Sapa lies on the side of Hoang Lien Son Mountains, 333 km northwest of
Hanoi, close
to Chinese border. This area has spectacular scenery, many natural sites and is
home to diverse mountain tribe communities, especially, it is also the starting
point for those who want to conquer the top of Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain
in Vietnam at 3,143 m.
Getting to Sapa from Hanoi, it is very convenient to take
a train to Lao Cai and then continue with a 45-minute drive to Sapa. Alternatively,
adventurers can reach
Sapa by road.
What to Do ?
Shrouded in mist,
Sapa was originally a hill station built by the French in 1922
for summer retreats from
Hanoi. Here, people can relax and enjoy the breathtaking
views. The best way to get around Sapa is to walk and almost everywhere it's steep.
Besides, Sapa is also a good base for trekking, climbing, cycling and motorbike
trips to explore the mountainous region as well as Montagnard villages. Visits to
markets are also a highlight of most trips.
When to go?
The best time to visit
Sapa is March and May or mid-September to early December
when the weather is pleasant. Before or after these periods, it is different experiences.
The winter is cold and brings fog and drizzles while the summer is warm and has
frequent showers. The rainy season starts in May through September.
Travel Tips: In Sapa, you will meet ethnic vendors, who keep following you to sell handmade articles.
It is fine to buy, but if you are not interested, you might want to take care to
show lack of interest. Also please note that it'd better to separate handmade articles
within your bag preventing some color bleeding as those beautiful articles are used
natural dyes. Riding on motorbikes around
Sapa is interesting, adventurous and becomes
a popular option. However, just do it with experienced riders or a tour guide.
