When I showtime came to Northern Vietnam a few years ago, I rode my cycle across the border from mainland People's Republic of China (with my husband, Stephen). We had heard neat things well-nigh trekking inwards Sapa, which was exclusively a brusque way to the west, but it was a damp, mutual frigidity February.
The air was filled with mist so thick that nosotros may every bit good receive got been cycling through mutual frigidity soup.
“Next time…” nosotros said, non wanting to climb mountains inwards those conditions.
This year, I’m spending a duo of months housesitting inwards Hanoi piece Stephen travels to learn yoga. “Next time” is officially hither in addition to I knew I couldn’t miss trekking inwards Sapa again.
Sapa’s Rocky Past
Sapa is dwelling to Vietnam’s highest peak, Fan Si Pan, which tickles the clouds 3143m higher upwards body of body of water level, keeping lookout over the terraced rice paddies that business Sapa’s steep valley walls.
Home to several ethnic minorities, chiefly the H’Mong, the Dao in addition to the Dai, Sapa has been attracting trekkers since the early on 1900s.
The French showtime developed Sapa town, the gateway to the region, every bit a loma station in addition to cool summertime escape from Hanoi’s oppressive heat.
Their authority inwards the expanse didn’t in conclusion long, though. During the 1940s, Vietnamese independence fighters drove the colonists from the region, but non earlier the French b0med Sapa town, leaving nix but ruins behind them.
It wasn’t until the 1990s that redevelopment began inwards earnest in addition to tourists started to flock dorsum to the region. Now, trekking inwards Sapa is 1 of the biggest tourist activities inwards Vietnam.
Is Getting To Sapa Half the Fun?
Hundreds of signs advertising Sapa trekking tours embellish every available infinite inwards Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Though I unremarkably move independently, I before long institute that organizing a tour is the cheapest in addition to most hassle-free choice to acquire trekking to Sapa. So with a piffling reticence well-nigh this whole “organized tour” thing, I started visiting move agents.
Don’t miss our tips in addition to advice for trekking inwards Sapa below →
A duo of days afterward in addition to $100 lighter, I await my ride to the develop station.
A human being on a motorcycle pulls upwards exactly at 8:30pm to whisk me to the Hanoi develop station, where nosotros are met yesteryear a adult woman who hands me my ticket in addition to points me to the right railroad vehicle on the right platform.
I can’t tell I miss the fuss in addition to hassle of haggling with taxi drivers in addition to trying to negotiate the confusion of a unusual develop station on my own.
On the train, I am blessed with placidity cabin mates who flick off their reading lights in addition to acquire to slumber simply moments after the develop creaks out of Hanoi.
Despite my excitement in addition to the endless mini earthquakes from the uneven develop tracks, I deal to squeak out a few hours of decent slumber earlier morning.
As the Sun starts to rise, the develop loudspeakers come upwards on at total blast, playing ear-splitting Vietnamese popular to denote our imminent arrival inwards Lào Cai.
As much every bit I love to fully experience a civilisation when I travel, I’d live happy to never listen the shrill strains of Vietnamese popular again. Especially at half dozen inwards the morning.
The develop pulls into the station in addition to a body of body of water of tourists, both unusual in addition to Vietnamese, pour out onto the platform. It’s totally chaotic in addition to I am in 1 lawsuit once again relieved to live on a tour.
A driver with a sign bearing my call waits for me simply exterior the doors. I am so glad I don’t receive got to negotiate with a taxi driver piece suffering from early on morning time encephalon haze.
Alternatively you lot tin aspect at diverse online options at transport, such every bit Bookaway or doing a quick Google search.
Into The Clouds
My driver dropped me off at the Sapa market, where a tiny H’Mong adult woman dressed inwards traditional vesture was waiting for me.
I before long learned she was our trekking guide, also call Jane (though presumably, that’s non what her parents telephone telephone her).
In the marketplace position nutrient court, I was given a bowl of tofu noodle soup for breakfast. It was peradventure vegetarian, though the piles of mystery meat on every tabular array inwards the marketplace position did brand me wonder.
Nourishment beingness the priority, I slurped upwards the salty sour soup piece my tour companions arrived inwards small, yawning groups.
Don’t miss my consummate guide to finding vegetarian nutrient inwards Hanoi →
After breakfast, the gang of xv who had gathered to acquire trekking inwards Sapa split upwards into ii groups in addition to nosotros laid off upwards the backstreets in addition to alleyways rising out of Sapa town.
After 5 minutes of loma climbing inwards the searing heat, nosotros were all drenched inwards sweat in addition to panting hard. After one-half an hour, I was questioning most of my life choices.
