THE SHORT ANSWER
Would I do it again? Absolutely.
The views were so fucking beautiful. That was my reaction on the trip, and cleaning it up too much would make this a less honest review. I loved the nature, the mountains, and the scenery we kept passing through.
Mat and I chose a four-day, three-night tour with Odyssey, both with easy riders: local drivers doing the riding while we sat behind them. We paid extra for private rooms, joined a small, relaxed group, and spent October 2 to 5 on the loop.
Four days felt right. I would choose the same length again, and I would book with Odyssey again. It was physically demanding at first, even as a passenger, but by the final day I had got used to it. Apparently my body needed most of the trip to approve the seating arrangements.
Our trip at a glance
- Length: 4 days / 3 nights on the loop, plus the included arrival night at Odyssey hostel.
- Group: 8 travelers, including us, plus the drivers.
- Style: social and chilled, rather than party-focused.
- Our choice: an easy rider each and a private room with our own bathroom.
- Onward journey: sleeper bus from Ha Giang to Sapa.
WHAT WE PAID
About 13,056,000 VND for the two of us.
That is the total I recall for our booking, including the 1,100,000 VND private-room upgrade. The upgrade was a one-time charge covering all three nights on the loop, not an extra charge every night.
| Item | Our cost or inclusion |
|---|---|
| Tour package, including private-room upgrade | Approximately 13,056,000 VND total |
| Private-room upgrade | 1,100,000 VND, already included above |
| Transfers | Hanoi → Ha Giang and Ha Giang → Sapa included |
| Arrival night | Private room at Odyssey hostel included |
| Meals | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included in our package |
| Drinks | Extra |
| My driver’s tip | 1,000,000 VND, separate and optional |
I tipped my driver 1,000,000 VND. That was my personal choice, not a required payment or an amount everyone needs to match. Apart from drinks and that optional tip, I do not recall other extra costs.
Odyssey were super responsive on WhatsApp, which made organizing the trip easy. These are our booking details and approximate remembered cost; ask them for a quote and inclusions for your own dates.
Odyssey’s official website ↗PASSENGERS, STILL SORE
Why we were glad we chose easy riders.
Both of us had an easy rider, and I think that was a smart choice. The roads and driving are different from what we are used to. I would not choose this trip as the place to learn to ride a motorbike.
Our drivers were great and drove well. Not all of them spoke perfect English, but our tour leader’s English was good, and we took frequent breaks. That mattered, because being a passenger still takes it out of you.
The downhill stretches were the hardest part for me. I kept sliding forward, holding onto the bike, and putting pressure through my legs to brace myself. Add hours of sitting, and both your legs and your ass notice. It got much easier as I became used to it, especially by Day 4.
Our group had eight travelers, including me and Mat. We socialized, but it was not a party-focused group. Being almost 30, I was very happy with that arrangement.
DAY 1 / OCTOBER 2
New drivers, mountain views, and a waterfall swim.
We took a sleeper bus from Hanoi to Ha Giang, a journey of about six hours, and stayed at Odyssey hostel before the tour. Our private room for that arrival night was included. The next morning started with breakfast, a briefing, and introductions to our drivers and tour leader.
We left our carry-ons at the hostel and took one backpack each. Then it was onto the bikes and into the mountains.
Lunch was a big shared platter, the first of many generous meals. Before checking into our accommodation, we stopped at a waterfall and walked down to swim. It was a decent amount of walking, but I found the descent easy. The climb back up was harder, of course, though still manageable.
The water was so refreshing. After sitting on the bike, getting in for a swim felt great. This was the sort of stop I loved: some walking, beautiful nature, and a chance to properly enjoy being there.
Our first night was at Pachidua Ecolodge – Homestay Du Gia. We had dinner, settled in, and Mat found a cat to befriend.
Watch moments from Day 1
A riding selfie from our first day.
The scenery along our Day 1 ride.
Another moment in the mountains on Day 1.
The shared lunch platter on our first day.
Our first evening meal on the loop.
DAY 2 / OCTOBER 3
Bamboo rafting, a cave swim, and a lively night in Đồng Văn.
Day 2 brought another chance to get in the water. We rode a bamboo raft on the river, then went swimming into a cave. The water was cold and refreshing, and we went quite deep inside. We also climbed onto rocks and jumped into the water. Those were things we did on our visit, rather than advice to jump without checking conditions.
We had lunch beside the river where we had been swimming, then continued riding. Later, we stopped by the road and walked to a small viewpoint overlooking the river and mountains.
It was a little crowded, with lots of motorcycles stopped, but the view was really good. Some stops do not need a complicated explanation. We got off, looked out, and took our photos.
