Sapa

Sapa is a beautiful, mountainous town in northern Vietnam along the border with China.

Understand

Located at 1500 meters (4921 feet) above sea level in Vietnam's remote northwest mountains, Sapa is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity. Sapa is an incredibly picturesque town that lies in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range near the Chinese border in northwestern Vietnam, known as "the Tonkinese Alps". Sapa and its surrounding region is host to many hill tribes, as well as rice terraces, lush vegetation, and Fansipan, the highest peak in Vietnam. Other great mountains like Aurora & J, where Sa Pa sees the first rays of sun, make up a very steep valley. However, as a result of a recent surge in popularity Sapa has rapidly become a tourist hotspot where money is the new drug of choice. Don't be put off by the rush, your explorations of the surrounding countryside will be worth the trouble. Be mindful of all the locals selling in the streets as they can be quite demanding. Groups of locals can be known to follow visitors around, aggressively selling handmade goods. The local government does not encourage tourists to buy from street sellers or give money to children, however it has become customary to hand out toothbrushes to the children.

Ethnic Minorities

Rice field in Sapa

Many ethnic minorities live in and around Sapa. Excluding the Kinh people or ethnic Vietnamese, eight different ethnic minority groups are found in Sapa. They include H'mong (pronounced Mong), Dao (pronounced Yao), Tay, Giay (pronounced Zai), Muong, Thai, Hoa (ethnic Chinese) and Xa Pho (a denomination of the Phu La minority group). However, the last four groups comprise less than 500 people in total. The population of the district is estimated at 31,652 (1993) of which 52% are H'mong, 25% are Dao, 15% are Kinh, 5% are Tay and 2% are Giay. Around 3,300 people live in Sapa town, and the remainder are peasant farmers distributed unevenly throughout the district.

Many older women make items such as ethnic clothes and blankets to sell to tourists. Striking up a conversation with them can be very rewarding and their spoken English is impressive. Sadly, doing this in Sapa town will sometimes lead to a scrum as other vendors taste a potential sale.

Children from these ethnic minorities often begin to support their families financially through selling trinkets to tourists. Do not encourage this by buying from children - buy from adults. They peddle small metal or silver trinkets, embroidered pillow cases and friendship bands in the main town, and often walk for several hours from their surrounding villages to reach the town. At the end of the day, some take a motorbike ride back to their village, some walk home and some sleep in the market.

Children have poor or non-existent dental hygiene. As the signs around town say, do not give them candy or sweets - it will cause dental issues. If you want to give them something, safe toys from your home are highly regarded.

There are schools in Sapa's villages. Most of them lack essential learning tools like books, pens or pencils. Give those to the teachers if you'd like.

Girls and boys get married young (around 15-18) and often have two children by the time they are 20 years old. Poverty has led to a great number of girls leaving their villages each day to go sell trinkets in Sapa town.

Weather

The billboard in Sapa states proudly of its weather: "Four seasons in one day." Chilly winter in the early morning, spring time after sunrise, summer in afternoon and cold winter at night.

In winter (the 4 months between November and February), the weather in Sapa is invariably cold, wet and foggy (temperatures can drop to freezing and there was snow in 2011). Travelers have rolled into town on a glorious clear day and proceed to spend a week trapped in impenetrable fog. When it is like this there really isn't very much to do. Also, the rice paddys are brown & empty (they are planted in spring), the paths very muddy & slippery & the glorious vistas of summer are completely hidden in the mist. If you choose to visit in winter, bring along warm clothing or prepare to be cold and miserable, as many hotels do not have efficient heating in their rooms. During that time, the more upscale hotels that do have heating fill up quickly, so make reservations in advance if you can afford not to freeze. (Or don't go there in winter time).

It rains very often during the month of August, especially in the mornings - though this is also the time when scenery is at its greenest and most beautiful.

Travel Tips

Bear in mind that some of the minorities do not wish to have photos taken of them - ask permission beforehand. To ask for permission, smile, lower your head down and raise your camera up to ask. If you take pictures of anyone, it's considered polite to show them their pictures. Most won't charge you for a photo.

Bring along a poncho, or you can also buy a cheap one in the many shops around. Rubber boots and trekking shoes can be rented from some shops or perhaps at the hotel you are staying in. However, do bear in mind that they have limited sizes. If you are going trekking these are highly recommended, particularly if it has been raining!

Do buy some hand made items direct from the ethnic minorities, especially if you have enjoyed a good conversation or received help from them. Though they do charge slightly more than the shops, bear in mind that the majority of them are very poor and depend on tourist money to survive.

If you want to support the ethnic minorities, try to hire a guide directly instead of doing it through your hotel. This way all your money goes directly to the minorities instead of the 50% they get if booked through a hotel or agency. Some hotels ask for $30 per person for private trekking of group of 2-4, but will only pay $10 to the guide.

