Ham Rong mountain

Adjacent to the town, Ham Rong mountain is one of the musts for tourists when visiting Sapa.
Being shaped like a dragon’s head dimly looming in the thin veil of the early morning, Ham Rong (Dragon Jaw) Mountain that is fine combination of man-made and natural landscape is an attractive tourist area in the center of Sapa town.
What to see
Ham Rong is home to numerous kinds of flowers and orchard gardens. Wandering stone paths leads tourists to wild peach forest, then orchid gardens with more than 6000 orchid plants belonging to 194 kinds. Besides, there are a lot of indigenous and exotic flowers grown along the paths like Lily of the Nile, hydrangea, geraniums, ox-eyed daisy and cheery blossom. Mountain fruits like peach, plum, and pear are also found here. The scenery hidden in the fog and echo sound from bamboo flute of Mong minority boy change this place into a heaven on the earth.
Another interesting activity is conquering San May (Cloud Yard), the peak of Ham Rong Mountain at the altitude of 1800m to enjoy the imposing panorama of Sapa town. In sunny days, from here tourists can even see the peak of Fansipan under clear sky with white cloud floating around. Along the way to San May, tourists may drop by Cong Troi 1, Cong Troi 2 (Heaven Gate1 and 2) for resting and photo taking. These places also offer visitors a great view to French villas and terraced fields below.
When to go
The best time to visit Ham Rong is spring, when all flowers in the mountain blossom, boast their beauty and perfume.
How to get there
The foot of Ham Rong Mountain is only a short walk from Sapa church. It just takes tourists staying in Sapa town very few minutes to walk from their hotel to Ham Rong Mountain.

Sapa

Sapa is a town in Lao Cai Province in Northwest Vietnam close to the Chinese border. It is located about 350km Northwest of Hanoi. Here is where one will find the Hoang Lien Son range of mountains, which includes Fan Si Pan—the country's highest peak. This quiet Vietnamese town is home to a population which consists mostly of minority groups. There are five main ethnic groups in Sapa: the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Giay and Xa Pho. It is said that Sapa was first occupied by the first four groups, since the Vietnamese from the lowlands (better known as the Kinh) did not colonise the highest valleys. It was only when the French arrived in Tonkin in the 19th century that Sapa was acknowledged and included on the national map. The site where Sapa would be became a key location for the French military as well as missionaries. It was also only in 1993 that Sapa became accessible to many, as this was the year its doors were opened to tourists.

Sapa Attractions

9 The most prominent attraction in the town of Sapa is Fan Si Pan, which is the highest mountain in Vietnam and it is only 19km from town. It may seem like a short distance, but the trek is not easy; the rough terrain and unpredictable weather present some difficulties. Tourists who are fit and have mountain climbing experience will enjoy this attraction the most, as the peak is accessible all year round. Technical climbing skills are not necessary, but endurance is a must. Fan Si Pan can be found in the Hoang Lien National Park, which is an attraction in itself. The park covers a picturesque mountain landscape and several forests, and serves as the habitat for a diverse set of animals. Some species can only be found in Northwest Vietnam and are highly endangered. Nature lovers will truly appreciate this park. Other attractions that are part of the Hoang Lien National Park include the Cat Cat Village and the Ta Phin Village and cave.

Sapa Restaurants/ Dining Scene ADD TO TRIP! 4 Tourists should head on over to P Cau May, which is the main street where all the restaurants and cafés are located. This is where one will find both Delta Restaurant and Gerbera Restaurant, two dining establishments frequented by visitors. Delta Restaurant is known for its reasonable prices, as well as traditional Vietnamese fare and Italian dishes. Those who crave for a taste of the West can visit Gerbera Restaurant and enjoy the rustic and charming décor. Visitors with a sweet tooth will definitely love Baguette & Chocolate Café. This establishment is known as the ultimate destination for chocolate delights and the finest pastries in town. It also serves light meals to patrons. Enjoying a cup of hot chocolate here after a chilly day is truly a treat. Other dining spots worth visiting include Le Gecko Restaurant, Nature Bar and Grill, and Rose Garden.

