Sapa lies on the side of Hoang Lien Son Mountains and 333 km northwest of Hanoi. Sapa and its surrounding are home of mountainous tribal communities with spectacular scenery, natural landscape. It is also the starting point for those who want to conquer the top of Fansipan Mountain, the highest one in Vietnam with the height of 3,143 m. Getting to Sapa from Hanoi, it is very convenient to take night train to city of Laocai and then continue with a 45-minute driving 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. Tourist surely enjoy the breathtaking views and tribes ' culture . 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?
It is September to early December when the weather is pleasant, however, the best time to visit Sapa is March and May or mid-, 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.