If you want to save money, some locals will guide you on a 4 hour hike to their village (including a lunch) for 600k VND (30$). Keep in mind that this very cheap price does not include return transportation. You will have to come back on your own or hire a taxi (around 50k VND or 3$).

Get in

By train

From Hanoi it is a 8-hour train journey to Lao Cai Railway Station, the gateway to Sapa.

Vietnam Railways operates 3 services everyday: 2 express trains SP1/SP2, SP2/SP3 and 1 local train LC1/LC2. Occasionally during high season and national holidays the railway company may announce additional services, such as SP7/SP8 and LC3/LC4 services. Express trains run during the night and stop only in major stations, whereas local trains run during daytime at slower speed and stopping in all stations along the Hanoi - Lao Cai railway line.

The train consists of a single dragging engine head carrying cars operated by Vietnam Railways and cars operated by private railway companies, such as Tulico, Ratraco, Fanxipan, Orient, Pumpkin, King, Sapaly, Chapa and Victoria. Vietnam Railways provides cars for different classes: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper. Cars operated by private railway companies are generally soft sleeper only, with 2-berth or 4-berth compartments.

Warning: several private cars are not significantly better than standard Vietnamese sleeping cars though, and still substantially more expensive. Pumpkin second class is actually a VNR car booked via this company. Even Pumpkin first class only has a squat toilet (although a sign above the toilet door says: "western style toilet"!).

Orient Express Soft Sleeper

Cheaper tickets (especially those in hard sleeper class) can be hard to come by at times as tour companies and travel agents will snap up these tickets to sell to their own customers... too frequently a promised soft sleeper berth will turn into a hard sleeper when it comes time to board. To avoid ripoffs it's often better go to the train station by yourself and get the ticket from the ticket office. This is the only way to make sure that you will get what you have paid for. Travel agencies in Vietnam are known for their bad business practices. Although one cannot be assured of finding a place, it is often possible to arrive at the station a short while before boarding time, as there are usually young men hanging around trying to hawk unfilled berths at the last minute. The price of these tickets will fall dramatically as departure time draws near.

Prices vary according to both the type of class purchased and the season during which you are traveling. The times around Vietnamese holidays are particularly expensive and tickets cannot be assumed available for same day travel, so book ahead if possible. Travelers are highly recommended to purchase a berth in a soft or hard sleeper car, though the trip in soft seat class is not intolerable.

The ticket price for Vietnam Railways generally ranges from 150k-385k VND (6-17 USD), depending if the fare is hard seat up to soft bed. Tickets for private railways companies are more expensive, ranging from 650k-3,500k VND (30-150 USD) for a soft bed in a 4-berth or a 2-berth compartment. Prices depend on the company, some brands offer standard cars such as the ones operated by Vietnam Railways with minor upgrades and some offer completely revamped cars with luxurious interiors and 5 star service.

Besides the seat and sleeper cars there is usually a dining car serving good, surprisingly affordable noodles (10k dong) and rice porridge (10k dong), but it's always wise to bring your own snacks and drinks as well. Be warned: if you're offered food or drink by any of the workers on the train, know that it's not free.

If you are backpacker, bring an instant noodle cup ($1) with you. There's free hot (boiling!) and cold water at the entrance gate of each car. The left tap is usually hot and the right cold. "BEWARE" if you are a first time user - on the hot value, the cold water will come for 20-30 seconds before the boiling flows out and cooks your hand!

If you have very rigid travel dates, traveling on a public holiday, or can't be bothered to head down to the train station before your train departs you can book tickets online before you come to Vietnam. Tickets to Lao Cai/Sapa can be booked at the official online ticketing site of Vietnam Railways available in Vietnamese and English, dsvn.vn, but only if you wish to travel in cars operated by the national railway company. Although the website provides the option for foreign payments, it does not work.

Train tickets for Vietnam Railways are now electronic, so when you book online you will receive an e-ticket that you can print or carry on your mobile phone ready for boarding. Private railway companies still work traditionally with physical tickets, so in case you book online you should receive a voucher that you can exchange for a physical ticket at the office of that company in Hanoi Railway Station or Lao Cai Railway Station.

Trains bound to Lao Cai depart from the west side of Hanoi Railway Station accessible from Tran Quy Cap St, not the main entrance located in the east, Le Duan St. This entrance is commonly referred as Entrance B or Tran Quy Cap Railway Station, although it's still part of Hanoi Railway Station.