Sapa Restaurants/ Dining Scene ADD TO TRIP! 4 Tourists should head on over to P Cau May, which is the main street where all the restaurants and cafés are located. This is where one will find both Delta Restaurant and Gerbera Restaurant, two dining establishments frequented by visitors. Delta Restaurant is known for its reasonable prices, as well as traditional Vietnamese fare and Italian dishes. Those who crave for a taste of the West can visit Gerbera Restaurant and enjoy the rustic and charming décor. Visitors with a sweet tooth will definitely love Baguette & Chocolate Café. This establishment is known as the ultimate destination for chocolate delights and the finest pastries in town. It also serves light meals to patrons. Enjoying a cup of hot chocolate here after a chilly day is truly a treat. Other dining spots worth visiting include Le Gecko Restaurant, Nature Bar and Grill, and Rose Garden.

Sapa Restaurants/ Dining Scene

 4 Tourists should head on over to P Cau May, which is the main street where all the restaurants and cafés are located. This is where one will find both Delta Restaurant and Gerbera Restaurant, two dining establishments frequented by visitors. Delta Restaurant is known for its reasonable prices, as well as traditional Vietnamese fare and Italian dishes. Those who crave for a taste of the West can visit Gerbera Restaurant and enjoy the rustic and charming décor. Visitors with a sweet tooth will definitely love Baguette & Chocolate Café. This establishment is known as the ultimate destination for chocolate delights and the finest pastries in town. It also serves light meals to patrons. Enjoying a cup of hot chocolate here after a chilly day is truly a treat. Other dining spots worth visiting include Le Gecko Restaurant, Nature Bar and Grill, and Rose Garden.

Interesting facts about Sapa

The permanent population of Sapa is less than 10.000 people, which is at least 20 times lower than the annual number of local and overseas travelers visiting the town.

The majority of the town’s population is ethnic Vietnamese who live in nearby villages around Sapa, coming to town mainly to shop or to sell their products.

Ethnic Vietnamese from the lowland only migrated to Sapa in the early 1960s, with support of the Government program on migration.

Terraced rice fields in Sapa was ranked as the world's most beautiful terraces by USA Travel and Leisure Magazine

Fan Si Pan Mountain is the highest mountain peak in Vietnam and Indochina which is located only a few kilometers west of Sapa, and can be easily seen from the town itself.

Tram Ton mountain passes between Sapa and Lai Chau, located at nearly 2.000 meters (6.500 feet) is the highest mountain pass in Vietnam.

Muong Hoa valley has 196 strange carvings of the ancient inhabitants thousands of years ago and so far archaeologists haven’t been able to explain this information yet.

Sapa is the "kingdom" of the fruit with a large variety of wild flowers especially immortal flowers which live forever.

Sapa is one of the very few places in Vietnam to see snow. Snow tour is very popular among Vietnamese students.

Perhaps it is the only destination in Vietnam that you must ask for permission if you want to take a photo of an ethnic person.

Teenagers in Sapa speak foreign languages much more fluently than Vietnamese. It is no surprise that sometimes they do not speak national language but prefer English.

There is one Catholic Church in Sapa, which was built in stone in 1930.

Lao Chai, Ta Van and Ta Phin are the most favorite trekking trails. Thousands of tourists who come to Sapa every year walk hundreds of miles of trekking trails between and around the tribal villages.

Sapa appears on the national map of tourist fully in 1993, when all obstacles were cleared to welcome international tourists.

Peru Family Vacation, Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Urubamba White Water Rafting, Mara Salt Mines

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip? Peru
Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:
We just returned from a 10 day trip to Peru with 15 family members. Our agent worked with me to plan every detail of the trip.   Everything went according to schedule and without a single hitch!  Our agent lined up a trip to satisfy every single member in our group ages 71 to 10.  We will never forget this trip of a lifetime!  The trip was planned so that we could adjust to the elevation appropriately.  We started with 3 days, 2 nights in the Amazon jungle.  The resort we stayed at and the activities planned were awesome!  The food was good too.  The kids, ages 10-18 loved that part of the trip the best.  We moved on to the Sacred Valley for 4 days, day 1 full day touring at Pisac ruins,

