Thai An Pass and Village: The Day One Lunch Stop

Thai An Pass is where day one stops being a ride out of town and starts being the Ha Giang Loop. Our loops leave the city towards Thai An rather than straight up the main highway. That makes this the first proper climb of the trip, and the place we stop for lunch.

Most guides to the loop skip it, because most riders go the other way and never see it. That suits us. It is one of the quietest roads of the whole trip, on the day you most need quiet roads to get used to the bike.

Where is Thai An Pass?

Thai An is a commune in Quan Ba, north-east of Ha Giang city. The pass climbs from the valley towards Thai An village, then the road carries on east towards Duong Thuong and the Yen Minh side of the mountains. If you want the wider picture, Quan Ba district on Wikipedia shows how the area sits on the map.

It is not on Highway 4C, the main loop road through Quan Ba Heaven Gate and Yen Minh. That is the point. The trucks, the tour minibuses and most of the self-riders stay on the highway, and this road is left to farmers, school kids and the odd buffalo.

Day one on both of our tours runs from Ha Giang city over Thai An Pass to Du Gia. It is about 120 km, with breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

What Thai An Pass is like to ride

The climb rises in long, sweeping curves rather than tight hairpins. As you gain height, the river below turns a clear blue, the kind of colour most riders do not expect until Ma Pi Leng on day two. Terraces and cornfields run down the slopes on both sides.

It is narrower than the highway and the surface changes more often, with a smooth stretch here and a patched one there. Nothing about it is difficult, but it asks you to pay attention. That makes it a good first climb. You learn how the bike behaves on a bend while the stakes are low and there is little traffic behind you.

Before any of this, every rider gets a short practice ride on the flat outside the city. If you are not comfortable after that, say so before the climb, not halfway up it. Riding as an easy rider passenger loses nothing in scenery.

Lunch in Thai An

Once the climb levels out, we pull in at a streamside village in Thai An. Lunch is at a family’s table rather than a restaurant, and you can hear the stream from where you sit.

Expect the food Ha Giang families eat every day: rice, greens from the garden, pork, eggs, and often a soup when the weather is cold. It is the first time the whole group sits down together, so lunch tends to run long. We let it.

After Thai An: Duong Thuong and Du Gia

From Thai An the road heads down into Duong Thuong valley. The mountains close in on both sides and maize grows on every slope that can hold it. The villages are close enough together that you are rarely out of sight of a roof. Our guide to Duong Thuong and Lung Ho valley covers it in more depth.

Du Gia comes into view in the late afternoon, which leaves enough daylight for a swim. Locals call the waterfall near the village the fairy waterfall, and the water is cold enough to wake up tired legs. Pack swimwear in the top of your bag. Our Du Gia waterfall guide has the details.

The first night is in a Du Gia homestay. Dinner is cooked by the host family, the karaoke usually comes out afterwards, and the happy water is there if you want it.

Riding tips for Thai An Pass

Use Thai An Pass to learn your bike, not to test it. Change down a gear before the bend and let the engine slow you on the way down, rather than holding the brakes.

Leave room in front. On a narrow road, a bike that stops suddenly for a photo is the most common cause of a small crash. Pull fully off the road when you stop, and only where the guide does.

Expect people and animals on the road around villages. Children walk home from school along the edge, and buffalo do not move for engines.

If it has rained, the patched sections can be slippery. Slow down on the shiny dark patches, not after them. Our tips for riding the Ha Giang Loop and our honest take on how hard the loop really is both go into more detail.

Why we start the loop over Thai An Pass

Most riders leave Ha Giang city north on the highway and see Bac Sum Pass and Quan Ba Heaven Gate within the first hour or two. It is a great road, and it is also the busiest one.

Going via Thai An puts the quietest day at the start, when riders are still finding their feet. It saves Heaven Gate and the Twin Mountains for the final day, when everyone is riding well and has time to enjoy the view on the way home. The full day-by-day is in our 3 days 2 nights itinerary guide.

Which of our tours ride Thai An Pass?

Both. Day one is the same on both trips: Ha Giang to Thai An, Duong Thuong and Du Gia.

Thai An is the first day of our four-day loop. After it you have three more days for Ma Pi Leng, Dong Van, Lung Cu and the way home through Yen Minh. The pace is easier, and Lung Cu and a Lo Lo village are only on this trip.

The three-day route starts the same way, then fits Ma Pi Leng, Dong Van and the ride home into the next two days. If you are short on time it is the one to take. If day one on the bike sounds like plenty, take the four days.

Ride the Ha Giang Loop with Mr. Biu

Mr. Biu is a Ha Giang family business, and day one on every one of our trips goes over Thai An. Everyone who books gets a free dorm bed at our hostel the night before, so you start the climb rested. Find out more on the Mr. Biu Tour Ha Giang homepage.

Ha Giang Motorbike Tour 3 Days 2 Nights

Thai An, Du Gia, Ma Pi Leng, Dong Van and the karst plateau, with two homestay nights and around 350 km. From 2.850.000đ ($114) sitting behind a friend, 3.190.000đ ($128) driving yourself, or 4.000.000đ ($160) with an easy rider.

Ha Giang Motorbike Tour 4 Days 3 Nights

Starts over Thai An too, then adds Lung Cu Flag Pole, a Lo Lo village and Lung Khuy Cave across three homestay nights. From 3.850.000đ (about $154), 4.050.000đ ($162) driving yourself, or 4.900.000đ ($196) with an easy rider.

See both trips on our tours page or book online. Questions? Contact us, message us on WhatsApp at (+84) 3272 58338, or email mrbiu.booking@gmail.com.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Thai An Pass?

In Thai An commune, Quan Ba, north-east of Ha Giang city. It is on the back road towards Duong Thuong and Du Gia, not on the main Highway 4C.

Is Thai An Pass hard to ride?

No. It climbs in long curves rather than tight hairpins, and traffic is light. The road is narrower than the highway and the surface changes, so take it steadily.

Do Mr. Biu tours stay overnight in Thai An?

No. Thai An is the lunch stop on day one. The first night is in a homestay in Du Gia.

How far is day one on the Ha Giang Loop?

On our tours, about 120 km from Ha Giang city over Thai An Pass and through Duong Thuong to Du Gia.

Can I ride Thai An Pass on my own?

Yes, it is a public road. Fill up with fuel in Ha Giang city, leave early, and allow a full day to Du Gia with stops.