Arguably the most stressful part of any trip – the visa
***Please note: this advice does not replace consultation with your government’s information. We try to keep our information as up-to-date as possible but please visit your country’s government website for official information.
TLDR: Yes, you need a Visa for Vietnam. Depending on what country you are from, you can either get a 45 day Visa on Arrival OR you will need to apply ahead of your trip for a visa with a duration up to 3 months.
You do not get to pick between 45 day Visa on Arrival and the 3 month pre-approval. This is dictated by Vietnam’s immigration laws in relation to your home country.
Who needs a Visa?
Short answer – everyone! However, as you suspected, the answer is not that straight forward. For generic tourist travel, there are two different types of visas that Vietnam issues.
The first visa is a 45 day Visa on Arrival. Only certain countries are eligible for this visa, meaning you do not have to prepare documents ahead of time. You simply need to enter at the border and they will issue this visa to you.
The second type of visa is a tourist visa up to 3 months. This visa is the only option for countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. In order to board the plane to Vietnam, you need to be PRE-APPROVED for this visa and have received your visa document.
How do you apply for the pre-approved visa?
In general, there are two ways to apply for the pre-approved visa. The first option is to work with an agency that will help you sort out all of the details. The pros of this option is that it is significantly less likely to get denied due to error and it tends to be a quicker process. Downside – it’s more expensive. This service ranges anywhere from $50-$150USD depending on your timeline.
The second option is to do it yourself on the official Vietnam government website. The pro of this option is that it’s significantly cheaper, only $25USD. The downside is that you need to be diligent in submiting your details correctly, otherwise the Visa won’t be approved.
If your itinerary does not allow 3-4 days to spare, there are other options!
Although less popular, there are also companies that offer a 2-Day tour. This tour option is less popular simply because covering 160kms per day on a motorbike can be exhausting and the days are long. However, if you’re committed to 2 action packed days, then it’s a great option for people with limited time. If you are considering this option, take a look at: Is It Possible to Complete the Ha Giang Loop in 2 Days
If you’ve got time to spare in your itinerary…
Popularized by social media, the Ha Giang Loop is known by name throughout the South East Asian travel community. Lesser known is it’s sister loop – the Cao Bang Loop.
Cao Bang is the province located next to Ha Giang and offers equally stunning and yet entirely different scenery. While Ha Giang is characterized by vast mountain passes, Cao Bang is characterized by endless rice terraces and limestone karsts. It can be equated to an ‘on land Ha Long Bay’ with the stunning black limestone cliffs. Additionally, it is home to Asia’s largest waterfall, Ban Gioc Waterfall.
Because Cao Bang is lesser known, it is harder to explore than the endless tour offers of Ha Giang. Cao Bang can be quite difficult to get to from locations other than Hanoi, as there are not many direct buses. Once you arrive, there are also very limited tour options and motorbike rental shops that allow you to explore the beautiful sights. Instead, tacking the Cao Bang Loop onto the end of your Ha Giang Loop offers the chance to see both.
The combined Cao Bang and Ha Giang Loop tours are offered by several companies in Ha Giang. They tend to range from 5-7 days in order to see both provinces. Recently, there have also been companies offering Cao Bang tours directly out of Ha Giang, meaning you get on the bike and head straight to Cao Bang, skipping the Ha Giang Loop. Choosing this option means you can complete the Cao Bang Loop in less time (typically 3 days) however you are stuck on the bike for significantly more time with less stops. We wouldn’t recommend going with this option unless you’ve already completed the Ha Giang Loop and have no desire to do it again (many people do the Ha Giang Loop twice to catch it in different seasons).
In summary, there are several options to fit your travel timeline! Choosing the best one depends on what you would like to prioritize during your travels!