Ollantaytambo ruins, day 2 full day touring included Chincero weaving demonstration, Moray ruins & Mara salt mines, day 3 was horseback riding for 11 in our group and the other 4 went whitewater rafting on the Urubamba river, and day 4 was our trip to Machu Picchu.  We moved on to Cusco for 2 nights.  Our first full day in Cusco, we did a 1/2 day tour, and a late afternoon chocolate making event for 1 hour at the Choco Museo.  The next morning we left for Lima, spent 1 night in Lima and did a 1/2 day city tour.  We had the afternoon free and headed to the airport by 7:00 pm for our flights back to the U.S.  We were met by representatives at every location at the times stated.  All our tours were private for our group and the guides were awesome.  The food was so tasty throughout our trip.  Our agent made reservations in advance for our dinners.  Be flexible.  We are used to eating lunches around noon, but while touring, most lunches were around 2-3 pm in the afternoon.  We did have protein bars that we packed in our backpack.  Bonus item working with this agent....my husband had requested a surprise birthday cake for me at the restaurant in our Sacred Valley hotel. Our agent personally ordered a cake from a known bakery in Cusco and drove 1.5-2 hours to our hotel to personally deliver it with a nice birthday present!  That is going way above and beyond!  It was a pleasure meeting him in person!  I would not hesitate to recommend this agent and his company for any travel in South America!

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?
Everything was memorable so it's hard for me to pick.  Definitely the Amazon, and the ruins in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu!f you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?
We had 10 days to fit a lot in.  I'd say having a a little more down time would have been helpful, but we were not willing to extend our trip at the time we planned it.  I would drop the Lima tour and just travel back to Lima from Cusco and fly out in the evening.  By the time we were done with everything, we were ready to head home. I think a trip to Lake Titicaca would have been nice to fit in if we had a couple of extra days to spare.

9 unforgettable dishes when traveling Sapa

Sapa tourism is not only famous for magnificent beauty of nature, the fresh cool climate, but also a place has many special foods with bold flavours of the northwestern mountains. We will give you some suggestion of what food you must try when visit Sapa which impressed all of the tourists visiting here.

Bamboo tube sticky rice

Traditional Sapa bamboo tube sticky rice Bamboo tube sticky rice is typical dish of ethnic minorities Northwest region of our country, the main ingredient is sticky rice cooked in bamboo. When it is done, the singed skin of the bamboo is removed, leaving a thin cover that is also peeled away when you eat. Bamboo tube sticky rice is popular and favorite because of impressive taste of sticky rice, mineral water and soft fragrancy of bamboo.

Seven colours sticky rice

Seven colours sticky rice is traditional dish of Nung ethnic minority in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai province.

Seven colours sticky rice is traditional dish of Nung ethnic minority in Muong Khuong District, Lao Cai province. This dish has seven colors such as pink, vermilion, scarlet, bright green, yellow green, banana leaf green and yellow and especially these colors is made from natural tree so the sticky rice has typical taste of the nature here and you can totally feel secure when eating it. In New year day, every family eats this sticky rice and wish for lucky and happy New Year. Cap Nach pork

Grilled Cap Nach pork

A delicious food hard to resist in Sapa.

It is easy to meet the picture of local people carrying pigs or even carring under armpit to sell in the market, and the name "lon cap nach" ( or “ carried-under-arm”) is originated from that. This is special pigs of upland people, local people do not lock pigs in pigpen, they free- range them to find food in the forest or garden since they are piglet. Therefore, after 1 year the pigs weight just about 20kgs and then are brought to the market for sale. Cap Nach Pork is very famous and used for processing a lot of delicious food in many luxurious restaurants.

Grilled food

The cool weather is so perfect for grilled food

The weather in Sapa is cool all year, that why you should never forget to try grilled dishes such as the skewered pork, grilled pork side, quail, skewered beef with enokitake mushroom or “Cai Meo” - a special kale in Sapa,... Cai Meo is a special vegetables here, the bitter taste of this vegetables stagnating on the tongue will make tourist enjoy.

Sapa Peach

Sapa Peach is not only beautiful but also very tasty- one of characteristic of this place

The sweet, sour, acrid taste and unmistakable fragrance is the unique taste of genuine Sapa peach. The gardens of Sapa Peach full of fruit around the town always attracts tourists visiting Sapa. A basket of Sapa peaches will certainly be precious gift for friends and relatives from northwest region.

In addition, if you visit a restaurant here, do not forget to order apple pies served with Sapa honey.

Thang Co

Eating Thang Co together with drinking corn wine which is warm and fragrant, is the essence of the mountains.

Thang Co is one of the most famous dishes of the Mong in the northwest of Vietnam. It exists in every villages and market of the H'mong. Thang Co Sapa is made from horse, a pot of soup which includes meat, organs of horse, vegetables and special kinds of spices. The technique of making it is quite simple. After the animal is killed and washed, its internal parts are removed, which are later cut up. These parts are put in a big pan and fried in their own grease. Minutes later, water is added to the pan and the meat is simmered for hours.