The train ends at Lao Cai Railway Station. From there, dozens of mini buses will be waiting outside the station to take you the remaining distance to Sapa, usually at a 'fixed' rate of 50-60k dong or US$2.50-$3 (July 2013) or US$25 for a private car. However aggressive touts have also quoted rates of US$5, but charged 200k-300k dong once they have your luggage in the van (April 2017). In off-season, the price can be as low as 30k dong (May 2017). It's best to ask your hotel to arrange a car for you, as they'll get you a guaranteed flat rate. It's often possible to bargain down to a lower price, depending on demand. However, if demand is low and the bus is not completely full, the driver will sometimes cruise around trying to find additional passengers. An alternative option is to use the public bus to Sapa, which runs regularly starting from 5:20 am and costs no more than 30k dong. Just cross the parking lot to the street and you will see the bus stop there. The buses are red and yellow. The ride to Sapa is about an hour of beautiful views (if the weather is good, it may be an hour of fog at other times) more than 1000 meters up into the mountains. Warning: The road to Sapa is incredibly curvy. If you're prone to motion sickness at all, take medication or you'll likely spend the ride vomiting into a bag.

You may want to book a return ticket when you buy your outward journey, as picking up tickets in Lao Cai is harder than in Hanoi. Ticket counter at the train station is open 8 to 10 am and from 2 pm. The staff do not speak as much English, and they possibly only sell tickets for travel on the same day so sleepers may already be sold out unless you go first thing in the morning. Pay attention to the time of your return train. Trains leaving Lao Cai around 20h00 will arrive in Hanoi at around 5h00 early in the morning.

The train can often run 1-2 hours late. Have some instant noodle in your personal bag along with some activities.

If you go back to Hanoi by Sunday night, be prepared. The train is usually full. Some conductors may let people sneak aboard your car. They will sleep along the passage, in front of the restroom or anywhere else they can find space.

Women traveling alone: be warned. Each sleeping car has cabins that accommodate 4-6 people per cabin. The cabin has a heavy door that locks "from inside". When locked, the door reduces noise considerably. If you're feeling unsure, it's better to ask for the upper bunk. While the upper bunks are less comfortable than the lower bunks, you'll likely feel safer.. Plus, there's less smell from the feet of your cabin partners.

If you don't make prior arrangements to return at an early hour, you may find yourself sitting outside of your hotel, waiting for the desk to open. If this has happened, ask your taxi to bring you to Hoan Kiem Lake instead of your hotel and use the spare time to watch early morning activity. The south-west bank of the Lake will give you the stunning Sunrise view over the lake's Pagoda. BTW, the famous Den Ngoc Son temple is at North East bank. The coffee shop will open around 06:00am. Have your breakfast there while looking and the warm and lovely sunrise.

If you don't want to walk around, ask your taxi to take you to the north-west side around City View cafe. Walk across the road to the north bank with your luggage. Then you can walk along Hang Dao road (west) or Hang Be road (east) until Hang Bac to watch the vendors on their bicycles.

By sleeper bus from Hanoi

The bus station in Sapa is in the centre of town, near the lake. While you are more likely to pay between 250k to 350k VNDs (December 2014) for a sleeper bus to Sapa from Hanoi,you can book sleeping buses to Hanoi for only 300k dong from SaPa (Dec 2013). Most buses you can book through travel agents for almost the same price. For online booking, travellers can book their tickets through Vexere platform, which shows schedules and price option of different bus operators in Vietnam. Minibuses to Lao Cai drive around looking for passengers, if you get on empty minibus it could take up to one hour. They drive very slowly, so it could take one hour for a 35 km journey. Price for locals seems to be around 50k dong. I agreed for lower price with them, but in the half way they started to collect money and asked for higher rate. I paid just agreed amount and they forced me out of the bus half-way. A good option to get between Lao Cai and Sapa is to go near the beginning of the road and hitchhike for private car. Many Vietnamese tourist traveling by their car in this route, and will take you for free or 30-40 thousands dong, it is faster even including time needed to walk to the road book online at Bus Hanoi to Sapa

By express bus from Hanoi

The Sapa Express Bus, Hanoi - Sapa - Hanoi departs daily at 7 AM via the newly built (September 2014) Hanoi - Lao Cai highway. It takes about 6 hours of driving from Hanoi to Sapa, depending on traffic and weather (they say 5 hours, but it averages 6 hours). You will enjoy the view of the Vietnamese countryside along the road and it is by far the quickest and easiest way to travel between Hanoi and Sapa. The buses are also brand new and very comfortable - they include a bottle of water and a small snack. Note that there is no toilet, and they only make one rest stop along the way (but can apparently stop for you if you give them a few minutes notice). Most travel agencies in Hanoi can arrange the ticket, costing about USD 16/person/way (Update: $11USD September 2016) - or you can book through Sapa Express directly. If you book through your hotel it should cost less and include a free pickup from your hotel in the Old Quarter.

