Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days 4 Nights – Tour Overview
Your tour start date = Day 1 in Ha Giang City
Example: if you book a tour start date of 10 October, take the bus to Ha Giang on 9 October.
The Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days tour links Vietnam's two great northern geoparks in one ride, from the Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang to Non Nuoc Cao Bang. You ride the famous Ha Giang Loop highlights first: Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Tham Ma Pass, the H'Mong King's Palace, Lung Cu Flag Tower, the Ma Pi Leng Skywalk and a boat trip on the Nho Que River. Then you cross the remote border roads into Cao Bang.
This Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days 4 nights itinerary goes one way, with no backtracking. In Cao Bang you'll climb the 15-floor Khau Coc Cha Pass, ride Na Tenh Pass along the China border, visit Pac Bo, see 260-million-year-old fossils at Lung Puong, and hike to Pi Pha viewpoint over the Ngoc Con valley. You'll take a boat to the foot of Ban Gioc Waterfall, explore Nguom Ngao Cave and finish at God's Eye Mountain. Nights are spent in a H'Mong village (Lao Xa), in Meo Vac town, with a Tay family in Truong Ha, and in a stone village by Ban Gioc.
The tour starts at 08:00 on Day 1 in Ha Giang City and ends in Cao Bang City on Day 5. Travel up to Ha Giang the day before (Day 0) by day bus or night bus. Your Day 0 night at Loop Trails Hostel is included. Ride as a passenger with an Easy Rider, ride your own motorbike behind a guide, or travel in comfort by Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. The stops, meals and stays are the same whichever you choose.
Easy Rider
Sit back on the back of a motorbike while an experienced local driver handles every pass. Best for first-timers and photographers.
Self-drive
Ride your own semi-automatic or manual motorbike in the group, with a guide leading the way. Requires riding experience and a valid licence.
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Same route and stops in a modern 4x4 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (not an old army jeep), with a professional driver and an English-speaking guide. Ideal for this longer 5-day route.
Why Choose the Ha Giang – Cao Bang 5-Day Tour
Two UNESCO Global Geoparks, two boat trips and the best border roads of northern Vietnam in one trip.
Ma Pi Leng Skywalk & Nho Que boat trip
Trek the 3 km cliff-edge Skywalk, then cruise the emerald Nho Que River through Tu San Canyon.
Lung Cu Flag Tower
Stand at the northernmost point of Vietnam, after the H'Mong King's Palace in the morning.
Khau Coc Cha 15-floor pass & Na Tenh
Hike above Cao Bang's most dramatic switchbacks, then ride a pass so close to the border you can see a Chinese village.
Ban Gioc Waterfall by boat
Take a boat to the foot of Vietnam's largest waterfall and climb to Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda above it.
Fossils, caves & God's Eye Mountain
260-million-year-old ammonite fossils at Lung Puong, the huge Nguom Ngao Cave and the famous hole-through-the-mountain.
Living crafts & four different stays
H'Mong silversmiths in Lao Xa, Nung paper and incense makers in Cao Bang, and nights with H'Mong, Tay and Nung hosts.
Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days Itinerary
Your tour start date = Day 1 in Ha Giang City
Example: if you book a tour start date of 10 October, take the bus to Ha Giang on 9 October.
Travel to Ha Giang · The Day Before Your Tour Starts
Day 0 is not a tour day. It is the day you travel up to Ha Giang City, the day before your Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days tour starts. Take a day bus (departures from 07:00) and arrive the same afternoon or evening, or a night bus (departures until about 21:00) and arrive in the early morning. Either way, check in to your dorm bed at Loop Trails Hostel (this night is included) and rest before the tour begins at 08:00 on Day 1.
Pick-up points to Ha Giang
Bus types
Ha Giang → Quan Ba → Yen Minh → Lao Xa (Dong Van)
Day 1 of the Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days tour climbs from Ha Giang City onto the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark. The first night is in Lao Xa, a H'Mong village of stone-walled houses right by the China border.
Tour Starts · Breakfast & Loop Briefing
Breakfast at Loop Trails Hostel, meet your guide and riders, get your helmet and knee/elbow pads fitted, and go through the safety briefing.
Bac Sum Pass & Quan Ba Heaven Gate
Wind up the Bac Sum Pass switchbacks to Quan Ba Heaven Gate, around 1,500 m above sea level, with views over the Twin Mountains and the valley below.
