After touring the busy streets of Hanoi, the next destination for our Vietnam adventure is a trip to peaceful Sapa. We availed of our hotel tour package (USD 75) which includes everything (food, transportation and accommodation).
Our hotel arranged a shuttle bus to pick us up in going to the bus station. We arrived at around 7:30 pm and after awhile we started to board the bus. It is our first time to try a sleeper bus where the seats are reclined.
Sapa lies in a beautiful valley near the Chinese border. It is the north's main drawcard for tourists looking for magnificent scenery and a diverse mix of ethnic cultures in the countryside inhabited by various hill tribes. It was autumn when we were here.
It was raining on our way to Sapa and we didn't get much sleep on the bus because of the motion. We arrived at Sapa around 6 AM and a taxi picked us up from the Sapa bus station together with 3 other people. Upon arriving at the Grand View Sapa hotel, we were told that check-in time is at 2 PM so we were not able to shower. We had some rest and breakfast at hotel before starting the tour. A warm soup is really delicious on a cold and rainy day.
The first day of our Sapa adventure is a visit to Bac Ha Market. It takes around 3 hours from Sapa to the Bac Ha Market. This market is open only during Sundays where different people (Flower H'mong (Red H'mong), Black Dao, Tay, Nung, La Chi, Phu La and other minority groups) from Northern part of Vietnam come here to buy and sell stuff that they need for the week. There are a lot of colorful ethnic clothes, bags, jewelries that you can buy. People are also selling livestock, vegetables, meats and fruits. You can also try different Vietnamese street foods.
We had our lunch at a restaurant nearby that was prepared by our tour guide. From there we were driven to Ban Pho village where we took a short walk around the village where Flower H'mong, Tay and Nung minorities live. We get to see how they cook their food, the places where they sleep and typical village life.
Then we went to visit the Lao Cai Border Gate and Den Mau Temple. Lao Cai border gate is only 1 km far from the railway station. Here you'll see China (Yunnan Province) clearly, take pictures, have some drinks right at the Thuy Hoa park next to Red river.
After the tour, it is now back to our hotel. Evening is free time to visit nearby shops. Dinner at hotel with tour group.
The itinerary for 2nd day is trekking to different villages nearby Sapa. We woke up early to try to catch the sunrise but it was foggy. We stayed at the topmost floor and we have a great view of fansipan when in the rooftop terrace.
Around 9 am, our tour guide fetched us from the hotel. She is a member of Black H'mong tribe which is one of the largest ethnic group in the region. They make up one third of the district's population. H'mong women are commercially minded, selling their embroidered bags, hats and jewellery to tourist. She and her tribe accompanied the tour group to their village - Lao Cai village. From here we passed by a stretched of buildings/stores with European feel, then we enjoyed the stunning views of rice terraces and had lunch with the ethnic minorities when we reached their village.
After lunch, we toured around the village and our guide explained to us how they make their clothings and shared us some stories while heading to Ta Van Village.
When in Ta Van Village, we visited the home stay accommodation before going home. To our surprise, it is not a place where you sleep on the floor / dirt and eat with your hands. It is actually a decent place to stay with proper mattresses, electricity and even wi-fi. We tried their so called "Happy Water", this is what they call their alcohol because it makes them happy after drinking it.
The bus picked us up from the village and sent us to the hotel.
Our hotel arranged a shuttle bus to pick us up in going to the bus station. We arrived at around 7:30 pm and after awhile we started to board the bus. It is our first time to try a sleeper bus where the seats are reclined.
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| Sleeper bus with wifi |
It was raining on our way to Sapa and we didn't get much sleep on the bus because of the motion. We arrived at Sapa around 6 AM and a taxi picked us up from the Sapa bus station together with 3 other people. Upon arriving at the Grand View Sapa hotel, we were told that check-in time is at 2 PM so we were not able to shower. We had some rest and breakfast at hotel before starting the tour. A warm soup is really delicious on a cold and rainy day.
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| Grand View Sapa Hotel Lobby & Restaurant |
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| Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup and Sapa Honey Pancake |
The first day of our Sapa adventure is a visit to Bac Ha Market. It takes around 3 hours from Sapa to the Bac Ha Market. This market is open only during Sundays where different people (Flower H'mong (Red H'mong), Black Dao, Tay, Nung, La Chi, Phu La and other minority groups) from Northern part of Vietnam come here to buy and sell stuff that they need for the week. There are a lot of colorful ethnic clothes, bags, jewelries that you can buy. People are also selling livestock, vegetables, meats and fruits. You can also try different Vietnamese street foods.
 |
| Bac Ha Market |
We had our lunch at a restaurant nearby that was prepared by our tour guide. From there we were driven to Ban Pho village where we took a short walk around the village where Flower H'mong, Tay and Nung minorities live. We get to see how they cook their food, the places where they sleep and typical village life.
 |
| Ban Pho Village |
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| Lao Cai Border Gate |
 |
| Den Mau Temple |
After the tour, it is now back to our hotel. Evening is free time to visit nearby shops. Dinner at hotel with tour group.
The itinerary for 2nd day is trekking to different villages nearby Sapa. We woke up early to try to catch the sunrise but it was foggy. We stayed at the topmost floor and we have a great view of fansipan when in the rooftop terrace.
 |
| At Rooftop terrace |
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| Banana-chocolate Pancake and Vietnamese Pork noodle soup |
Around 9 am, our tour guide fetched us from the hotel. She is a member of Black H'mong tribe which is one of the largest ethnic group in the region. They make up one third of the district's population. H'mong women are commercially minded, selling their embroidered bags, hats and jewellery to tourist. She and her tribe accompanied the tour group to their village - Lao Cai village. From here we passed by a stretched of buildings/stores with European feel, then we enjoyed the stunning views of rice terraces and had lunch with the ethnic minorities when we reached their village.
 |
| Trek to Lao Cai Village |
After lunch, we toured around the village and our guide explained to us how they make their clothings and shared us some stories while heading to Ta Van Village.
When in Ta Van Village, we visited the home stay accommodation before going home. To our surprise, it is not a place where you sleep on the floor / dirt and eat with your hands. It is actually a decent place to stay with proper mattresses, electricity and even wi-fi. We tried their so called "Happy Water", this is what they call their alcohol because it makes them happy after drinking it.
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| Drinking "happy Water" at homestay |
The bus picked us up from the village and sent us to the hotel.
Please check out the video of our trek.
We came back to the hotel around 3 PM. Now it is time for downtown Sapa self-exploration. We get to see a lot of shops selling trekking gears, Winter wear and shoes. They are very cheap but we aren't sure of its authenticity. Walking around we see churches, some statues and a big lake. We then headed back to our hotel for dinner.
After dinner, a taxi took us to the bus station for our trip back to Hanoi.
We came back to the hotel around 3 PM. Now it is time for downtown Sapa self-exploration. We get to see a lot of shops selling trekking gears, Winter wear and shoes. They are very cheap but we aren't sure of its authenticity. Walking around we see churches, some statues and a big lake. We then headed back to our hotel for dinner.
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| Sapa Market |
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| Church |
After dinner, a taxi took us to the bus station for our trip back to Hanoi.
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