Limo service from Hanoi

Your hotel can arrange door to door Limo service from Hanoi for $25 US. The 10 person Limo/Van are very efficient in that they will pick you up at your hotel and drop you at your next hotel. They also stop at the Hanoi airport if needed, as it is on the way. It makes 2 stops at rest areas for WC and food. Some limos have good wifi service for most of the trip.

By bus From/to Cat Ba

Cat Ba Express Bus Company provide a bus from Cat Ba to Hanoi and then go to SaPa with the price is $24 include everything that you do not need to pay for anything else (water, speed boat,...) with a funny and experience Tour guide. They have different choices: From Cat Ba to Sapa:

The first choice: Depart at 8:45a.m and reach to Hanoi at around 12:30p.m - 1:00p.m then they will leave you at office that you can take a rest or go to get some Fast lunch or buy something to bring with you. The bus will leave at 1:30p.m and go direct to SaPa at 7:00p.m on a sleeping bus.

The Second choice: Depart at 4:00p.m and reach to Hanoi, then you will have around 1:30 - 2 hours in Hanoi - that is enough time for us to discover some famous and tradition street food in The Old Quarter. The bus will leave to SaPa at 10:00p.m to 3:00a.m. You could sleep on the bus until 6:00a.m then start your day with a trekking at SaPa. The bus will not make you tired cause they are sleeping bus from Hanoi to SaPa.

The Third choice: Depart at 4:30p.m and go straight to SaPa by sleeping Bus to the boat and then straight to SaPa.

From Sapa to Cat Ba: 20.00 pm to go straight to Cat Ba. Get to Cat Ba around 7.00 am

From Hanoi ---> Cat Ba: 7.30 ; 10.45 ; 14.00

From Cat Ba ---> Hanoi: 9.00 ; 12.30; 16.00

You can reach their website here "http://catbaexpress.com/" to see all the details, make booking online and chat direct with them through what'sapp +84976951999 or email: [email protected]

By bus from Lao Cai

Local minibuses leave from in front of the Lao Cai train station (there's a big blue sign saying Bus Station Lao Cai - Sa Pa) at 5:40, 6:00, 7:00, and every 30/60 minutes until 18:00. Price is 30k VND (may 2019), stated on the bus door, and it includes bags. The ride is about 1h 15min, the minibus has AC and the road is fine. There are several stops in Sapa, ending at the stone church.

Warning: to take the local bus, you have to go outside the train station (just across the street, 10 seconds walk). When you get out of the train you will see a stend claiming 46 000 VND for bus. You will also see some ‘’taxi’’ asking you if you want go to sapa and claiming they charge the same price as local bus, but they charge more. So for the local bus, go outside the train station and go across the street (you will see the yellow and red bus).

When you exit the train station, there will be a row of small coffee stalls to your left. The one nearest to the main station entrance is run by a seemingly (and overly) friendly middle–aged woman who will try very hard to get you to her stall to have some coffee. She will tell you when the next bus is going and then tell you to come wait at her stall. DO NOT GO WITH HER. She will sell you small coffees (that should absolutely cost no more than 20k VND at a stretch) for 50k VND each. That is how much a Starbucks cold brew costs, and for that, you're not getting a lukewarm cup of coffee that you drink sitting by the roadside inhaling motorcycle/bus/car fumes.

By bus from elsewhere

The road to Dien Bien Phu is in bad condition, bus costs around 230k dong (Jul 2019) It is small and crowded. Journey takes about 8 hours. If you take night bus to Dien Bien Phu, there is connecting bus to Muang Xay in Laos, which seems to wait for arrival of Sapa bus even if it is late.

There are two buses daily from/to Ha Giang. Price is 250.000 vnd, and it takes about 8 hours.

By motorcycle

Sapa can also be reached by motorcycle from Hanoi by a variety of routes. The most direct route takes at least ten hours for first time riders, though local expats often brag about making it in less. Bikes can be rented in Hanoi for unguided passage, or local guides can lead the way. Along the way be sure to top up with fuel regularly, as petrol stations sometimes prove few and far between. It's also useful to note that fuel vendors in small towns often mix the petrol with other liquids such as alcohol or bio-fuels, and such fuel should be bought and used only when there are no alternatives.

Get around

Anywhere in the main village of Sapa can be reached on foot, and the town is small enough that you're not likely to get lost. A basic map will be good enough for most travellers.

The way to CatCat is taxed at 70k dong (November 2018),while the way to Ban Ho & Lao Chai villages are taxed 75k dong in one ticket. The way to Ta Phin village is taxed at more than 20k dong as well.

