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.