, do the whole thing and book 4 days! 

3. Packing light is a non-negotiable.

If you are backpacking around Vietnam, you need to be prepared to take a smaller bag with you on this trip, so make sure to take a smaller rucksack/backpack. You can then take what you need from your big bag for the few days you are away. 

Apart from the basics/obvious stuff, the main thing I would recommend ensuring you have is a few layers. It can get chilly on the bikes - especially when going around / through some of the mountains and you are in shadow, so ensure you have something that you can easily put on if needed. I kept a cardy wrapped around my waist for easy access. 

You will also need to take a waterproof coat. I had plans to buy this in Hanoi before the trip, which a lot of people do, but didn’t find anything and ran out of time so I did not have this. We did not experience any rain but the evenings did get cold, so definitely be prepared and take something ready. I was lucky and someone in my group had a spare so I borrowed theirs, but best not to take the risk! 

Do not worry about other waterproofs, if i rains Road Kings will provide you with trousers and rain covers for your shoes. 

4. To drive or to be driven?

If you have your biker’s lisence, this is still a huge decision. You can either drive the semi-automatic bike yourself or book an "Easy Rider" (a local driver who you sit on the back with). Even if you are a confident driver, I highly recommend the Easy Rider option. It allows you to actually look at the scenery, (which is the whole point!) rather than staring at the road and worrying about the tight hairpin turns and massive trucks. Plus, your driver knows the best photo spots and can navigate the rocky terrain while you just sit back and enjoy the playlist.

5. The Hype is real—just do it.

Honestly, get it on your list. I will never be able to explain the feeling of going down a mountain in the most Northernly part of Vietnam, seeing sites unlike anything before. It is unreal. My sister and I made a Spotify playlist of our favourite songs and putting this on elevated the experience even further (top tip - take corded headphones! If your buds come out when moving on the bikes it is a gonner!)

I hope one day I get the opportunity to do this again, it is the most incredible experience!