Tourists intending to trek to the various villages through the paddy fields should be prepared with good trekking shoes or rubber boots, a walking stick and extra clothing kept in a waterproof bag. These treks are best done in groups as the guides know where they are going and can help you if you get lost or fall over. Depending on the season, the rice fields, which are build in terraces, can be very muddy and slippery. If one does not wear shoes which enables a good grip in the mud, one is likely to keep slipping and falling or even sliding down the slopes! As the paths are also taken by water buffalos, excrement can be found everywhere. Walking sticks can be bought from children from the ethnic minority groups at about 5k dong. These enterprising children cut sturdy bamboo and sharpen one end to turn them into sturdy sticks. You'll also find local people offering to hold your hand throughout the trip, buy some souvenirs from them at the end for their help!

For the less adventurous, some of the villages, such as Lao Chai and Tavan villages, are accessible via jeep, motorcycle and van.

Renting a motorcycle in Sapa is a real challenge. The operators (18-20 year old boys) will want your passport as the guarantee, or a $250 deposit. However, be careful about handing out your passport. You can usually rent motorcycles from your accommodation as well. The price of renting is around $4 - $7 depending on whether they are manual or automatic, engine size, new/old model, etc. One day rental time is from morning until evening of the same day. You must return the motorcycle around 6 pm, though 7 pm can be agreed in advance.

Be very careful when you're driving - these are not the roads that you're used to. Mountain Dirt is not delicious. There are no doctors or emergency services. And if accident occurs while you're out of town, no one will know where you are. Drive slowly. Downhill at 15-20 km/hr is the safest bet - use your horn at every corner.

DO NOT FORGET TO WEAR A HELMET.

See

Sapa is a charming mountain town, surrounded by picturesque mountains and rice terraces. Great views of the area can be had (weather permitting) from the nearby hills. One of these has been built up into a tourist attraction ("Ham Rong Resort") with various gardens (orchid, European), ethnic minority dance performance areas, viewpoints, and restaurants. It's a short walk south from the central square and then up some stairs. Entrance to the resort is 70k dong. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the observation platform. There are lots of different paths to divert you from the main trail but don't worry they all go to the top. It's a real quirky place and fun to see. The gardens are well kept and interesting.

Nearby (6km taxi ride, 3km hike up the hill) is the Fansipan, the highest mountain in all of southeast Asia. You can take the two days hike up or the very new Austrian made cable car (700k Dong two-way). Take a taxi to the cable car station (80-100k) or the even newer Sapa Funicular to the cable car station (70k up, 50k down). Shuttles from Funicular to cable car stations are free. A bit touristy, but the mountain is spectacular, it is the highest mountain within more than a thousand kilometers. Take warm clothing with you, the peak is 3,100m and it will be very windy and cold in all seasons. Don't prebuy tickets, as the summit may be deep in clouds that day and you won't see much.

If you have time then it's worth going to the "Sa Pa Culture Museum" (Open daily 7:30AM-11:30AM,1:30PM-5:00PM.~Admission free,but donations accepted~) where you can learn about the history of Sa Pa and the costumes & traditions of the Ethnic groups of Sa Pa.The museum is located behind the Tourist Office.

It's also worth to check some of the colonial buildings left by the French colonialists such as the church,the Sapa square and Town Hall building. On some nights, you will find square is a happening place, with the locals gathering for a dance or other events, or a group getting together to play foot badminton (da cau).

While walking in the mountains you will encounter many hill tribes such as the Red Dao tribe.

Do

• Vina Volunteer Service.  edit
• Sit and Drink. Sit on the balcony of a hotel overlooking the valleys while drinking a beer at sunset - sublime!  edit

• Trekking, [1]. Sign-up for a trekking trip that enables you to stay overnight at one of the villages. The homestay experience is not uncomfortable (some homestays have hot water showers, while some don't. Red Dao homestays may have herbal baths. Ask in advance if this is important to you) and an enriching one. Bring a sweater, as the villages can be very chilly at night and there are no heat sources of any kind except for the cooking fire in the kitchen. Thick blankets will be provided when you sleep. These treks can be purchased in Hanoi as part of a package, or you can ask for private treks for your party, at USD25-35 per day. Be aware, however, that most treks organized by Vietnamese people do not really respect the guides (who will mostly be members of the ethnic minorities). Some local organizations guarantee a good income for the local people, and not just the Hanoi-based tour organizations. Most one-day treks can be done on your own, footpaths are easy to follow, it is hard to get lost. Map can be found in the tourist office for 25k Dong. GPS or Google earth work perfectly fine as well. Be prepared to be followed by locals who will try to sell you things. They can be quite persistent and saying "Maybe later" is considered a verbal contract. If you want to go to Fansipan mountain, you will need a proper guide and several licenses. It is illegal to trek the mountain alone and there is people controlling the entrance. 150.  edit

