A lush, mountainous region of northern Vietnam, Hà Giang is known for its breathtaking limestone landscape, carved by erosion into a "surreal mix" of vertiginous, oddly shaped peaks.
Equally fascinating, though, are its diverse tribal cultures, said Lizzie Frainier in The Times – 22 in all, each with its own language.
It is only a decade or so since the government opened the province to tourism, but visitor numbers have risen greatly since. Particularly popular is the Loop, a circuit of the province, usually made by motorbike, that is worth doing despite the risk of encounters with "rowdy" British gap-year students along the way. Tour operators offer many "options and price points", and Hà Giang as a whole still feels remote, "unique" and unspoiled.
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The trip costs from £155pp, including local driver but excluding flights.
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