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Getting to Northern Vietnam from Hanoi, you are going to need either a private driver or go by bus. The mountainous landscape really does not lend itself to having an airport. Up here there are 4 types of busses. The most basic is the local bus. This bus type goes from town to town and is for shorter journeys only up to a few hours. Then there are the inter-city busses which are detailed below:
Sleeper bus
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The most basic type is the sleeper bus. They have underneath space for suitcases and luggage as well as making period stops for food and restroom breaks depending on the journey length. These busses are also the cheapest long distance travel. Most come with air conditioning but no on board restroom. Please note that these busses are optimised for SE Asian people so if you are taller than 170cm, you may find it a little cramped. Route availability is great for all destinations.
Executive / limo bus
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Next up the executive bus. The bus is usually smaller, has far more comfortable seats - though they are more of the upright variety. Many of these will have USB charging for your phone. Again these busses will all have a/c but no on board toilet. These busses are less common and you may have to check to see if the one you wish is in operation.
Cabin sleeper bus
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Lastly we have the cabin sleeper bus. This is a great choice if you are a taller western person. The cabin has room for up to 2 people - handy if you are travelling with a partner. All have a/c and USB charging and even a toilet on board. These are more expensive than the basic busses, but we think the money is worth it to arrive more rested. These busses are getting more and more popular and so are available on a wider number of routes, growing all the time.
Sapa tours + Bus from Hanoi
We have added some new tours to Sapa with a bus from Hanoi included in the price. We use Sapa Express who are our long time partner. They really make things easy Sapa Express have their pickup point in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. We have also added a couple of “complete package” tours for Sapa that include trekking and a couple of extra days for you to spend how you wish.
The bus journey takes around 5hrs in the daytime and makes two stops. One for a 15 min restroom break and then another later on for 1/2 hr meal stop. Please have a few small VND notes with you for the restroom. Sapa Express will supply you with a small bottle of water for the journey.
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*Prices are intended as a guide based on a group of 4 persons with a per person price. To see the actual price, check on the page. Depending on how many people are in your group, the cost may be higher or lower per person.
Ha Giang tours + Bus from Hanoi
The biggest cost for the Ha Giang tours is the private driver. For larger groups and families it does not matter much as it actually works out to be the cheapest option. However for couples the premium is quite high. A few years ago this was the only option. However today there is the chance to go to Ha Giang by bus from Hanoi. This way we can a cheaper price without cutting back on the attractions and trekking.
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*Prices are intended as a guide based on a group of 4 persons with a per person price. To see the actual price, check on the page. Depending on how many people are in your group, the cost may be higher or lower per person.