• Heaven's Gate. The mountains will take your breath away. Join a tour or go by rented motorbike. Get directions and a map from the very friendly girls at the tourist centre right in the middle of the town's square. If you go on tour it will be a half day thing with a waterfall nearby thrown in. This waterfall has its own charm. Viewing the mountains is free, though there is a small charge to enter the waterfall. Make sure you bring along wide-angled cameras for the mountains.  edit

• Sapa Lake. A 5-minute walk from the church will bring you to Sa Pa lake where you can rent a pedal boat for 40k dong/30 min or 80k dong/hour. Note that the pedal boats are available only on weekends& good weather days.  edit

• Cooking class, the hill station restaurant (follow fansipan street down the hill, after a turn to the right you'll see the restaurant to your left), ☎ (+84) 20 388 7111. 9am or 2pm. The class should be arranged one day in advance. The price might seem a little steep, but it's totally worth it. You meet with the (perfectly) English-speaking H'mong chef who takes you to the market where you buy fresh ingredients for 5 local dishes: smoked buffalo with pickled spinach, tofu from scratch, chicken with deep fried ginger sticks, ash baked trout and h'mong style black pudding in the morning or banana flower salad in the afternoon. In the kitchen a table is prepared for you to follow the chef's instructions. When every thing is ready, you sit in the restaurant and dine like a king with four servings of local wines. Don't worry, if it is too much; the kitchen will pack everything for you. 29$.  edit
• Fansipan peak - To conquer the roof of indochina is not a bad idea to do when you are in Sapa. You can use cable car to fly up to the peak aroud 25 munites on cable cabin and plus walking time crossing over 600 steps to the peak. Total time can spend to complete the trip about 3 hours.

Buy

• It is possible to get cash and get cash advance on credit cards at the bigger Hotels in Sapa. Furthermore, there are ATMs on the main street that now accept all major cards such as Visa, Mastercard or the Maestro network. Travelers checks are difficult to change.

• Make sure that the foreign currency notes you bring along to Sapa are as new and crisp as possible. It is very hard to obtain the local currency with tatty notes. Some hotels will reject the money exchange request. There have been reports of shops taking customer's new crisp notes, switching them with taped up cut ones, and insisting that were the ones the customers gave them.

• The usual endless supply of nearly identical tourist trinkets is available at every turn. Although Sapa is famous for its embroidery. There are two types: handmade and machine made. It is easy to tell the difference. Buying direct from the maker is preferable, although prices are highly elastic. When bargaining, try to find out how long it took to make the piece. If you want machine made products, you are better off buying them in the shops - It pays to shop around for the right pair of reproduction Montagnard earrings or fake handicrafts.

• The various markets sell clothes, blankets, etc. with colorful designs traditional to the various ethnic minorities in Sapa. Take note that the dye used to give a blue color stains the fingers (and not only the fingers) - which is why many of the women who make them have darkened fingertips. When you wash these clothes the color will run. (To avoid this, soak them in cold salty water, and make sure you pack them carefully in your bag to take home.)

• Be careful buying batteries as some people will sell them with no power remaining.

• Knock-off North Face Gear. There is tons of imitation North Face gear for sale in Sapa. From jackets to backpacks to hiking shoes, you can find it all. Be aware that some of the replicas are made in Vietnam and some are from China. Check the tags and barter hard. Remember it's not REAL North Face!

Eat

There are more restaurants than one could stomach along the main strip, Pho Cau May; they all have nearly the same menu, with many of them offering, oddly enough, Italian as well as Vietnamese fare. Tread with caution.

• Nhà Hang 034 - good medium budget restaurant, good salads, good menus, best pizza I found so far in North Vietnam, staff speaks English fluently and also helps with any problems and plannings for free. SN 034 Tue Tinh, Sa Pa. DT 0914 487 468 - 0203 503 074

• Little View Restaurant - a popular, low-priced restaurant on the hill leading out of the main tourist hotel area. Serves outstanding local and decent western dishes to a mixed local/foreign clientele. Features some unique dishes in addition to the fixtures available at any other Sapa restaurant. Try the H'Mong King Style chicken. No042 Ngo Cau May ,Sapa st. staying in Little View Homestay