Thang Co is often served with Cai Meo, Ngon Su Hao, Cai Lau – some special vegetables in Sapa... Eating Thang Co together with drinking corn wine which is warm and fragrant, is the essence of the mountains. When food and drinks mix together will create a sense of comfort and unforgetability.

Smoked meat

This is a popular dish of ethnic minorities in Sapa.

As a popular dish of ethnic minorities in Sapa. Smoked meat is made from the meat of shoulder and back of pigs, buffalos, cows and horses. To make smoked meat, they first clarify fat and muscle from the meat, cut into 2-3 centimeters pieces, then marinate with mashed Mac Khen leave, granular salt, pepper and crushed banana nuts. Lastly hang it up over wood stove, the heat and smoke from stove are not only preserved meat not to be spoiled but also make the meat has a very particular taste. Fried bacon with Cai Meo will be very exotic dishes, it is tasty enough to keep tourists this place.

Silkie Chicken ( or silky chicken)

The studies have shown that Silkie Chicken has not only effect of sex ability but also medicinal value especially in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. 

As a special kind of chicken of the Mong with black skin, meat and bone. The meat of Silkie chicken is firm, delicious, crispy skin make eaters feel interesting. The studies have shown that Silkie Chicken has not only effect of sex ability but also medicinal value especially in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The most famous dish made from Silkie chicken in Sapa is grilled chicken with honey. Delicious grilled chicken eating with mint leaves, pepper and salt in lime, will surely sastify the most discerning diners. Silkie chiken is very small, about 1.2 kilogram per one with pitch black skin. the people who sees it the first time will feel a little “disgusting”. Silkie chiken can be processed into many different food but the most delicious dish is grilled chicken with honey. Grilled chicken after finishing still steaming hot, the best is that we eat with mint leaves, pepper and salt in lime, so delicious. Your Sapa trip will be imperfect if you do not try this dish.

Salmon

Salmon Sapa is fine cuisine here, low fat, nutritious and indescribable delicious

Salmon is recently reared sucessfully in Sapa thanks to the temperate climate, similiar to the climate of Europe and North America where is the habitat of salmon. Unlike imported salmon are usually fat, friable meat, farmed salmon in Sapa has firm meat, beautiful pink, low fat and high nutritional value, which can be processed into many different dishes, especially salmon salad, salmon hot pot, grilled salmon ... That is why salmon dish is gradually becoming a luxury dish to treat travelers when coming to Sapa.

Sapa - Vietnam: DELTA RESTAURANT

Delta is an up-market Italian restaurant and wine bar, making the most of fresh local and imported products.

The decor is a little spartan, but the wine list makes up for it. The dessert menu matches the main menus in quality, featuring homemade chocolate gateau and crepes.

Sapa - Vietnam: TOPAS ECOLODGE

Topas Ecolodge is perfectly located for both business and leisure guests in Sapa (Lao Cai). The hotel offers guests a range of services and amenities designed to provide comfort and convenience. 24hr room service, bicycle rental, safety deposit boxes, coffee shop, restaurant are there for guest's enjoyment. Guestrooms are designed to provide an optimal level of comfort with welcoming decor and convenient amenities like refrigerator, television, shower, in room safe, air conditioning. Take a break from a long day and make use of garden. Convenience and comfort makes Topas Ecolodge the perfect choice for your stay in Sapa (Lao Cai).

Based on ecological principles, Topas Ecolodge actively seeks to be a minimum impact facility. The lodge employs local people and uses local products wherever possible. The 25 individual cottages have breathtaking valley views and feel quite secluded, scattered across the hill.

Sapa - Vietnam: the mountains of northern Vietnam

Lovers of hiking, trekking and nature can enjoy Sapa, the mountains of Vietnam, a city located to the Northwest of the country.
The mountainous region of Sapa (Pa Sa in Vietnamese) Although remote, and remote region is famous for its rice terraces, its breathtaking mountain scenery, its biological variety and also the Vietnamese ethnic groups that inhabit the mountain from Sapa region.

Sapa - Vietnam

What to see in Sapa?

The impressive rice terraces, where the Sapa ethnic groups are dedicated to growing rice with help of livestock.

The it Iguazu Thac Bac (Thác Bạc or silver waterfall), a waterfall of 200 meters.