Lunch in Quan Ba
Local lunch in Quan Ba town before heading deeper into the geopark.
Yen Minh & Tham Ma Pass
Ride past Yen Minh into the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark and up the famous zig-zag of Tham Ma Pass, one of the most photographed roads in Ha Giang.
Lao Xa Village Walk Optional walk
Wander through Lao Xa, a H'Mong village near the China border, and meet the local silversmiths who still hand-make traditional silver and copper jewellery.
Lao Xa · Homestay Night
Check in to a local homestay. In the evening: dinner, local games, traditional music and "happy water" (rice wine) with your group.
Lao Xa → Lung Cu → Dong Van → Ma Pi Leng → Meo Vac
The best-known sights of the Ha Giang Loop in one day: the H'Mong King's Palace, Vietnam's northernmost flag tower, Ma Pi Leng Pass, the Skywalk and a boat trip through Tu San Canyon.
Breakfast at the Homestay
Breakfast in Lao Xa.
Check-out & Hit the Road
Pack up and ride out across the plateau.
H'Mong King's Palace (Vuong Palace)
Explore the former royal residence of the H'Mong King in Sa Phin. Your guide explains its H'Mong, Chinese and French architecture and the history of the region.
Lung Cu Flag Tower
Climb to the flag tower marking the northernmost point of Vietnam, with 360° views over rice terraces and the border hills.
Lunch in Dong Van
Ride back to Dong Van town for lunch.
Ma Pi Leng Pass
Ride the legendary Ma Pi Leng Pass, one of Vietnam's four great mountain passes, carved into the cliff high above the Nho Que River.
Ma Pi Leng Skywalk Trek (~3 km) Trek
Walk the narrow Skywalk path along the cliff face for the best views of the canyon and the winding river far below.
Nho Que River Boat Trip Boat
Cruise the emerald water through Tu San Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in Southeast Asia, with limestone walls rising hundreds of metres on both sides.
Meo Vac · Hotel Night
Ride into Meo Vac town and check in to a hotel for the second night. Dinner with the group.
Meo Vac → Bao Lac → Khau Coc Cha → Pac Bo → Truong Ha (Ha Quang)
Cross from Ha Giang into Cao Bang on quiet mountain roads. Today brings the famous 15-floor pass, a border road with a view into China, and the Pac Bo historical site.
Breakfast at the Hotel
Relaxed breakfast in Meo Vac.
Mountain Passes to Bao Lac
Hit the road over a series of breathtaking passes, with plenty of photo stops along the way.
Lunch in Bao Lac
Lunch in Bao Lac, your first stop in Cao Bang province.
Khau Coc Cha Pass – the 15-Floor Pass Hike
Hike up to the viewpoint above Khau Coc Cha, where you can see all 15 switchback "floors" of the pass and the peaceful Xuan Truong valley below.
Xuan Truong Valley
Ride down into Xuan Truong, a quiet valley of rice fields and villages.
Na Tenh Pass – Vietnam–China Border
Stop on Na Tenh Pass, which runs right beside the border. From here you can see a Chinese village just across the ridge.
Pac Bo Historical Site
Visit Pac Bo, one of the most important sites in modern Vietnamese history, with the clear Lenin Stream and Coc Bo Cave.
Truong Ha · Tay Homestay Night
Stay with a Tay family in Truong Ha, in the Cao Bang border area. Enjoy home-cooked Tay food and local rice wine.
Ha Quang → Tra Linh → Trung Khanh → Ban Gioc Waterfall
Cao Bang's countryside at its best: ancient fossils, a border viewpoint hike, a quiet backroad over Ban Mom bridge and a boat ride to the foot of Ban Gioc Waterfall.
Local Breakfast
A traditional Tay breakfast at the homestay.
Check-out & Hit the Road
Leave Truong Ha and ride south-east through the karst countryside.
Lung Puong Ammonite Fossils
See 260-million-year-old ammonite fossils at Lung Puong, part of the Non Nuoc Cao Bang UNESCO Global Geopark.
Tra Linh
Ride through Tra Linh and its border countryside.
Lunch in Trung Khanh
Lunch in Trung Khanh, home of Cao Bang's famous chestnuts.
Pi Pha Viewpoint – Ngoc Con Valley (~1 km) Hike
A short hike up to Pi Pha viewpoint over the emerald Ngoc Con valley, right by the China border.