• At the market - Foodstalls selling good noodlesoup for 10k VND, fried rice for 15k VND and the other usual Vietnamese fare for around 30k VND. Further more it's a great experience to dine with the locals!
• Bombay Indian, 36 pho cau may. Very good North Indian food, with many options for vegetarians. Mains are 4-8USD. As on January, 2013, the restaurant is closed and now runs a Vietnamese buffet instead.  edit
• The Hill Station, 07 Muong Hoa, [2]. Fine wine, cheese and cold cuts. Home made hams and pâté. Punto Italia coffee. One of the best hamburgers in Sapa.  edit
• Panorama Retaurant, 039 Fanxipang Sreet (On the top of Sapa Unique Hotel), ☎ +(84)872689. Great view from restaurant, opening kitchen, great local,Vietnamese as well as Western food. They don't offer the cooking class anymore.  edit
• Duc Tu, 8 Pham Xuan Huan. A restaurant serving traditional Sapa food. They do not speak much English but have a menu with a English translation of the dishes and are very friendly. Hot Pot is a speciality. You dip slices of meat into a simmering broth until just cooked. You also add mushrooms and greens. At the end, the broth is very flavoursome and then you add noodles and have noodle soup.  edit
• Local Grocery Store. to the east of the lake, on the corner of Kim Dong and Ngu Chi Son there is a local grocery store where you can find reasonably priced goods. (i.e. Large Aquafina for 8K, ice tea for 7.5K, Soda for 6.5K)  edit
• Cau May Sapa Restaurant, No 10 Hoang Dieu Street, Sapa Town, Laocai Province, Vietnam, ☎ +84 203 872 535 (fax: +84 871 406), [3]. 10usd - 30usd.  edit
• Fansipan Restaurants, No.25, the Cau May, Sapa, Lao Cai province, [4]. The restaurant can offer 45 visitors with the cuisine of Asian, Western and some special food of the ethnic minorities of Sapa. The special dishes: Fiza, “Cắp nách” pigs, Chicken of Sapa, vegetables of Sapa, Salmon of Sapa, rice, Spaghetti.  edit

Drink

• Hmong Sisters Bar - Close to the Sapa Bamboo Hotel. Has a pool table,a fire pace and local beer on tab for 20k đ. This is a very popular bar in town, you will meet tourists, expats, locals and Vietnamese. Music until late night.
• The Color Pub - all the way down the Phan Xi Pan (engl. Fansipan) street you'll find an overgrown, self-built M'hong-style hut that is run by an adorable young family. Cozy and filled with jars of strong, homemade ricewine of different flavours.

Sleep

Keep in mind that in Sapa, as in many other provinces of Vietnam, it is the law that you must turn over your passport to your hotel/guesthouse/hostel. However, a photocopy of the main page and your visa should suffice, and if they refuse, simply tell them your real copy is in Hanoi getting a visa extension.

A near-endless supply of cheap rooms are available in the touristy area down the hill from the town centre, and generally a flock of young men and women will leap on you the moment you arrive with offers from US$3 on up (price quoted for a double).

• Sapa Graceful Hotel, 09 Fansipan St, ☎ (+84-203) 773 388, [5]. checkin: 12; checkout: 10. A nice and relaxing hotel with boutique interiors. 12. (12,10) edit

• SaPa Backpackers, 06 Ham Rong St. Sa Pa (From market, walk straight up from the left of the church. Turn left when you hit the vietnam trade union hotel, next door from Thai Binh Hotel), ☎ +8401644225438, [6]. checkin: 14:00; checkout: 12:00. Sapa Backpackers problably has the cheapest dorm rooms you can find in town. No longer has a common area, instead the ground floor is a souvenir shop just like all the others. "Reception" is located on the 4th floor, though no one is usually there. Ask the souvenir-selling lady (who doesn't speak English) to get someone if you can't find them. Wifi is good (uses the infrastructure of Tahi Binh Hotel), no hot water on the first floor, beds are ok, lockers in dorms. 70k dong per dorm bed. (Oct. 2015) $3 - $6.  edit

• Ly Tam May Quang's Homestay, Doi 1 - Ta Phin village, ☎ 01666924727, [7]. Altough not located in Sapa but rather 15 km from the town itself, in Ta Phin village. A nice and friendly little homestay run by english, french and vietnamese speaking owners. They can cook any food you like and propose REAL herbal baths at a decent price. US$5.  edit

• Fansipan View Hotel, Xuan Vien St, ☎ (+84-203) 873 579, [8]. A nice and relaxing hotel with boutique interiors. Best rates on official website start at US$15″.  edit

• Hoang Ha Sapa Hotel, Thac Bac St, ☎ + 84 203 872 535, [9]. Conveniently located in the center of Sapa Town in Lao Cai, Vietnam, overlooking the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley. All rooms are equipped with Large balcony with landscape view, Fireplace, Cable TV and Free Wi-Fi Internet access. Some of its facilities and services are Meeting room, Restaurant, Room service and Free high-speed Internet access. Rates start at USD 15″.  edit They offer a bus to the hotel but you have to pay and if you arrive on the early train you sit in the station car park until later trains arrive. The scare stories about overcharging by minibus drivers seemed wrong- it is 50k dong everywhere. They also don't want to check you in until 1-2pm. Western breakfast poor.

