In 2026 a three-day Ha Giang Loop costs about US$90–130 per person if you rent a motorbike and ride it yourself, about US$139–206 per person on an easy rider tour of three to four days, and around US$400 per person for a private car tour with two guests, which was the median price we found.
The gap is what you pay someone else to take on: the riding, the risk, the driving on wet passes and the choice of rooms. Getting from Hanoi and back adds a bus fare or a car each way. Below is each way broken down, and the costs people forget.
The loop with everything already paid for
Car, mountain driver, licensed local guide, rooms, meals, the boat and the permit, for your group only.
★Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 DaysThree days around the Ha Giang Loop in your own car, from Ha Giang city — Heaven Gate, Lung Cu, the Sky Path on Ma Pi Leng and a private boat on the Nho Que. · 3 days, 2 nightsSee the tour →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private CarDoor to door from Hanoi: four days on the Ha Giang Loop with your own car, a licensed local guide and a good hotel every night. · 4 days, 3 nightsSee the tour →The three ways, side by side
| Way | Per person, 3 days (2026) | Usually included | Usually extra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-ride motorbike | About US$90–130 | Bike and helmet only | Fuel, rooms, food, permit, entrance fees, repairs |
| Easy rider tour | About US$139–206 (3–4 days) | Rider and bike, homestay beds, most meals, permit | Drinks, tips, Nho Que boat at some companies, private rooms |
| Private car tour, market | Median about US$400 at 2 guests | Car, driver, guide, rooms, many meals | Varies by company: boat, fees, single rooms |
| Private car with us | From $354 per person | Car, driver, licensed guide, private rooms, 7 meals, private boat, all fees, permit, water | Drinks, tips, travel to Ha Giang city |
The price differences reflect real differences in what you get, and each option suits different people. Our honest comparison of car, easy rider and motorbike covers the safety and comfort side; this page is only about money.
Self-ride, line by line
Riding yourself is the cheapest way round, and the numbers are small. They assume a semi-automatic bike, two nights in homestays and three days of local food.
| Item | 2026 price | For 3 days |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-automatic bike | 180,000–300,000 VND a day | About US$21–35 |
| Manual bike | About 350,000 VND a day | About US$40 |
| Fuel for the loop | 240,000–300,000 VND in total | About US$10–12 |
| Homestay dorm bed | 100,000–150,000 VND a night | About US$8–12 |
| Private homestay room | 300,000–400,000 VND a night | About US$23–31 per room |
| Food and drink | 150,000–250,000 VND a day | About US$17–29 |
| Border permit | 260,000 VND through a hostel | One-off |
| Entrance fees | Vuong palace 20,000 VND (~$1), Lung Cu 25,000 VND (~$1), Nho Que boat 150,000 VND (~$6) | One-off |
Dollar figures use about 26,000 VND to the dollar. The things that can turn a cheap trip into an expensive one are the deposit and damage charges on the bike, and riding without a licence that Vietnam recognises: police can check licences on the loop, and most travel insurance will not pay after a crash if you were riding illegally. How the permit works is in our Ha Giang permit guide.
Easy rider tours
An easy rider tour puts you on the back of a bike ridden by a local, usually in a group of several bikes with a lead guide. At about US$139–206 per person for three to four days in 2026, it is the most popular choice, and at most companies the price covers the rider, the bike, homestay beds and most meals.
Read what the price leaves out. Beds are often in shared homestay rooms, and a private room costs extra. Some companies include the Nho Que boat, some do not. Riders commonly expect a tip, often US$10–20 a day.
Private car: why it costs more, and what ours costs
A car tour pays for a vehicle and a professional driver for three days, a guide, and private rooms instead of shared beds. The price is per group, not per seat, so it falls per person as more people share the car. A solo traveller pays the most per head.
Our three-day loop from Ha Giang city, by group size:
| Group size | Total, per group | Works out to |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $975 | $975 / person |
| 2 guests | $1,075 | $538 / person |
| 3 guests | $1,315 | $438 / person |
| 4 guests | $1,415 | $354 / person |
One price per group - everything included, nothing extra to pay at any gate.