Why the hell did I determine to acquire trekking inwards Sapa? Will I brand it over the mountain?
Is this what a ticker assail feels like?
To give our guide her credit, she knew exactly when to halt to forestall fainting or major ticker trauma.
As nosotros reached the day’s showtime existent residuum break, exposing a dramatic sentiment of Sapa town far below, the clouds rolled inwards in addition to pelting started to drip out of the sky.
Nobody minded. We were all hot in addition to gummy in addition to happy for the “free shower”, every bit Jane called it.
When the shower turned into a proper rainstorm, I was relieved to discovery that the pelting jacket I had speedily bought inwards the Sapa marketplace position that morning time was genuinely waterproof every bit advertised.
Go With The Flow
Though we’d expected to trek all solar daytime with our grouping of seven, nosotros kept crossing paths with the other trekkers we’d met at breakfast.
In contrast to the introspective vibe that had been developing inwards our group, the others were generally laddish blokes on vacation from England, with posh voices in addition to an Inbetweeners sense of sense of humor (think secual innuendo in addition to fart jokes).
What had been a contemplative, cultural walk turned into a party.
On a tour, you lot don’t acquire to withdraw your companions. On a tour, it’s best to go out your preconceptions behind in addition to pack a “go with the flow” mental attitude instead.
More, More, More
“More rice? More rice? Have to a greater extent than rice? Have to a greater extent than rice!” It wasn’t a enquiry so much every bit a ascendency — a really forceful ascendency from our homestay host, Mao.
She had been about the entire tabular array of xv trekkers twice already, wielding her plastic rice paddle similar a sword.
After a repast that had consisted of neat mountains of tofu, pumpkin, light-green beans, edible bean sprouts, mushroom stir fry and, for the carnivores inwards the group, fried pork, to a greater extent than rice was exactly what nosotros didn’t want.
When it was my plow to acquire tertiary helpings, I stretched my considerably long arms every bit far away from the tiny Mao in addition to her plastic rice paddle every bit I could get.
“No,” I laughed. “No, I won’t consume it!!” Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 infinitesimal later, after I thought I’d escaped, Mao scooped upwards some other half-cup of rice in addition to plopped it into my bowl.
Once the rice was finally eaten, the rice vino came out, inwards a much-used plastic 1.5L H2O bottle. Once again, Mao could non live denied.
The xv trekkers in addition to our enthusiastic host downed shot after shot of the fiery clear liquid, each drinkable beingness preceded yesteryear a grouping chant of “Một hai ba, yo!!!” or “One, two, three, cheers”.
A messy, drunken even ensued. But the affair well-nigh messy drunken evenings at the destination of a total solar daytime of trekking is that they invariably destination early.
Most of us were snugly encamped nether our musquito nets yesteryear 8:30pm. Before 11pm, fifty-fifty the most foolhardy drinkers with us had turned out the lights in addition to snored themselves to sleep.
Meet Cute
Not so early on the side yesteryear side morning, nosotros get together for a breakfast of lean pancakes with fresh local honey, bananas, in addition to fried eggs. I consume every bit much every bit my tum tin hold, knowing nosotros receive got some other solar daytime of heavy exertion ahead.
The large grouping sets off together, winding our way downward through the hamlet in addition to out along a narrow dingy rail onto the sparsely forested slopes of the mountain.
We transcend tiny wooden houses where piglets, infant chicks, in addition to puppies play inwards the dirt. There are enough of hamlet children to meet, too.
Some kids are shy or indifferent to our passing. Others cry “Hello!” or come upwards running out for a high five.
Slightly ahead of the group, I spot an adorable girl. “Xin chao!” I cry with a grin. She returns my smiling in addition to my greeting.
With her woman bring upwards in addition to blood brother watching over her, I curvature downward to tell hi in 1 lawsuit again in addition to enquire to receive got her picture. She strikes a perfect pose.
Life On The Road
Just earlier lunch, nosotros component ways with the one-day trekkers. Suddenly, I experience less similar a tacky tourist in addition to to a greater extent than similar the responsible traveller I aim to be.
Our streamlined grouping of 5 long-term travellers falls into an slowly beat every bit the rice fields in addition to endless majestic mountains spread out earlier us.
Today’s trek is much less hilly in addition to far to a greater extent than satisfying than yesterday’s. For a start, the clouds receive got rolled away in addition to nosotros tin taste spectacular views of the rice fields in addition to orchards along the mountainside.
We are also farther from Sapa town, important that nosotros encounter to a greater extent than locals in addition to fewer tourists. Finally, without the boisterousness of the lads, nosotros deal to receive got a existent conversation.
