Ten days in northern Vietnam, and the loop that fits
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Ten days in northern Vietnam is the length at which the region stops making you choose. A week forces Ha Giang out; ten days lets it in without gutting everything else.
What does the extra time buy?
The loop. Ha Giang costs six days door to door from Hanoi — four riding and a night bus at each end — which is most of a week on its own. At ten days it becomes an addition rather than a substitution.
The northern week is the version that has to choose. This is the version that does not.
| Days | Where | Nights | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Hanoi | 2 | Old Quarter, Ba Dinh, the lake |
| 3-4 | Ninh Binh | 2 | Boat, Mua Cave, cycling |
| 5 | Hanoi, night bus north | 0 | Sleeper to Ha Giang city |
| 6-9 | Ha Giang loop | 3 on the loop | Permit required since June 2026 |
| 10 | Hanoi, or Cat Ba | 1 | Bay on land, or fly out |
Why that order?
Hard days in the middle. Hanoi comes first while you are still adjusting, then the flat limestone. The loop follows while you still have the appetite for four days on a motorbike, and something soft closes the trip.
Running it the other way, loop first and straight off a long-haul flight, is how people end up doing the third day of Ha Giang exhausted. That is the day the road demands most.
What about the permit?
Not optional. Since 1 June 2026 the loop districts require a Border Area Entry Permit for foreign visitors: Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Du Gia. It applies to anyone passing through rather than only to those staying.
The permit costs about 250,000 dong, and an operator will normally arrange it with the ride. Confirm it is included rather than assuming; the Sapa or Ha Giang comparison covers what else the loop requires, including the licence question that catches most riders out.
Should you ride it yourself?
Only if you already ride. An ordinary car licence with an international permit does not cover a motorbike over 50cc in Vietnam. Riding without the right entitlement voids most travel insurance, and on Ha Giang's road that is a genuine risk rather than a technicality.
The easy rider option puts you behind a local driver for the four days. It costs more, removes the licence problem, and the motorbiking guide explains why passengers see more of the country than riders do.
What should you drop if the trip shrinks?
The bay, then the loop. Losing day ten costs least: Cat Ba or a Ha Long boat is the most replaceable night on this route because the limestone is already covered by Ninh Binh.
Losing Ha Giang turns this back into the seven-day trip, which is a good trip. What you should not cut is the second night in Ninh Binh, because a single night there means missing the early hour that justifies staying at all.
What do the ten days cost?
Roughly 500 to 1,000 US dollars per person on the ground, excluding the flight in. The loop with an easy rider is the largest line by some distance.
The route carries no internal flights, which keeps the total below a comparable ten days spread across the country. Sleeper buses to Ha Giang run roughly 300,000 to 400,000 dong each way, and a four-day easy rider package is typically 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 dong including the permit, food and homestays.
The cost guide has the daily figures, and ten days nationally is the alternative shape if you would rather see three regions than one properly.
When should the ten days fall?
September to November or March to May. Those windows sit either side of the summer rain, which closes mountain passes rather than merely soaking them. They also come ahead of the winter cloud that can sit on the high north for a week.
Late September into early October is the fortnight worth planning around: gold terraces, dry roads and comfortable air. The month-by-month guide covers the rest of the year.
FAQ
Is ten days enough for northern Vietnam?
It is the length at which the north stops forcing a choice. A week makes you pick between Ha Giang and everything else; ten days fits Hanoi, Ninh Binh, a bay and the Ha Giang loop without a day spent regretting an omission.
What is the best ten day route in northern Vietnam?
Two nights in Hanoi, two around Ninh Binh, four on the Ha Giang loop with a night bus at each end, and one on Cat Ba or a Ha Long boat. That order puts the hardest days in the middle while your legs still work.
Do you need the Ha Giang permit?
Yes. Since 1 June 2026 the loop districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Du Gia require a Border Area Entry Permit for foreign visitors, whether you ride, are driven, or simply pass through. It costs about 250,000 dong and operators arrange it.
How much does ten days in northern Vietnam cost?
Roughly 500 to 1,000 US dollars per person on the ground, excluding international flights. The Ha Giang loop with an easy rider is the largest single line, and there are no internal flights on this route at all.
Should you take Sapa or Ha Giang in ten days?
Ha Giang, if you are only doing one. Ten days is enough for its six days door to door, which a week is not. Sapa is the substitute when the dates are shorter or when you would rather walk than ride.
When is the best time for a northern Vietnam loop?
September to November and March to May. Those windows avoid the summer rain that closes mountain passes and the winter cloud that sits on the high north for days. Late September into early October is the best fortnight of the year up here.