Our four-day trip starts from your Hanoi hotel or Noi Bai, so it also replaces the bus there and back:
| Group size | Total, per group | Works out to |
|---|---|---|
| Solo traveller | $1,515 | $1,515 / person |
| 2 guests | $1,640 | $820 / person |
| 3 guests | $2,045 | $682 / person |
| 4 guests | $2,170 | $543 / person |
One price per group - everything included, nothing extra to pay at any gate.
Both include the private car and driver, a licensed English-speaking local guide, private rooms, the meals listed, a private boat through Tu San canyon, every entrance fee and the border permit. There are no shop stops and nothing to pay at a gate.
Getting to Ha Giang and back
Unless you start with the four-day trip, add the journey from Hanoi. In 2026 a sleeper bus costs about 250,000–400,000 VND each way and takes six to seven hours, with night buses common; limousine vans cost a little more. A private car from Hanoi costs much more but takes five to six hours and leaves when you want. The options are compared in Hanoi to Ha Giang: bus, private car and how long it takes.
The Tuyen Quang–Ha Giang expressway is not yet open end to end (target: end of 2026), so Hanoi to Ha Giang city takes about 5–6 hours by car today.
The costs people forget
| Cost | Rough size in 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tips for riders or guides | Often US$10–20 a day for easy riders | Never compulsory; budget for it |
| Drinks and snacks | Small, but daily | Rice wine evenings add up at party homestays |
| Extra hotel night in Ha Giang city | About 500,000–1,000,000 VND for a hotel room | Useful after a night bus |
| Bike damage | Set by the rental shop | Photograph the bike before you leave |
| Travel insurance | Depends on your policy | Check that it covers the way you travel |
Carry cash. ATMs are found in Ha Giang city, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac, but outside the towns card payment is rare. The time of year also moves prices: rooms on the plateau cost most in October and November, as the month-by-month guide explains.
Want one fixed price with nothing to add at the gates?
Three days from Ha Giang city or four door to door from Hanoi, private for your group and tailored on request.
Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 Days3 days, 2 nightsSee the tour →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private Car4 days, 3 nightsSee the tour →Questions about the cost of the Ha Giang Loop
How much money do I need for the Ha Giang Loop?
For a self-ride of three days, about US$90–130 per person including bike, fuel, homestays and food. On an easy rider tour, US$139–206 plus tips and drinks. On a private car tour, around US$400 per person at two guests, the 2026 median.
How much cash should I carry on the loop?
Enough for food, drinks, fuel and tips between towns. There are ATMs in Ha Giang city, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac, but cards are rarely accepted outside them.
Is the border permit included in tour prices?
On most tours, yes, and on ours always. If you ride yourself, a hostel or rental shop arranges it for about 260,000–300,000 VND against an official fee of US$10.
Is a private car tour worth it for one person?
It costs the most per head for a solo traveller, because the car, driver and guide cost the same for one person or four. It makes more sense for two or more, or for anyone who cannot or will not ride.
Do I need to tip on the Ha Giang Loop?
It is not compulsory. Easy riders commonly receive US$10–20 a day, and guides and drivers on private tours appreciate a tip for good service.
Price your group’s private loop
Car, driver, licensed local guide, rooms, meals, the boat and the permit in one price for your group, free to cancel until 5 days before.
★Ha Giang Loop by Private Car — 3 DaysThree days around the Ha Giang Loop in your own car, from Ha Giang city — Heaven Gate, Lung Cu, the Sky Path on Ma Pi Leng and a private boat on the Nho Que. · 3 days, 2 nightsfrom$354/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$975BOOK →2 guests$1,075BOOK →3 guests$1,315BOOK →4 guests$1,415BOOK →See the full tour page →Ha Giang Loop from Hanoi — 4 Days by Private CarDoor to door from Hanoi: four days on the Ha Giang Loop with your own car, a licensed local guide and a good hotel every night. · 4 days, 3 nightsfrom$543/ person›
Choose your group size · price is the group totalSolo traveller$1,515BOOK →2 guests$1,640BOOK →3 guests$2,045BOOK →4 guests$2,170BOOK →See the full tour page →Bike, fuel, room, bus and easy rider prices were checked in September 2026 and vary with season and operator.