The Bridge May (cầu May), historic bridge that stands on a spectacular mountain landscape.

Heavenly gate (Cổng Chuyện), the end of the mountain from where we can see the highest peak of Vietnam, Fansipan mountain.

The Hoang Lien National Park, with its forests of Dwarf bamboo (Rừng Trúc) and great diversity of orchids.

The Cathedral of Sapa, Sapa Town Hall, Sapa market and the plaza de la Catedral.

The beautiful Lake of Sapa.

About stone carvings or petroglyphs of ancestral Sapa stones (Bai với cổ Sa Pa).

The Colorful costumes Vietnamese tribal ethnic groups in the mountains of Sapa.

What to do in Sapa?

We recommend visiting the Cat Cat village. Small village where we will see how they live the ethnic Vietnamese from the mountains. To access the village Cat Cat there a symbolic price to pay, and for those who want to experience life there, for a small fee you can sleep in a house in the village.

Note: to scroll through Sapa to Cat Cat village you can rent a moto-taxi.

Hiking, climbing, cycling and trekking in Sapa

Due to the high mountain terrain, Sapa is the ideal place for hiking and trekking through Vietnam.
Many agencies organize us a trekking route, where we will see the Grotto Thuy Cung, Gio cave, Gate heavenly, etc.

As an alternative to walking, many tourist agencies organize excursions by bike by Sapa.

What is the best time of year to visit Sapa?

The best time of year to visit Sapa is April and may.
Why? because it is the era in which the vegetation is flourishing and by the climatic conditions of Sapa, will ensure the absence of fog and rain.

Where is Sapa?

Sapa is a city in the pronvicia of Lao Cai, in the North of Vietnam and very near the border with China, distant 376 kilometers Northwest of Hanoi and 38 kilometres from the town of Lao Cai.

Getting to Sapa?

The best option to get to Sapa is catching a train from Hanoi to Lao Cai city, then a bus, from Lao Cai to Sapa.

The more adventurous can opt to rent a motorbike in Hanoi and depart Sapa.

How long does the train from Hanoi to Sapa?

The train from Hanoi to Sapa takes 8 hours on average.

How much is the train ticket to Sapa?

It depends on the company train and the class in which we travel. We recommend the night train, the ticket only one-way cheaper costs about 250. 000VND

What 's railway companies to go to Sapa (Lai Cao)?

There is a Vietnamese public company called Vietnam Railway (the equivalent of the Spanish renfe), which is the cheapest and also of lower quality.
Major private train companies are Tulico, Ratraco, Victoria Express, Livitrans, TSC Express, Royal Train, Et pumpkin, Friendly Express and TransVietnam Train.
Note: one higher price does not mean higher quality, you have to look at the type of train, equipment and the class in which we travel.

Hanoi Railway Station to go to Sapa

Climate and weather in Sapa (Vietnam)

Because of its altitude the climate in Sapa is moderate and with plentiful banks of fog. Winters are cold, even snow. To make an idea, the climate in Sapa is very similar to the weather in Madrid.

Sapa Altutid

Sapa town is located 1600 metres above sea level, being the highest town of throughout Vietnam.

Sapa Mountains

The Sapa area lies on the Hoang Lien Son (Hoang Lien son) mountain range, which is the part East of the Himalayas. The highest of Vietnam and the Indochinese peninsula peak, mountain (Phan-Xi-Pǎng) Fansipan, 3143 meters, is part of the Sa Pa area.

Ethnic tribal Sapa

There are five ethnic groups or tribes in Sapa: H Mong, Dao Do, Tay, Giay and Xa Pho.

Recommendations for Sapa

We recommend buying a train ticket to Sapa (Lai Cao city) round trip. Because sometimes it's hard to find a train ticket to Sapa.

There are many ATMs in Sapa (just on the main street) and bureaux de change usually give an exchange rate low, sowe recommend to carry enough cash (preferably Vietnamese Dong) to cover the cats.

Sapa - Vietnam: BAC HA MARKET

Just over 90kms from Sapa, the Sunday market at Bac Ha is a large local market, populated largely by Flower H’mong and other ethnic minority villagers from the area. Goods range from vegetables to domestic animals. Regular tours to the market depart Sapa at 7.30am.

Sapa - Vietnam: CAT CAT VILLAGE

Cat Cat Village is a mostly downhill 3km walk from Sapa. Wooden houses populated by Black H’mong people cluster close to a waterfall, along with a couple of snack vendors. H’mong women are likely to join for part of the walk.