Countryside Shortcut & Ban Mom Bridge
Ride a quiet shortcut through the Trung Khanh countryside, crossing Ban Mom bridge on the way to Ban Gioc.
Ban Gioc Waterfall Boat Trip Boat
Visit Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam's largest waterfall, which spans the Vietnam–China border, and take a bamboo raft right up to the falling water.
Phat Tich Truc Lam Pagoda
Climb up to the pagoda on the hill above the falls for a panoramic view of Ban Gioc.
Stone Village near Ban Gioc · Last Night
Check in to a homestay in the stone-house (rock) village near Ban Gioc Waterfall for your final night on the road.
Ban Gioc → Nguom Ngao Cave → Quang Uyen → God's Eye Mountain → Cao Bang City
The final day of the Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days 4 nights tour: Cao Bang's biggest cave, the Quay Son River, two Nung craft villages and God's Eye Mountain before you reach Cao Bang City.
Nguom Ngao Cave
After breakfast, explore Nguom Ngao, the biggest and most beautiful cave in Cao Bang, with chambers full of stalactites and stalagmites.
Quay Son River (Con Nuoc)
Stop by the clear green Quay Son River as it winds between the karst hills.
Lunch en Route
Farewell lunch on the way to Quang Uyen.
Dia Tren Paper Village
See how Nung An families make traditional paper by hand from plant fibres, using the same methods for generations.
Phia Thap Incense Village
Watch Nung villagers roll and dry fragrant incense sticks by hand in Phia Thap.
God's Eye Mountain (Mat Than)
Visit Cao Bang's most unique mountain, with a huge natural hole right through its peak.
Arrive Cao Bang City · End of Tour
The tour ends in Cao Bang City. Take a night bus back to Hanoi or continue to your next destination.
Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days Route Map
Ha Giang → Bac Sum → Quan Ba → Yen Minh → Tham Ma → Lao Xa → H'Mong King's Palace → Lung Cu → Dong Van → Ma Pi Leng → Nho Que River → Meo Vac → Bao Lac → Khau Coc Cha → Xuan Truong → Na Tenh → Pac Bo → Truong Ha → Lung Puong → Tra Linh → Trung Khanh → Ngoc Con → Ban Gioc → Nguom Ngao → Quang Uyen → God's Eye Mountain → Cao Bang City
Getting to Ha Giang & Back from Cao Bang
What's Included in the Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days Tour
Included
- Professional drivers & local English-speaking guideEasy Rider, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon driver and English-speaking guide
- 5 nights accommodation (dorm beds)4 nights on tour (Lao Xa homestay, Meo Vac hotel, Truong Ha homestay, Ban Gioc stone-village homestay) + 1 night before the tour at Loop Trails Hostel
- All meals on tour: 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinnersLocal home-cooked food; vegetarian & dietary needs on request
- Vehicle for the whole tripMotorbike for Easy Rider & Self-drive · Jeep Wrangler Rubicon for the Jeep Tour
- Fuel for the entire journeyMotorbike or Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, no extra fuel costs
- Entrance tickets & activities in the itineraryIncl. H'Mong King's Palace, Lung Cu Flag Tower, Ma Pi Leng Skywalk, Nho Que River boat, Pac Bo, Ban Gioc Waterfall & boat trip, Nguom Ngao Cave
- Safety gearHelmet, knee & elbow protective pads, raincoat
- Drinking waterOne 1.5 L bottle per person, per day
- 24/7 support throughout the trip
- Basic travel insuranceWe recommend you also carry your own comprehensive travel insurance
Not Included
- Bus tickets to Ha Giang & from Cao Bang Add-onNot in the listed tour price. Add at checkout
- Private room upgrade Add-onTour price includes dorm beds. Upgrade at checkout
- Border area permit: 260,000 VND / personRequired for the border zones. We handle the paperwork for you
- Personal expensesSnacks, extra drinks, souvenirs (e.g. H'Mong silver jewellery), laundry
- Tips for drivers & guideOptional, always appreciated
Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days Reviews
"We joined the Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days 4 nights tour and it was the highlight of our Vietnam trip. Ma Pi Leng and the Nho Que River were unreal, and Cao Bang felt peaceful and authentic. Ban Gioc Waterfall was the perfect finish."
