Du Gia is an unknown quiet village in Ha Giang. This place is visited almost exclusively by travelers who do the Ha Giang loop in 5 days or more. The best thing about this place is the peaceful and unspoiled beauty with its majestic natural landscape of mountains and rice paddies around it. In addition, the local people here are exceptionally hospitable and friendly.
How do you get there?
Du Gia is a municipality in Yen Minh District in Ha Giang Province. It is located between the cities of Ha Giang and Meo Vac, both approximately 70 kilometers away. There is also a second route from Ha Giang which is 110 kilometers.
There are no bus connections with the town, so you can only get there by motorcycle or car with a driver. The roads are of poor quality, but you will be rewarded with beautiful landscapes and local villages of ethnic hill tribes. The road from Meo Vac in particular is spectacular.
- From Meo Vac to Du Gia via Mau Due- DT176 – 70km
- From Ha Giang to Du Gia (option 1) – QL4C + DT181 – 70km
- From Ha Giang to Du Gia (option 2) – QL34 + DT176 – 110km
Recommended route:
- Ha Giang -> Yen Minh (day 1)
- Yen Minh – Dong Van (day 2)
- Dong Van – Meo Vac (day 3)
- Meo Vac – Du Gia (day 4)
- Du Gia – Ha Giang (day 5)
Du Gia – Mau Due
The most spectacular stretch to drive is between Mau Due and Du Gia. It is not the safest road with many holes and bends. The mountain passes are impressive, perhaps even more so than around Dong Van. In some areas you can see many rice terraces that turn golden yellow during the right season. Along the way you will find a ruin of a French watchtower from the colonial era. Expect to give a lot of high fives to the kids along the way who greet you kindly.
What can you do and see in Du Gia
There is not much to do in Du Gia, the route to this place is actually the highlight. You can walk through the village and see the locals working on the rice fields who greet you with a smile and you see the traditional houses built on stilts. Every Saturday morning, this small town hosts a market where the region’s colorful inhabitants gather.
A few kilometers from the village is a waterfall that you can walk to. There is a natural pool where you can cool off and there are rocks that you can jump off.
Accommodations in Du Gia
Don’t expect hotels, resorts or luxury accommodations in Du Gia. There are a number of homestays such as QT Homestay, Du Gia Backpacker Hostel & Trekking, Muong Tra Garden Homestay and Du Gia Homestay. The latter is the most popular, especially for foreign tourists. Du Gia Homestay has dorms from 4 dollars, private rooms from 12 dollar and bungalows from 15 dollar. There is wifi and every evening there is a family dinner with dishes from the area and from the homestay you have views of the mountains and rice fields.
