About the ride from Hanoi to Ha Giang
After the madness and mayhem of Hanoi, Ha Giang is the perfect antidote. The welcome antithesis to Hanoi’s chaos, Ha Giang is full of misty mountains, local tribes and steep rice terraces. It’s also home to one of the best road trips in the world.
For the approximately 300km (186 mile) journey to Ha Giang from Hanoi, you have two options:
- Bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang - around 6.5 hours
- Minivan from Hanoi to Ha Giang - around 6 hours
All minivans and buses to Ha Giang from Hanoi leave at pre-designated times. While all minivans trips from Hanoi to Ha Giang are daytime trips, some of the bus journeys occur overnight.
All options are great, but we recommend taking an overnight sleeper bus. The sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang is very comfortable. You get a blanket and a comfortable bed, so it’s a great way to get some shut-eye on your journey. It also saves you on accommodation costs for the night!
If you travel via overnight bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, it also means you arrive in Ha Giang very early in the morning, giving you the full day to properly explore the area. You could even start the Ha Giang Loop on this day if you want to get in on the action immediately!
What to see when traveling from Hanoi to Ha Giang
It depends on when you leave. If you’re on a sleeper bus, your whole journey might take place during the night… so you won’t see much except the inside of your own eyelids.
But if you catch some of the daylight hours, the views are incredible. The ascent and approach into Ha Giang province offers misty mountain views, winding roads and limestone karsts. Ha Giang couldn’t be more different to Hanoi - and it couldn’t be more beautiful.
It’s a great precursor to the Ha Giang Loop, and offers a little taste of what’s to come on Vietnam’s very best road trip.
On your way out of Hanoi, you’ll experience the madcap craziness that is Hanoi’s roads. Your bus - or minivan - will intertwine with walkers, cyclists and endless scooters on its way out of the capital’s busy city centre.
But once you begin winding upwards towards the mighty heights of northern Vietnam, you’ve reached one of South East Asia’s true gems.
How to get from Hanoi to Ha Giang
Taking a bus
For a cheap, easy way to get to Ha Giang from Hanoi, buses are a great option. But the choices vary widely. While some buses have beds, others offer reclinable seats. Some buses have TV, WiFi and English-speaking staff, while others are more basic.
You should check with each individual listing to see what’s offered by each individual company. But all buses are comfortable, and offer blankets and air conditioning. You might be surprised by just how comfortable the bus beds are!
While some bus journeys are overnight, others take place during daylight hours.
Taking a minivan
If you take a minivan from Hanoi to Ha Giang, you have more space than you would on a bus. But it’s important to note that the minivan seats aren’t bed-style like those offered by buses to Ha Giang from Hanoi.
The seats are very comfortable, and you get a blanket, WiFi and air conditioning. All journeys take place during the day.
