Sapa is one of the best places in North Vietnam. When travellers visit Vietnam and North Vietnam, Sapa is a must-see for admiring the natural beauty and learning about the local life.
Located about 350 km to the north-west of Hanoi, Sapa District in Lao Cai Province, is a very soothing place to visit, an attractive little town set over steep hills attracting a large number of international travelers for its views and topographic mountains at the average height of 1500m- 1800m, for its impressive, rugged scenery as well as for its rich cultural diversity.
Besides its naturally gifted beauty combined with human creativity, the topography of the mountains, green forests, Sapa also has long been attracting more and more people for being a miniature Europe with the sub-temperate climate all around the year.
With a subtropical climate in the summer (May to September): blue, clear sky, light wind, slight sunshine, fresh atmosphere, the average temperature of 15-20 degree Celsius and a temperate climate during the winter (from November to February): constantly cold, wet and foggy weather, climate sometimes below 0 degree Celsius, the unique highly seasonal climate is the pride of this charming town.
In the recent years, Sapa even has snow and freeze in several days of winter which attract thousands of Vietnamese to come here and capture the beautiful moment of Sapa.
Summertime is when to go for more gorgeous views than those at any other time of year, winter is a time for blurry landscape full of mystery, the white color of snow covering all roads and fields, spring is when the town is blossoming with pink and white flowers, green pastures in valleys and autumn offers views of exceptional yellow terraced fields.
Each season in Sapa has its own charm making it the foremost choice for honeymoon couples!
A modest land but hiding many wonders of the natural scene, the foggy town of Sapa is the convergence of the fascinating natural scenery and peaceful life: Fansipan- the highest peak in Vietnam – the rooftop of Indochina, Ham Rong Mountain, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo Forest, Silver Waterfall.
If you want to experience the unique lifestyle of local, just spend 1 hour walking around Cat Cat village or exploring Ta Phin Cave where local tribes still live in a traditional way.
If you love photography, let’s go around Muong Hoa Valley; the winding mountain passes, the lush vegetation, golden terraced fields set amid the swirling clouds in the harvest season; the detached wooden mansions and villas perched on top or side of the hills as well as the dazzling orchid and peach gardens. You will have amazing photos.
With craggy topography, there are a lot of exciting activities for you in Sapa. If you love challenging and thrilling activities, just join in mountain climbing tour with Asia Incredible Journey. You would have a chance to conquer Fansipan – the roof of Indochina on your foot. If you enjoy driving a motorbike, Sapa surely satisfies your desire of conquering hard and dangerous road.
If you love investigating about the culture, Sapa is the home to eight different ethnic minority groups: Hmong, Tay, Giay, Dao, Muong, Thai, Hoa (ethnic Chinese), and Xa Pho, is well known for its special cultural diversity in a combination of ethnic minority groups’ culture.
Therefore, it will definitely be such a pity if you leave Sapa without discovering the unique customs of the local residents; visiting local markets - the town’s typically cultural element; enjoying ethnic minorities’ customs including: Mong Festival, Nao Cong Festival and knowing more about local ethnic people's courtship and marital life, through the Sapa love market and wife kidnapping ceremony of the Hmong group. They all are unforgettable memories in Vietnam.
It is undeniable that Sapa is also a heaven of food. Here you will be overwhelmed by grilled dishes: grilled pork, grilled beef, grilled vegetable and especially Com Lam (grilled rice in bamboo). Enjoying grilled meat with Com Lam in the windy and cold weather of Sapa is an unforgettable memory.
Sapa also has a lot of pubs and bars which serve beer, wine, tequila as well as local wine. Don’t worry about the drink in Sapa!
The best time to visit Sapa is from May to September when the sky is clear and there are beautiful terraces along the road. That will be so wonderful to visit Sapa this time when the terrace field is filled with the colourful rice. You may do trekking through the terraced rice fields and take the best photos of your life while interacting with the local people there.
There are some options for you to take a Sapa Tours from Hanoi. You may book the Sapa Tours with a local travel operator from Hanoi which they will arrange the package tours for you from Hanoi and back to Hanoi. You also can book a train ticket or bus ticket from Hanoi and book the Sapa Tours online with a local operator in Sapa then the guide will pick you up in Lao Cai or Sapa.
Catch the train from Hanoi around 09.30 - 10.00 depending on the train schedule and company you choose. There are some trains you may choose such as Victoria Train (Luxury), Sapaly (Deluxe), Chapa Train ( Deluxe), Fanxipan Train (Deluxe), King Express (Deluxe), Livitran Train (Deluxe). The train tickets cost around $ US 35.00 - 40.00/ person for 4 berths sharing cabin. You will arrive in Lao Cai the next morning around 05.30 - 06.00 AM where you will catch a bus/car to Sapa. The road from Lao Cai to Sapa will amaze you with the beautiful view. If you go by private car you may tell the driver to stop somewhere to admire the green fields.
In Sapa, you may join in some tours to Cat Cat Villages, Lao Chai and Tavan Villages, Matra and Taphin Villages. There are some more destinations for you to visit such as Silver Waterfall, Heaven Gate, Dragon Jaw Moutain and Sapa Town.
2 days or 3 days for Sapa Tour is recommended by our experts
From Hanoi, you may catch a tourist bus. The tourist bus cost about $US 20.00 - 30.00 /person and the bus can pick you up from your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter around 07.30 AM.
You will arrive in Sapa around 13.00. You may check in the hotel, have lunch then do the tour in Sapa in the afternoon or next days. For going back to Hanoi you may catch the bus in the morning or afternoon. The schedule in the morning is around 08.00 AM and afternoon is around 03.00 PM.
If you visit Sapa by bus, 3-day tour is recommended by our experts.
That is the same to the bus but taking a private car/van is more comfortable for you if you are a bigger group for about 4 or 6 persons or when you have a better budget. The private car/van gives you the flexibility for departure time. That also gives you the privacy when you are with kids or a group of friends.
When you take a private car/van you can use your car/van in Sapa easily wherever you want to visit and when you go back to Hanoi you also can set up the time easily.
Some Recommended Sapa Tours from Incredible Asia Journeys:
Thank you for submitting your booking request with us. Please kindly check your email!
Vietnam Tour Operator - Incredible Asia Journeys