Between the placidity minutes of meditative walking, nosotros part our most remarkable move experiences, our embarrassing moments, our favourite music in addition to our best move photography tips.
We chat well-nigh the diverse study- in addition to volunteer-abroad experiences each of us receive got had, how nosotros handgrip pressures from household unit of measurement in addition to friends dorsum home, in addition to our plans (or lack thereof) for the future.
Though I taste the occasional party, this is what I was looking for on a grouping tour: coming together like-minded people with interesting observations well-nigh the public in addition to our unceasing wishing to explore it.
Back To Tourist Town
The terminal day’s trek is all well-nigh making fast tracks dorsum to Sapa town. We follow a steep route that winds upwards out of the valley floor, taking us dorsum the way nosotros came.
Being on the route inwards a little grouping way nosotros brand quick time, though nosotros yet receive got enough of breaks to high 5 the local kids, to endeavor to cuddle the large puppy population in addition to receive got at to the lowest degree 1 unopen encounter with a buffalo.
Once again, nosotros are nether the blistering Sun for our climb in addition to a gummy layer of sunscreen, sweat, in addition to rich ruby-red dirt envelops us all. I create a makeshift lid from my t-shirt to proceed the Sun at bay.
Clouds eventually curl in, threatening to a greater extent than rain, but doing piffling to cool us off.
We halt inwards a hamlet cafe close our showtime night’s homestay for our terminal luncheon of the trip. It’s a hub for people coming in addition to going from Sapa, so nosotros are in 1 lawsuit once again component of a noisy gang of tourists.
Mao shows upwards to herd the entire cafe total of trekkers to our diverse destinations — some of us are getting the 4pm coach to Hanoi, others are taking the sleeper coach or the train, yet others are hopping on a coach to Lao, piece some are staying some other nighttime at the homestay.
The efficiency in addition to sense of humor Mao displays piece arranging this frenzy of action is a little miracle.
Our shuttle coach into Sapa town gives us our showtime glimpse of the metropolis itself. It is the really Definition of “tacky tourist town”, with hotels, happy hr signs in addition to souvenir shops obliterating anything real.
I’m relieved that I’ll exclusively receive got to pass a few minutes here.
Still, it’s bittersweet to acquire on the coach dorsum to the large city. I’m looking forrard to half dozen hours of napping in addition to watching the public acquire by, but component of me would similar to wake upwards every morning time to the placidity beauty of Sapa.
Plus, I know that nobody volition ply me with free-flowing rice vino tonight.
Tips And Advice For Trekking inwards Sapa
How Much Does Trekking inwards Sapa Cost?
The tour. For 3 days of trekking in addition to ii nights inwards a homestay, the lowest cost I was quoted without bargaining was $65 USA including sleeper coach to in addition to from Sapa. The highest cost was $117 US, including sleeper develop both ways.
Food in addition to drinks. Three breakfasts, 3 lunches, in addition to ii dinners are also included, every bit is all the rice vino you lot tin drink. Water, coffee, beer, in addition to soft drinks are extra. Coffee in addition to soft drinks are universally 20,000 VND each. Beer is to a greater extent than or less 30,000 VND for a bottle. Water is 20,000 VND for a 1.5L bottle. Altogether, I spent about 250,000 VND / $10 USD on drinks.
Tipping. Though I had read that tips are sometimes demanded on other tours, our guides never gave the slightest indication they expected a tip in addition to to my knowledge, no 1 tipped them. That said, if you lot wishing to tip, I’m certain it would live welcome.
Local goods. At each meal, local women volition come upwards about to sell you lot their handmade bags, scarves, in addition to jewelry. Even, if you lot aren’t interested, it doesn’t wound to live friendly, brand oculus contact, in addition to smile. They volition persist inwards showing you lot each detail they receive got inwards their bags, whether you lot are friendly or non — so you lot mightiness every bit good brand it a pleasant experience for everyone involved.
Which Travel Agency is Best for a Sapa Trekking Tour?
After searching for recommendations online, I institute that exclusively 1 move agency stood out: Lily’s Travel Agency at xvi Ngo Huyen, simply westward of Hoan Kiem Lake.
I visited Lily’s in addition to ii other agencies inwards town. Lily’s gave me far to a greater extent than data than the other agencies in addition to they also quoted me the lowest prices.
Also, Lily’s was the exclusively 1 to offering me an alternative trekking route that they tell avoids the most touristy stops.
Your hostel or hotel volition also happily adjust a tour for you lot but live aware that they acquire a committee in addition to you lot volition probable consume the extra cost.
