From Hanoi to Sapa – A Little Mountain Town

When we got back from Halong Bay, we ended up taking a train that evening from Hanoi to Sapa, Vietnam. And after taking an organized tour of Halong Bay for a couple days, we decided to blaze our own path when we got to Sapa though we noticed when we got there that a lot of foreigners opted for a tour.

One of the local Sapa women in Northern Vietnam

The reason being is that there is a lot to see and do in Sapa and hiking is the main reason many people go there however the small town itself has its own charm and character that is very unique to the rest of Vietnam and you really don’t need a tour if you aren’t planning to hike. The town is very small with a population of only 36,000 and its quite a drive to get there once you arrive to Lao Cai which is the city closest to Sapa where the train arrives. And I would definitely recommend the train from Hanoi to Sapa. Better scenery, an opportunity for good sleeping and usually tickets only slightly more than a bus. However, once you get to Lao Cai, you then have to take a mini-bus to get into town which is about an hour drive but the drive is extremely scenic as the road winds through mountain passes and valleys. Many hill sides are terraced along the way just as they are in Sapa. That feature is very characteristic of Southern China and Sapa is actually very close to the Chinese border. When we got off the train in Lao Cai on our way from Hanoi to Sapa, we headed straight for these mini-buses as the train dropped us off around 5:30AM so there weren’t many places to go other than straight to Sapa but as soon as we asked the drivers the price to get there, we were quickly given the ole ‘tourist price’.

I managed to find my two favorites right before boarding the train in Hanoi - Salt n Vinegar Kettle's and what I call 'Russian Smoked Cheese' ...

They told us tickets would be 250 Dong when in fact the true price (for locals) was merely 30 Dong which, as you can imagine, is a major difference in price. So we had to do the whole song and dance again with the drivers like we do in almost every city as we would have to walk away and then they would continually lower their price by half every time. When they finally arrived at the correct price…almost ten minutes later… we piled into the vehicle with ten other Vietnamese and were on our way.

Welcome to Sapa...

Main lake in the center of Sapa

When we arrived into town, you could immediately tell the difference in climate. This was a mountain town and was downright cold when we arrived. The fact that it was pouring down rain probably didn’t help either.

One of the local restaurants with a mountain view

And after being there all of five minutes, I was regretting having sent home all my winter gear after leaving from Everest Base Camp a few months ago but who would of though it would be cold in Vietnam in the middle of spring?

Yeah, it was a bit cold and rainy...

We spent about two hours running in the rain with all our bags before eventually finding a good place to stay. However, we weren’t alone during our hotel search as the local Sapa women, called the Red Dzao or Dao women, were following us around all over town. Many of them were of course trying to sell their knitted goods but they were extremely friendly, spoke good English and would usually spend about five to ten minutes having a conversation with you before ever trying to sell you anything however some were downright pushy and you would just get used to it after spending a a bit of time here.

Does this poor guy look surrounded?

And after spending many days here, it was hard to avoid these Sapa women almost anywhere you went in town as they would chase you down in the streets and would even run to catch up with you or would come and sit next to you in a park.

And yet another poor lady surrounded....

Since they were so friendly, it was hard not to give in to them. In fact, there were a few we spoke with for twenty minutes that never tried to sell us anything.

I forgot my hat at home.

After getting settled in town, the next thing to do was to decide where to go while we were here. As I mentioned before, many come to Sapa for hiking as it is home to the highest mountain peak in all of Vietnam, Fan Si Pan, which lies at about 3,140 meters above sea level. You can see it pictured below.

You can see the Fan Si Pan mountain peak off to the right

It looked to be a really interesting hike but the problem was you had to have a guide and the hike itself takes two days so unless you wanted to take one of the local Sapa women as your guide on the trails, you’d need your own camping equipment as well. But as for an organized tour, the problem for us was the cost of taking a two day hiking tour to the top. They were asking about $150 which I’d say is way over priced although we saw many travelers booking the trip. Instead we decided to just tour the city as well as the areas just outside it.

OK, I don't know whether to recommend this place for the wine (for a joke) or to tell you to avoid it like the plague. When we went there, we were simply curious about the 'local' wine so we ordered it. Little did we know it would be pure rubbing alcohol. Maybe you can see by the picture how opaque the wine is...Its definitely not wine at all! The restaurant, if you have the chance, is called the "Asimo Restaurant Com Viet" - be sure to order the 'Sapa Wine'

In the main section of town, the streets are lined with open-air markets and small shops selling both hiking and camping gear as well as winter clothing. More specifically, they are loaded with inventory of North Face clothing. A North Face jacket here will cost a fraction of what you would pay in the U.S. or Europe with most jackets averaging between $25 to $60. Are they fake? Yes, probably. However, if you look at the quality and stitch work both inside and out, you would never be able to tell. I did some research while here and found out that North Face actually produces their clothing right here in Vietnam. I also found out that the factories that produce the clothes typically have a factory just down the street that make the same exact garment knock-offs and that the factories are typically run by the same owner. So, did I buy one? Of course I did… for $25USD. Do I need it right now? Not really, and I have yet to wear it, but while you’re here, it’s really hard to pass up. The North Face jackets here are one of the things Sapa is known for.

A local live performance we caught later that week.

Another place we explored was Ham Rong Mountain which looms over the city and provides a great view for miles. We spent at least a half day exploring it as its more of a park area than anything else. There are free local shows that are put on every few hours within the park and we attended one that lasted about thirty minutes. I took some video while we were there of the Sapa locals performing:  http://youtu.be/YodiskzCF0E

Afterward, we drifted over to an open field area to eat lunch and were soon joined by a couple local kids. They were more than impressed by my friend’s hairstyle so she offered to do it for them as well.

Curiosity sets in...

Which leads to making braids...

This turned into quite an event. We spent about thirty minutes with the first girl and later, as we were leaving the park, we were surrounded by another ten local women and one wanted a similar hairstyle done to her. Needless to say, it made for an interesting afternoon…

This was quite an experience...

You can see how impressed the local Sapa women were... I was of course responsible for none of it, just the cameraman!

On another day, we hiked down into the valley that is bordered by Sapa. The name is called ‘Congkhudulich’ which is also known as the ‘CatCat Tourism Area’.

Looking back on Sapa above from the valley below

CatCat overlook

The small vendors lined the pathway on each side

It was a quick hike down into the valley and the road and paths getting down there were lined with more markets from the local women selling their handmade goods. We ended up spending about three or four hours hiking through the hills on both rock pathways as well as wooden bridges. The views along the way were amazing as there were several terraced fields leading down into the base of the valleys below. And of course, there were locals throughout with several stands set up selling everything from drinks and knives to hand knitted scarves and hats.

Crossing paths with the buffalo on the way down the valley trail

A waterfall right at the base of the valley

We had such a great time while here, I’d recommend this place to anyone traveling through Vietnam and to spend at least a few days here. We were soon on our way back from Sapa to Hanoi to catch a flight and were about to embark on a crazy 36 hours worth of straight traveling… that will be another story!

Overlook of Sapa, Vietnam