Sa Pa - Vietnam: MOUNT FANSIPAN

Fansipan is the highest peak of Indochina at 3,143m above sea level. The hike to the summit takes from 1-3 days, depending on fitness, but few operators offer the 1 day option. Don’t underestimate this hike. It is a challenge.

Sapa Resorts: VICTORIA SAPA RESORT & SPA

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa is perfectly located for both business and leisure guests in Sapa (Lao Cai). 

VICTORIA SAPA RESORT & SPA (1)

The hotel has everything you need for a comfortable stay. Car park, meeting facilities, safety deposit boxes, tours, family room are on the list of things guests can enjoy. Designed for comfort, guestrooms offer mini bar, internet access – LAN, balcony/terrace, non smoking rooms, shower to ensure a restful night. To enhance guests' stay, the hotel offers recreational facilities such as spa, massage, sauna, fitness center, steamroom. 

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa (2)

Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa combines warm hospitality with a lovely ambiance to make your stay in Sapa (Lao Cai) unforgettable.

Sapa Resorts: TOPAS ECOLODGE

Topas Ecolodge is perfectly located for both business and leisure guests in Sapa (Lao Cai). The hotel offers guests a range of services and amenities designed to provide comfort and convenience. 24hr room service, bicycle rental, safety deposit boxes, coffee shop, restaurant are there for guest's enjoyment. Guestrooms are designed to provide an optimal level of comfort with welcoming decor and convenient amenities like refrigerator, television, shower, in room safe, air conditioning. Take a break from a long day and make use of garden. Convenience and comfort makes Topas Ecolodge the perfect choice for your stay in Sapa (Lao Cai).

Based on ecological principles, Topas Ecolodge actively seeks to be a minimum impact facility. The lodge employs local people and uses local products wherever possible. The 25 individual cottages have breathtaking valley views and feel quite secluded, scattered across the hill.

Sapa Travel: 10 THINGS TO DO IN CAT CAT VILLAGE

Take photos of the splendidly picturesque view of the hills and the terraced rice fields. You can never get enough snaps. Good thing I was in a solo-tour and my guide had been very patient with me.

Look through the houses of the ethnic minorities in the village and discover how people in this area live. You will often see a big family so in one household; 10 members more or less and you will be amazed at how they share in it.

Visit the school. According to the guide:” 10 years ago, kids wouldn’t go to school without candies”. Currently, the government has made an effort to discourage villagers and tourists in giving of candies -all for the good reasons.

Shop. As you go down the village you will walk past a lot of stalls with ladies selling handicrafts. My attention was glued to the blankets- they are very colorful and beautiful so I asked one lady how much time she had spent to make the blanket and her reply was: “8 months”. One of the overwhelmed Asian tourists announced in his group, ‘This is a shopping Mecca, let’s buy!’

Drink the home-made apple wine. With just 10,000 VND (50cents), you’d have a glass of fine traditionally made wine. I haven’t personally tasted it (I was too exhausted when I got there) but I have seen two tourists take and they did love it.

Talk to the villagers and learn how Hmong say ‘Look’- Loke, Make- ‘Meki’. When you don’t buy you just say, ‘I’m only loke Ioke’ . ;-) I had fun talking to them-they are all nice and friendly. And when you don’t buy, they don’t really harass you.

Check out the falls. As you hike to the bottom of the Muong Hoa Valley you will see the stunning Cat Cat Waterfall. There were already a lot of people when I arrived at this wonderful cascading body of water. There is actually a hydroelectric station , which the French built, that people in Sapa use to generate electricity near the waterfall, and you will see this as you walk down to the site.

Feast your eyes and ears on the Bamboo Dance. For me, getting to know Hmong culture isn't complete without experiencing their music. It was 15 minutes after we had arrived at the waterfall when the show started. So we went into their small theater to watch the talented locals showcase their traditional dance. I watched the show for 20 minutes and took videos.

Try the local delicacy and take loads of photos of them. Chances are-you can no longer find them anywhere else as soon as you have left the village. So while you are in the area, taste their food to remember the experience and capture the moment by recording it on your memory card.