"Incredible route and well organized. The pacing of the ha giang cao bang 5 days 4 nights itinerary was spot on — lots of stops, great food, and the guides were super professional. The Skywalk + boat ride was a must-do."
"Best multi-day road trip I've ever done. I chose Easy Rider and felt safe the entire time. Cao Bang surprised me the most — caves, craft villages, and those green valleys near Ban Gioc. Highly recommended!"
Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 Days – FAQs
Choose the date of Day 1, the first riding day. The tour starts at 08:00 on Day 1 at Loop Trails Hostel in Ha Giang City, so you need to travel to Ha Giang the day before (Day 0). Take a day bus (departures from 07:00, arriving the same afternoon or evening) or a night bus (departures until about 21:00, arriving in the early morning). Your dorm bed at Loop Trails Hostel for the Day 0 night is included. For example, if your tour start date is 10 October, take the bus to Ha Giang on 9 October.
Yes. The Ha Giang Cao Bang 5 days tour covers the main highlights of both provinces in one one-way route of around 575 km. In Ha Giang you'll see Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Tham Ma Pass, the H'Mong King's Palace, Lung Cu Flag Tower, the Ma Pi Leng Skywalk and the Nho Que River boat trip. In Cao Bang you'll see Khau Coc Cha Pass, Na Tenh Pass, Pac Bo, Ban Gioc Waterfall, Nguom Ngao Cave and God's Eye Mountain.
Choose Easy Rider if you've never ridden mountain roads, since you sit behind an experienced local driver. Choose self-drive only if you're a confident motorbike rider with a valid licence, as this route has long days of up to 145 km. Choose the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon tour if you prefer comfort, are travelling with family or older travellers, or don't want to ride. It's a modern 4x4 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, not an old army jeep. All three options follow the same itinerary, stops, meals and stays.
Buses to Ha Giang depart between 07:00 and 21:00 from Hanoi Airport, Hanoi Old Quarter, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Ha Long, Cat Ba or Cao Bang. Choose from Limousine bus, VIP cabin sleeper, cabin sleeper or regular sleeper bus. The tour is one-way and ends in Cao Bang City around 16:00 on Day 5, in time for a night bus back to Hanoi or to your next destination. Both bus tickets are add-ons you select at checkout.
Yes. Foreign visitors need a border area permit because the route runs close to the Vietnam–China border in both provinces. The fee is 260,000 VND per person and is not included in the tour price. We handle all the paperwork for you. Just bring your passport when you check in at Loop Trails Hostel.
The tour includes 5 nights with dorm beds. You spend 1 night at Loop Trails Hostel before the tour, then a H'Mong homestay in Lao Xa, a hotel in Meo Vac, a Tay homestay in Truong Ha, and a homestay in the stone village near Ban Gioc Waterfall. If you prefer more privacy, you can add a private room upgrade at checkout.
Yes, as an Easy Rider passenger or in the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Riding days are 100–145 km with regular stops, and the hikes are short (the Skywalk is about 3 km, Pi Pha viewpoint about 1 km). Every rider gets a helmet, knee and elbow pads and a raincoat. Basic travel insurance is included and we offer 24/7 support.
The tour runs all year. September to November brings golden rice terraces, buckwheat flowers and clear skies. June to October is when Ban Gioc Waterfall is at its fullest, though summer has afternoon rain. March to May is mild with blossoms. December to February is cold (sometimes below 5°C at night in the mountains), so bring warm layers.
Pack light in a small backpack: a warm jacket, long trousers, closed shoes for the Skywalk and viewpoint hikes, sunscreen, sunglasses, a power bank, your passport (needed for the permit) and some cash for personal expenses and souvenirs. We provide the helmet, knee and elbow pads, raincoat and daily drinking water. As the tour ends in Cao Bang, please ask us about your big luggage when you book.
Ha Giang is high, rocky and dramatic, with the Dong Van Karst Plateau, Ma Pi Leng Pass and H'Mong villages. Cao Bang is greener and much quieter, with rice valleys, rivers, caves, Ban Gioc Waterfall and Tay and Nung communities. Combining them in 5 days gives you both landscapes and far fewer crowds in the second half of the trip.
Once you have a confirmed travel date, book as soon as you can. Most guests book 1–3 months in advance, especially for September–November. Jeep Wrangler Rubicon availability is limited compared with motorbikes, so book the jeep tour early so we can arrange everything properly.
