Cao Bang or Ha Giang: Remote North Trip
Both are far from Hanoi, so decide which remote corner is worth your hard-won leave.
Choose Ha Giang for its famous mountain road and its better-developed visitor support. Choose Cao Bang for a quieter, waterfall-led pace with fewer other travellers, if you accept fewer facilities. Both are best for return visitors with time to spare.
Which remote region suits which traveller?
- Photographers who want the classic road: Ha Giang.
- Photographers who want quiet valleys and waterfalls: Cao Bang.
- Return visitors seeking something new: Cao Bang.
- Friends travelling together with a driver: either, with a planned route.
How do the two compare?
| Question | Cao Bang | Ha Giang |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Quiet, border highlands, waterfalls | Famous road, high passes, wide views |
| Distance from Hanoi | Most of a day by road | Most of a day by road |
| Facilities | Fewer | More |
| Visitors | Fewer | More |
| Best for | Return visitors, quiet seekers | Photographers, adventure seekers |
How do you get to either?
Both start in Hanoi, which has direct flights from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air1. From there, plan most of a day on the road to either region, and sleep somewhere sensible on the first night.
A private driver is often easier than public transport for remote areas. Read why remote regions often need a private tour before you decide.
What is the weather like?
Northern Vietnam has four seasons, unlike the centre and south2. In the Red River Delta the rainy season starts April to May and ends October to November3, and wet roads slow every journey in the mountains.
Hanoi’s coolest month is January, at a mean of 16.4 C4. Mountain roads are colder than the city, so pack layers and a rain jacket.
What should you check before choosing?
- Your days, counting the road time in and out.
- Your travel month against the rain above.
- Whether you want a famous road or quiet places.
- Whether you will use a driver or arrange rides yourself.
For the wider choice, read classic or off-the-beaten-path north Vietnam. For place profiles, see Cao Bang and Ha Giang. If you are weighing mountain areas, read Ha Giang or Sapa. More advice lives in Regions and where to go.
Tell us what you have seen in the north already, your travel month and how many days you can spare, and we can suggest Cao Bang or Ha Giang and how to reach it.
Common questions
Which is easier to reach from Hanoi?
Ha Giang has more organised transport and more visitors, so arranging a ride or a driver is simpler. Cao Bang is quieter and often needs more of your own planning. Both need most of a day on the road from Hanoi, so decide where you will sleep on the arrival night before you set out.
Which has better scenery?
Both have dramatic limestone landscapes. Ha Giang is known for its high mountain road and wide views. Cao Bang is known for waterfalls, caves and border highlands, with a gentler pace and fewer visitors. Choose by what you want to photograph: road and peaks, or waterfalls and quiet valleys.
Which has better facilities?
Ha Giang has more places to stay and eat and more experience with visitors. Cao Bang has fewer, so book ahead and keep expectations modest. In both, expect simple rooms outside the main towns. Bring cash, charge your devices when you can and tell your hotel where you are going each day.
Can I combine both?
It is possible but long. Combining them means several days on the road, so it suits return visitors with time to spare. With a week or less, pick one and keep the other for a later trip. A private driver makes a combined trip far easier than public transport.
Sources
- Kuala Lumpur International to Hanoi Noi Bai is listed as served by AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines and VietJet Air. Wikipedia. Wikipedia destination table; check airline sites for current schedules.
- Northern Vietnam has four seasons; central and southern areas have two, a rainy season and a dry season. Wikipedia
- In the North Delta (Red River Delta) the rainy season starts April to May, peaks July to August and ends October to November. Wikipedia
- Hanoi's hottest month is July (mean 29.2 C) and coolest is January (mean 16.4 C). Wikipedia
Keep planning
Tell us what you have seen in the north already, your travel month and how many days you can spare, and we can suggest Cao Bang or Ha Giang and how to reach it.