Sapa - trekking and ethnic minorities
You can’t mention Sapa without talking about mountains, trekking/hiking, rice terraces, ethnic minorities, local villages, and rice wine. Sapa offers it all.
Sapa town is located in northern Vietnam, approximately 5-6 hours drive from the capital, Hanoi, and about 36 km or 1 hour’s drive from the border with China.
The town of Sapa is where most people arrive and depart from.
Sapa town has changed quite a bit in recent years since the highway has been extended from Hanoi for most of the way. On weekends, many locals drive to Sapa, which can make the streets a bit chaotic.
If you walk around the town, you’ll find many small restaurants and spa/massage places.
For many visitors to Vietnam, Sapa in the northwest corner of Vietnam is their favorite destination. Sapa and the surrounding area are not just beautiful nature with picturesque mountains and rice terraces, but also an exciting encounter with ethnicity in the area.
The town is a charming ‘Hill station’ in northern Vietnam (1500 meters above sea level) – near the Chinese border. The town was established by the French in 1922, but over the years, many of the beautiful colonial buildings have decayed. Approximately 3000 people live in Sapa. Many refer to the region as the Tonkinese Alps, and the area is famous for both its fine, rugged nature and its rich cultural diversity.
The region is home to many mountain tribes, rice terraces, lush vegetation, and Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam and old Indochina (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia). But due to an increasing number of tourists in the area, Sapa has quickly become a place where money plays a much more central role in the locals’ mindset. Unlike most places in Vietnam, here you will encounter vendors who can be very persistent when trying to sell their goods.
It’s also worth checking out some of the colonial buildings left by the French colonialists, such as the church, the square, and the town hall.
How do you get to Sapa?
There are 3 ways to get to Sapa – by night train, bus, or private car.
The train from Hanoi to Lao Cai station takes about 8 hours. Upon arrival at Lao Cai station, there’s about a 1-hour bus ride to Sapa town itself.
By car or bus, it takes about 6 hours and takes you directly to Sapa town. In recent years, a new type of sleeper bus has been introduced, where you have your own small cabin. However, you shouldn’t be much over 180 cm tall to lie comfortably with bent legs.
For me personally, the train is more charming than the bus or car.
Most of our guests choose to travel by train, despite the longer travel time. The train itself is an experience.
There are different classes on the train, and we recommend the 4-bed cabins, also known as soft beds. Although it’s called soft beds, don’t expect luxury. It’s a decent and, for most people, comfortable way to travel.
Some say they slept well and had a good trip, while others say they would never do it again, but they’re glad for the experience afterward. Not everything on a trip to a country like Vietnam is always smooth sailing; some experiences aren’t fun in the moment, but the memories and subsequent reflection mean many wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Etniske minoriteter
In the area, there are many ethnic minorities – in fact, there are 8 minority groups here:
- H´mong
- Dao
- Tay
- Giay
- Muong
- Thai
- Hoa
- Xa Pho.
Trekking in Sapa
Mountains & Rice Fields
Sapa offers scenic surroundings, with mountains and rice terraces stretching as far as the eye can see.
Whether you prefer an easy hike on the small gravel and asphalt roads, balancing on the 20 cm paths between the rice fields, or something more demanding, Sapa is ready to dance with you.
Get Around by Car or Motorcycle
If you’re physically unable to hike or cycle in the mountains, there are a couple of other alternatives.
We can hire a driver who can take you on the back of a motorcycle, so you can still get out into the mountains and have an adventure.
Sapa can also be experienced by car.
While you may not be able to venture as far as on a motorcycle or by trekking, you can still meet the locals and enjoy the fantastic views and beautiful nature Sapa has to offer.
Weather in Sapa
In Sapa, there are 4 seasons, and locals boast that you can experience all 4 seasons in one day. It’s cool in the early morning hours, warm and comfortable in the hours after sunrise, hot in the afternoon, and cold at night.
In winter (from November to February), it’s always cold in Sapa, and it can be wet and foggy. In rare cases, the temperature can drop to freezing, and it can snow. That being said, and if you dress accordingly, Sapa is still beautiful in its own way and worth visiting. However, there are no rice fields during this period.
In summer, it’s still possible to visit Sapa despite the rainy season; you should be aware that it can rain, and mud can be part of the hiking experience in the mountains. July and August are very wet, and it can rain a lot – but it’s also during this time of year that the rice terraces are most beautiful.
The best time to visit Sapa is from March to May when the weather is stable with cool nights and sunny days.
From September to November, it gradually gets cooler, but it’s also in September and October that the locals are very active in the fields during the harvest, and the rice terraces can be seen in yellow and brown colors.
Where to stay in Sapa?
Homestay i Sapa
Når du er ankommet til Sapa by, og starter din vandring går turen for de fleste ud i bjergene mod et homestay.
Et homestay kan både være et lille hus hvor de har et ekstra værelse eller to. Det kan også være et hus der har fået udbygget førstesalen eller tilbygget nogle værelser til gæster.
Homestay er ofte som standard en form for sovesal. Er du ikke til det, beder du os blot booke et privat værelse til jer. Vær dog obs på at væggene her kan være af tynd bambus eller tilsvarende.
When you book a trip with Sapa included through Travel More Asia