If you lot would rather mass your Sapa trekking withdraw chances earlier you lot brand it inwards Hanoi or Sapa, so cheque out these first-class tours with GetYourGuide.
Homestay or Sapa Hotel Stay with Day Treks?
Sapa town is a crazy tourist trap with hundreds of invitee houses offering happy hr cocktails in addition to $5 beds. I would highly recommend trekking to a homestay unless drinking inexpensive cocktails with hordes of other tourists is your thought of a expert time.
At a homestay, everything is taken attention of for you. This tin live expert or bad. You don’t acquire a choice of nutrient or drink, in addition to you lot don’t determine who your roommates are, so a go-with-the-flow mental attitude is a must. T
ell your tour operator ahead of fourth dimension if you lot wishing a someone or placidity remain — they should live able to adjust that for you.
If you lot practise wishing to remain inwards a hostel or guesthouse, so cheque out the options on Hostelworld.
How Many Nights Should You Stay inwards Sapa?
The most mutual tours allow you lot to pass 1 or ii nights inwards a homestay. You tin asking more, but the tour leaders may non know what to practise with you lot on the tertiary night.
On my tour, the 2d solar daytime was meliorate than the first: the views were to a greater extent than dramatic, the routes were non every bit touristy, in addition to the homestay hosted exclusively 5 of us (as opposed to xv on the showtime night).
By the destination of the tertiary day’s trek, I was ready to acquire on a coach dorsum to civilisation.
Train Or Bus to Sapa?
You tin withdraw the sleeper develop or a sleeper coach from Sapa to Hanoi. I took the overnight develop to Sapa in addition to took the even coach coming dorsum to Hanoi (which arrives inwards Hanoi at 10pm).
Sleeper Train
- Significantly to a greater extent than expensive than the bus.
- Clean in addition to placidity compared to other sleeper trains I’ve taken.
- More comfortable than the bus, making it easier to sleep.
- The rattle in addition to bounce along the tracks volition milkshake you lot awake at night.
- Takes ix hours.
- Requires an hour-long mini-bus ride from Lào Cai develop station to Sapa town.
- Train station is farther from Hanoi’s Old Quarter, so when you lot return, you’ll ask to honour a motorcycle or taxi dorsum into town.
- You tin book your develop ticket here.
Sleeper Bus
- Much cheaper than the train.
- More efficient. It exclusively takes half dozen hours in addition to goes all the way to Sapa.
- The reclining seats are “not designed for tall people”, according to a 6’2″ Slovene I met.
- You can’t prevarication completely flat, so it’s harder to slumber on the bus.
- There’s no toilet, so the coach makes bathroom stops, which way major disruption inwards the middle of the night.
- My trekking companions who took the develop slept meliorate than those who took the bus.
- You tin book your luxury coach from Hanoi to Sapa here.
What Should You Pack for Trekking inwards Sapa?
- Bring 1 solar daytime pack addition a little bag. Some homestays volition carry your gear piece you lot trek, so you’ll ask a pocketbook to carry with you lot during the solar daytime in addition to some other for the items you lot don’t ask until the evening.
- Leave whatever large luggage inwards Hanoi at your guesthouse or at the tour office.
- Lightweight pelting jacket. You tin purchase a half-decent North Face knock-off inwards the Sapa marketplace position for 100,000-300,000 VND, depending on which 1 you lot withdraw in addition to your bargaining skills.
- Winter jacket. If you’re inwards Sapa during the winter, it tin acquire mutual frigidity in addition to mightiness fifty-fifty snow. The Sapa marketplace position sells warm North Face knock-offs, every bit good every bit scarves, gloves in addition to other wintertime gear.
- Earplugs. You don’t acquire to withdraw your housemates for the nighttime in addition to the rice vino flows freely, so earplugs are vital unless you’re a champion sleeper.
- Extra shorts in addition to t-shirts. It gets hot in addition to sweaty inwards Sapa (except inwards winter, when you’ll ask warm layers), so it’s overnice to receive got some construct clean clothes on hand.
- Sunscreen. Because of the high altitude, the UV index inwards the mountains tin live peculiarly high, so have on sunscreen, fifty-fifty if it is cloudy.
- Bug spray. Depending on the fourth dimension of year, you’ll ask protection from mosquitos in addition to other flight insects.
- Bandaids. There’s a lot of uphill in addition to downhill operate to live done, so live prepared for blisters.
- Good hiking shoes. Many of my beau trekkers wore trainers which led to lots of slipping in addition to sliding on the dingy paths. I was happy to receive got my waterproof hiking shoes for meliorate grip on the trails in addition to an easier fourth dimension crossing streams.
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