The Ha Giang Loop had been on my bucket list for a while, and I was determined to make it happen. Initially, I planned to rent my own bike and ride solo. But when I visited Ha Giang Safari, they gave me some important advice: riding without an international driver’s license gets you in trouble with the police. Checkpoints are common along the route, and without the proper license, I risked a €100 fine.
I wasn’t sure if they were exaggerating, but I trusted their advice and decided to join their Ha Giang loop tour instead. Spoiler alert — they were absolutely right! During our three-day ride, we passed four police checkpoints with officers pulling over motorbikes to check documents. I can’t imagine how stressful it would have been trying to dodge those checkpoints or risk hefty fines. So I’m really glad I followed their advice. Plus, as I would find out, the group experience turned out to be way more fun than riding solo.
The ride itself was breathtaking. The mountains were insane — sharp rocky peaks covered in lush greenery, with roads that twisted and climbed through the stunning scenery. The famous Fairy Bosoms stood out the most — rounded hills that really do resemble… well, you can guess. But the best part of the trip was the group. It was such a diverse mix of people, and every evening turned into a celebration. We had huge dinners with plenty of amazing food, cold beers to cool down, and karaoke sessions in multiple languages. The nights were filled with laughter, bonding, and some questionable singing performances — but I loved every minute of it.
Ha Giang Safari had everything covered — delicious meals, great hostels with comfortable beds, and even when I requested to join the tour just an hour before departure, they somehow managed to arrange a driver for me on the spot. Super flexible!
But as the tour progressed, the stomach cramps I had the day before the start of the loop came back. The last tourday, the pain was intense. Riding pillion on those bumpy mountain roads with twisting turns and sharp descents became brutal. Worse still, my diarrhea had turned green, with undigested food still in it. never a good sign. Scared I had an aggresive amoeba and would shit blood next, I asked my driver to race me back to Ha Giang town so I could see a doctor. Thanks to racing skills I made it in and out of the hospital just in time to catch the nightbus to Cat Ba. And the result of my fecal test: turned out I had a regular food poisoning, no parasites, no treatment was necessary.
Looking back, I couldn’t be happier that I followed the advice to join the Ha Giang loop motorbike tour. If you’re planning to do the Ha Giang loop from Hanoi, I highly recommend doing it with Ha Giang Safari. You’ll skip the stress of checkpoints & fines, enjoy the views without worrying about the road, and have an incredible time with fellow adventurers. They’ll take care of everything, even when your health is at risk — all you need to do is enjoy riding in between insanely beautiful mountains.