Dinner was hotpot with the group. Afterward, we walked around Đồng Văn Old Town. It was super busy, with people partying and singing and cafés and bars along the street. You could sit down and enjoy the atmosphere, but we were happy walking around and taking it all in.
We stayed at Nung Homestay in Đồng Văn. The room was good, with our own shower and bathroom. That private-room upgrade was doing exactly what I had paid for.
Watch moments from Day 2
On the river during our Day 2 rafting and swimming stop.
A street scene filmed that evening.
DAY 3 / OCTOBER 4
Sunday market snacks and a rainy flag-tower climb.
We started the morning at the Sunday market. I tried a grilled banana snack, and Mat tried a sausage. Both were good, though this was a simple snack stop rather than the meal that changed our lives.
Then we visited Lũng Cú Flag Tower. Our easy riders took us most of the way up, leaving the stairs for us to climb. It was not too bad, and the view from the top was good even though it was raining.
This was the half-day of rain on our trip. I actually enjoyed riding in it. Odyssey gave us ponchos and shoe covers, and they worked well enough that we did not really get wet.
For the rest of our tour, the weather was generally clear and not too hot. That is what we experienced on these four days, rather than a forecast for another October trip.
We passed more scenic roads and stopped for videos along the way, with shared meals for lunch and dinner. Our third night was at Mam Da Homstay, the spelling shown on the map listing we saved. The room was good, but the walls were thin enough to hear everything. Not ideal, but for one night it was not a big deal.
Watch moments from Day 3
Grilled food at the market where we stopped on Day 3.
DAY 4 / OCTOBER 5
A cave walk and one last ride back.
By the last day, I had got used to being on the bike. Riding felt much easier than it had on the first days, which made it easier to enjoy the final stretches.
We visited another cave, this time on foot. There was some walking, and it was a little slippery inside, but I found it interesting and fun. It was a different experience from swimming into the cave on Day 2.
We also stopped at a palace. From Odyssey’s map, it appears to have been the H’Mong King’s Palace, although I did not remember the name at the time. Honestly, it was not one of the stops that particularly interested me. The scenery and time outdoors were what I loved most about this trip.
We got back to Odyssey hostel at around 4 p.m. Four days had felt like the right amount of time. I was glad we had chosen the longer trip.
See Odyssey’s route map and place-name notes
The hostel map labels Tham Lin Cave / Ban An Stream, Lung Khuy Cave, and the H’Mong King’s Palace. These help match our memories to the region, but we have not confirmed every individual stop name. The swimming cave and walking cave are described separately above, and this regional map should not be read as our exact daily route.
Watch moments from Day 4
Mountain scenery on the last day of our loop.
A look inside the cave we explored on foot on Day 4.
THE PRACTICAL COMFORTS
Private rooms, generous food, and a relaxed group.
I thought the private-room upgrade was worth it. If you do not like sharing a bathroom and shower, it makes a difference. Our accommodation was generally clean and comfortable. The only real drawback I remember was the thin walls on the last night.
The food was great in my opinion. We had Vietnamese shared meals with chicken, beef, pork, rice, spring rolls, and vegetables. Whenever we asked for more, they happily brought more. Between the meals and frequent riding breaks, the days felt well looked after.
For me, the combination worked: great drivers, a friendly tour leader, a group we could socialize with, and our own room at the end of the day. I would book with Odyssey again.
AFTER THE LOOP
Ha Giang to Sapa: lying down helped. Sleeping was another matter.
Our sleeper bus to Sapa left at 6 p.m., about two hours after we returned to the hostel. We had something to eat at Odyssey before leaving. Showers were available, although we did not use them.
The journey took about six hours and made two stops. The bus was okay, and I preferred it to a regular seated bus because at least I could lie down.
Actually sleeping was difficult. The driver went fast, and on the mountain roads we kept getting tossed left and right. A sleeper bus gives you somewhere to lie down; it does not necessarily deliver the sleep in the name.
If you get motion sickness, this is the part I would think carefully about. Based on our ride, I would not recommend it to someone who struggles with winding roads. Ask about transport alternatives when arranging your onward journey.
MY TAKEAWAY
I’d choose four days again.
I loved the Ha Giang Loop. The views were breathtaking, the swims were refreshing, and the people looking after us were great. The sore legs were real, but they were not the thing I came away thinking about.
I would do it again with easy riders, keep the private-room upgrade, and choose four days. For us, that was a very good way to experience it.
Next came Sapa. For the rest of our journey, explore our Asia travel journal, our Ho Chi Minh City guide, or our Hanoi Train Street experience.