Booking
How far ahead should I book?
Domestic tours: three to four weeks is comfortable; for the October–November high season and public holidays, book two months ahead. Cross-border tours need time for visas and vehicle permits — allow at least two to three months.
Can I come on my own?
Yes. Some programmes have a minimum group size for departure, stated on the tour page; if it is not reached we tell you in advance and you choose another date, another tour, or a refund. See our cancellation and postponement policy.
How much is the deposit, and when is the balance due?
30% for domestic tours under 5 days, 50% for longer or tailor-made trips, 70% for cross-border tours. Details on Payment and confirmation.
If I cannot come, do I lose my money?
Not necessarily. You have three options: hold 100% of it as credit for 365 days, transfer your place to someone else free of charge, or cancel under the refund table. We suggest considering them in that order.
Timing
When is the best season?
October to April: clear skies, little rain, the river at its greenest. October and November bring the buckwheat flowers. January to March brings peach and plum blossom, cold, and frost on the summits some years. September is the ripe rice at Hoang Su Phi.
Should I come in July or August?
We would advise against it. That is the wet season, with frequent landslides on exactly the best roads, and we run almost no plateau tours in those two months.
How cold does it get?
Winter on the karst plateau can drop to 3–5°C, and some years there is frost at Dong Van and Meo Vac. On a motorbike in mountain wind it feels a great deal colder than the thermometer says. We send you a packing list for the season you are travelling in.
Paperwork
Do foreign visitors need a permit?
Yes. Many communes along the Ha Giang border are classed as border areas, and foreign visitors need a border area permit. Ha Giang Experts arranges this for you — we need a scan of your passport and visa before departure so there is time to apply.
How long must my passport be valid?
For tours abroad: at least six months beyond the last day of the tour. Children aged 14 and over need their own passport.
Food and accommodation
Where do we sleep?
It depends on the programme: hotels in the towns, guesthouses, and homestays in the villages. A homestay usually means a shared room with mattresses and blankets and a shared bathroom. Each programme says which, so you know before you book.
What about dietary needs and allergies?
Tell us when you book. Vegetarian, no pork, seafood or nut allergy — we let the host families know in advance. Deep in the mountains this is not optional: they cannot go out to the market for something extra.
What about drinking water?
We provide water on board every day. Do not drink tap water; boiled water at a homestay is fine.
Money and connectivity
How much cash should I bring?
There are ATMs in Ha Giang city, Dong Van, Meo Vac and the district towns, but do not depend on them. Almost nowhere in the villages takes cards. Bring enough cash for drinks, gifts and entrance fees.
Is there phone signal and wi-fi?
The towns have good 4G. On the road and in many villages it is patchy or absent. Homestays usually have wi-fi, but weak. We treat a few hours without signal as normal and our guides carry their own means of communication.
Health
Will the altitude affect me?
The karst plateau sits at roughly 1,000–1,600 m, which does not cause altitude sickness. On our Central Asia or Tibet tours, which cross above 4,000 m, it can — and we brief separately for those.
I have a medical condition. Can I still come?
Declare it honestly when you book, including any medication. In most cases you can still travel; we simply need to know so we can prepare. The danger is not the condition — it is our not knowing about it.
Insurance
We insure our guests for the duration of the trip as required by law. That does not replace personal travel insurance — for motorbike and expedition tours we recommend taking out additional cover that includes motorcycling and off-road riding.
A question that is not here?
Write to info@hagiangexperts.com. We answer every question before you book, including the ones that make you decide not to.