Hike. Yes, it’s all about hiking in Sa Pa. I am not fit, myself but I did survive the ‘medium’ (as described in their brochure) trekking. You’d go over a red bridge as you walk back up to Sapa- you’d see a different view. It’s always refreshing and I had 1000 ‘WOWs’. For one, the weather was cool so I did not sweat a lot; also, the beautiful scenery was always keeping my strength at an optimum level as I carried on.

EATING OUT IN SAPA: Nature View - 051, Fansipan Street, Sapa

Grilled chicken sauteed in lemongrass with steamed rice

One of the pricier and fancier restaurants in Sapa, but totally worth it. This places scores on its excellent ambience, delicious food and quick and friendly service. It serves both local and international cuisine and even does a good Set Menu. I definitely saw more tourists here than locals, probably because of the price range. I particularly enjoyed the chicken sautéed in lemongrass and basil (pictured below), the yogurt sautéed chicken was equally good. They also had a decent number of vegetarian options on the menu so I’d say this is one of those places to eat in Sapa that vegetarians will like eating at.

Other recommendations: Spicy sautéed potatoes, pasta, vegetarian and tofu dishes.

EATING OUT IN SAPA: Antique Sapa - 22A, Phan Xi Pang, Sapa

Grilled chicken sauteed in lemongrass with steamed rice

A simple and high value for money restaurant that does a very good Set Menu. Now a lot of restaurants in Sapa try to attract tourists with local Set Menus that are about $4-5 that consist of a starter, main dish and beverage (hot wine or tea) but not all of them are comparable in terms of taste, quality or portion size. Antique Sapa ranks very high on all of these and has one of the best Set Menus with generous portions and meals that will make you fall in love with local food.

Pictured below from the Vegetarian Set Menu : Curried vegetables (Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, onions and beans) with steamed rice.

Other recommendations: Pumpkin Soup

Things to Do and See in Sapa

Sapa is such a colourful town thanks to the H’mong and Dzao people from the local hill tribes who head into the town’s market every day to trade their produce. There’s a main market every Saturday when the place is packed but there’s a lower key one every other day during the week. These people will have undergone no formal education but the arrival of foreigners has made them well aware of the value of money and many of the youngsters have picked up a basic level of English. They sell clothing and handicrafts which are popular with tourists.

Read the exciting story of some Dutch travellers who visited the Sapa Valley which they describe at Adventure Travel Tales & Tips. Many visitors sign up for trekking expeditions out to local villages and beyond. All hotels and travel agencies in town offer half day visits to Cat Cat just 3km outside of Sapa and full day hikes to Ta Phin village which lies 10km outside town. Spectacular scenery abounds on all treks in the area. Overnight stays in minority villages such as Sin Chai are also popular options.

For stunning scenery you must get out to the Tram Ton Pass 15km from Sapa. At 1900m is the highest in Vietnam and connects Sapa to Lai Chau. All around you are surrounded by almost vertical rice terraces and stunning mountain peaks with regular mists hovering on them. The 100m high Thac Bac waterfall on the same route is spectacular.

Upland fields

For the seriously fit there is a hike to the top of Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak at 3143m. This isn’t a climb to be taken lightly with potentially treacherous conditions when the weather turns bad. From Sapa to the peak is only about 20km yet experienced hikers take three or four days to complete it carrying all their own equipment as there is no accommodation en route. Taking a local guide and even porters is highly recommended. If you are up to such a challenge the rewards are breathtaking.

Sapa - The hidden beauty

Sapa lies in the very north west of Vietnam near the Chinese border.
Along with Halong Bay it is the “other” major excursion from Hanoi. Time permitting you can do a circuit around the northwest highlands which takes in Mai Chau, Son La, Dien Bien Phu, Lai Chau and finally Sapa before heading back to Hanoi. This would take at least a week by private vehicle and longer on local buses. During the wet season roads can be treacherous with landslides common. The best time to visit is from March to May and from September to mid-December.

Sapa

In reality the vast majority of visitors arrive in Sapa from Hanoi via Mai Chau and don’t go on to discover the spectacular scenery of the Tonkinese Alps where Montagnard hill tribes have lived for centuries.

In Sapa these local people have quickly adapted to the incursion of tourism and it’s a common sight to see local women from the hill tribes pursuing foreigners down the main street bartering over colourful clothing and souvenirs. You might find this over the top in Sapa and would benefit from a trip out into the more remote villages where tourism hasn’t had such a nasty social impact. The Montagnards aren’t complaining though as many of them have grown relatively wealthy on the back of the new found cash economy.