Mama's homestay in the center — Hotel in Hà Giang

My girlfriend I booked the Ha Giang Loop through Mamas after reading reviews online. We’ve both come away with special memories and can tell it’ll be one of the best things we’ve done on our travels. The organisation of the tour was seamless and we were able to arrange our transport to and from Mamas with ease through the website.

We asked for a private room the night before and Mamas arranged this with another hotel which was really helpful of them and then they picked us up at 08:00 as promised the next morning.

The tour itself was an unforgettable experience which was made even more special by our leader Vai who looked after us and was informative, funny and kind and took us to great spots on the loop. We were organised into a group of 12 and I couldn’t have been happier with the people we were put with which I think was done based off nationality.

Vai was my driver as well as leader and he was a fantastic and safe driver who never made me feel uncomfortable or worried about being on dangerous roads, he took care of me and we became good friends.

The accommodation and food arranged on the loop were fantastic and after seeing these in person I’m confident that the cost we paid was very good value for money as the rooms and locations of the accommodation were unreal and our meals were great throughout which were eaten in a family style with our group. Only basic drinks were provided but this was fine as alcoholic and cold beverages were available at very cheap prices throughout the loop. Each night turned into a party with music and karaoke with everyone staying with Mamas which created some special nights.

I’ve come away from this experience feeling more than satisfied and grateful for the amazing team who looked after us at Mamas and the fantastic people I have met in my group, many of who we will be spending time with after the loop which shows the bonds...

Six years ago, I had an incredible experience doing the Ha Giang Loop with Mama’s Homestay. Sadly, on my return, it was unrecognisable. Here’s my honest review:

Mama’s is now a huge operation with 140+ people split into groups, and the experience felt chaotic. We faced issues from the start - a bus seat wasn’t booked for my partner despite booking a month ahead, and the support team was unresponsive (and blamed us). The morning of the tour was disorganised, with no guidance and luggage stored in an unlocked room.

This tour is now designed for non-riders, with most choosing Easy Riders. As an experienced rider, I self-rode with my girlfriend as pillion, but the bike provided was unsafe - bald tyres, chain over-oiled, and underpowered for the steep inclines. Safety gear was not offered to us (we had to ask for it, and then left a large deposit), and helmets were substandard (we saw them thrown on the ground often). We brought our own, but most didn’t, and the risks were concerning.

The roads are busier now, with speeding groups, lorries, and livestock making it more dangerous. Accommodation was damp, noisy, or away from the main area, and meals were hit or miss. Evenings often turned into loud parties with constant pressure to drink “happy water,” and mornings started earlier than advertised, sometimes as early as 6:30 AM.

That said, our group leader was kind, experienced, and helpful throughout.

The Ha Giang Loop is still stunning, but I recommend choosing a smaller tour, hiring a private guide, or planning it yourself. Invest in proper safety gear, and hire a reliable bike. It’s an incredible part of the world, but this tour no longer feels safe or...

The 4 day Hi Giang loop with Mamas completely lived up to our expectations! The scenery was fantastic, the food was generally really good and the the tour ran like a well-oiled machine. My easyrider Nong Xanh and my gf's Hoang Quan (super cool white bike!) were amazing - super friendly, very skilled drivers and provided the perfect level of conversation to explain things, point out landmarks etc. but then let us enjoy the scenery unbothered. It sounds simple but our drivers often jockied for position in our convoy and had mini drag races which was fun, but also let us wave at friends and have quick conversations rather than just starring at their a* for long periods of time! Compared to other tours, they stop quite frequently at viewpoints to get drinks, snacks, take photos and let your a* recover - much needed. The homestays were generally good though the toilets and showers were nothing special and hot water almost non-existent. The egg "banh mi" breakfasts (it pains me to call it a banh mi - a greasy 1 egg omlette and a sad roll, no sauce, no salad, no nothing) were our only complaint but there were snack stops through the mornings and better food for lunch.

Tips: Take a bumbag - your bag is wrapped in plastic and tied up on the bike, and using pockets sat on the back of a bike is a recipe for disaster. Take a hoodie and trousers for a couple of the nights. You'll wanna wear the hoodie on day 2 and 3 for sure. Sunglasses - especially when it rains on the bike, you wanna be able to open your...