Vietnam: North to South
Hanoi to Hoi An by way of the Ha Giang loop, an overnight train, and the best food on any trip we run.
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Placeholder artwork — real trip photography drops in here.
About this trip
Nine days down Vietnam, and the food alone justifies it. Two nights in Hanoi's old quarter, then north to the Ha Giang loop — three days on the back of a motorbike through limestone karst and terraced valleys near the Chinese border, which is the single best thing in the country and which almost nobody books. Then an overnight train south, a night on a Ha Long or Lan Ha bay boat, and finally Hoi An, where the tailors are quick and the lanterns are worth the crowd.
- Three days on the Ha Giang loop, pillion with an experienced local rider
- A night on a boat in Lan Ha bay, the quiet side of Ha Long
- An overnight sleeper train, which is half the fun
- Hoi An old town by lantern light, and a tailor if you want one
- Street food walks in Hanoi and Hoi An with someone who knows
- The Hai Van pass, if the weather allows
Day by day
9 days, written by the host who runs it.
Day 1Arrive Hanoi
Airport pick-up, into the old quarter. Evening street-food walk — about six stops, and you will not need dinner after.
Day 2Hanoi
Hoan Kiem, the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh complex and the train street. Night bus north to Ha Giang.
Day 3Ha Giang loop, day one
Meet your rider and out towards Quan Ba. The Heaven's Gate viewpoint, and the road starts doing what it came to do. Night at Yen Minh.
Day 4Ha Giang loop, day two
Dong Van, the Ma Pi Leng pass — the most spectacular stretch of road in Vietnam — and down to the Nho Que river. Night at Du Gia.
Day 5Loop out, back to Hanoi
The last of the loop through Du Gia's waterfalls, back to Ha Giang town, and the night bus to Hanoi.
Day 6Lan Ha bay
Out to the coast and onto the boat. Kayaking among the karsts, swimming, a seafood dinner, and squid fishing off the back for anyone still awake.
Day 7Bay to the overnight train
Morning on the water, back to Hanoi by late afternoon, then the sleeper train south to Da Nang.
Day 8Da Nang to Hoi An
Arrive Da Nang in the morning, across to Hoi An. Afternoon at the beach, and the old town after dark when the lanterns come on.
Day 9Hoi An, and out
Free morning for the tailors and the market, then the Da Nang airport drop.
What the price covers
Included
- 8 nights — 2 Hanoi, 2 Ha Giang, 1 boat, 1 sleeper train, 2 Hoi An
- All breakfasts, 5 dinners, and all meals on the boat and the loop
- Two sleeper buses, the overnight train in a 4-berth soft sleeper, and all transfers
- Three days on the Ha Giang loop pillion with an experienced local rider, helmet included
- The Lan Ha bay boat with kayaking, and the Hanoi street-food walk
- Your host for the full trip
Not included
- International flights
- Vietnam e-visa, about ₹2,300
- Most lunches, and 3 dinners
- Riding the loop yourself instead of pillion, if you are licensed and want to — ₹4,500
- Travel insurance, mandatory for this trip
- Anything personal
Where you sleep, how you move
Stay
Good boutique hotels in Hanoi and Hoi An, simple but clean homestays on the Ha Giang loop, one night on a bay boat in a private cabin, and one night in a four-berth soft-sleeper train compartment. Twin sharing where rooms allow.
Transport
Sleeper buses to and from Ha Giang, a motorbike with a local rider for three days on the loop, a boat in Lan Ha bay, an overnight train to Da Nang, and private vans for everything else.
What to carry
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond travel, plus two photocopies
- Printed visa or e-visa approval, and your travel insurance certificate
- A universal travel adaptor
- Some local currency for day one; cards work for most things after that
- Layers appropriate to the season — see the trip overview
- A reusable water bottle and personal medication
Who this trip is for
Open to 18–50. Three days pillion on a motorbike is tiring and the roads are mountain roads. If you have a back condition, this is not the trip.
Cancellation & refunds
Specific to this trip, because a permit-bound Himalayan departure cannot carry the same terms as a weekend by a river.
- More than 60 days before departure — full refund, less a ₹5,000 processing fee.
- 45 to 60 days before departure — 60% refund.
- 30 to 44 days before departure — 30% refund.
- Under 30 days before departure — no refund. Air tickets and hotels are non-refundable by this point.
- Visa rejection with proof — full refund less the visa fee and ₹5,000 processing.
Full terms are in our refund & cancellation policy.
Meet your host
Arjun Thapa
Based in Gangtok, Sikkim · 5 trips led
Grew up between Gangtok and Thimphu, which makes him the obvious person to run Bhutan. Fluent in Nepali, Dzongkha and the particular patience required at a Himalayan border post.
Not quite the one?
There are other departures, and we would rather put you on the right trip than the nearest one.
Or reach us on WhatsApp at +91 96063 37793