• Green Bamboo Sapa - a hotel with an old wing located near the entrance of the town. It serves a cheap and good breakfast at US$2.50. A night's stay at the main hotel will cost US$25. A room in the old wing will cost about US$10. Rooms in the main and old wing of the hotel, as long as not on the ground floors, will offer a breathtaking view of the Fan Xi Pan mountains.

• Khach San Hoang Ha, 10 Thac Bac, [10]. checkout: 10:00am. stands like a haunted Chinese elementary school overlooking Baguette & Chocolate. free internet in the lobby. beds are a bit hard. US$15.  edit

• Little Sapa - basically a restaurant located near the market, it also serves as a hotel for long-stay travellers, costing US$60/month. Big rooms with balconies, TV, hot water.

• Lotus Hotel - located only a few meters from the Royal Hotel. Nice rooms, tea, tv, hot water, restaurant and for some rooms, a fireplace and a nice view. US$4-7. Week-ends are naturally more expensive. The staff is a little bit cold. Hotel closes at 11pm.

• Pumpkin Hotel, 42 Cau May str, ☎ 020.872.350. Very friendly and helpful staff. Good sized rooms with desks and computers. Beware the hotel may attempt to charge extra for a space heater at a rate of 150k VND. (For the electricity, of course.) If you are staying here as a part of an ET Pumpkin tour make sure to get assurances that your space heater will be included in the price. Get it in writing if you can. $18.  edit

• Red Dragon Pub, Muong Hoa street (Close to the Holiday Hotel), [11]. Now Unfortunately Closed.  edit

• The Royal Hotel - located at the bottom of the main street. The rooms provide a nice view over the valley and many open onto a small balcony. It has an attached café offering standard traveller fare (banana or chocolate pancakes, as always in Vietnam, feature) and can help you out with travel arrangements. Rooms with a view over the valley start at $15US (double) while rooms looking back over the town are $12US.

• Sapa Global Hotel, No. 18 Pham Xuan Huan St., Sapa Town (across from church, near Central Park), ☎ 020 350 2242, [12]. checkin: any time; checkout: 12pm. Located smack in the center of Sapa, this cozy hotel full of rustic, old world charm has 20 newly renovated rooms all with heating, hot water, satellite TV and wifi. Free internet access is available in the lobby. Breakfast included. Trekking and other tours can be arranged at reception. $15-40USD.  edit

• Thai Binh Sapa Hotel, Ham Rong Street, Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam (From market, walk straight up from the left of the church. Turn left at the end of the street.), ☎ +84 (020) 3871212, [13]. checkout: 1200. Located at quiet part of Sapa and within 5mins walk from market and restaurant street. Free internet in lobby and Wi-Fi in rooms. Electric heater, electric mattress available in the room. The hotel boss (a local teacher / education officer), and a lady receptionist is very friendly and speak good english. They are able to provide local tour, buy train tickets (Lao Cai train station), and transport to and from Lao Cai train station. US$22 - US$25.  edit

• Topas Eco Lodge, (30 min drive south of Sapa), ☎ 0203871331, [14]. Perched on beautiful grounds on a hill with stunning views of the surrounding valley. Spacious, detached bungalows, each with their own balcony, making a comfortable double, or can probably even accommodate a small family. The eco part of the title comes partly through the lodge hiring local staff and using solar power and hot water in all of their bungalows. See http://www.topasecolodge.com/. You can catch a free shuttlebus from the Topas Travel office in Sapa (21 Muong Hoa Str. Sapa), where you can also get more information about the lodge. About US$99 per night for a detached bungalow.  edit

• Mountain Bar & Pub, 02 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Lao Cai (Near Royal Hotel), ☎ 0983889798. Good Bar in Sapa with many flavour Shisha. Good place to drink  edit

• Family Guesthouse, 028 Muong Hoa, Sapa, Lao Cai (Near edge of Sapa town), ☎ (+84 203) 872310, (+84)01662624308. Clean but very spartan rooms at the very edge of town. Rooms have no heat, so gets very chilly at night. There are 2 great things about this hotel: a very helpful, honest receptionist who speaks good English, and the rooms have great views of the Fansipan mountains.  edit

• Sapa Rooms, 18 Phan Xi Pang Street, Sapa, Lao Cai, ☎ +84 (020) 650 5228, [15]. Great little boutique hotel with a ground floor restaurant that serves a wide range of good dishes and has free WiFi. They can arrange tours with local guides and optional home stays, with a percentage of the profits going directly to support local community projects and schools. Also rent motorbikes, offer cooking classes, opportunities to volunteer in local communities, accepts clothing donations, etc.  edit

• Homely Villa in Sapa (Villa for Best Experience in Sa Pa), [16]. checkin: 2:00pm; checkout: 12:00pm. Located on a 6000 sqm native plant garden, this villa has got an indoor fireplace to keep you warm and also Wi-Fi Internet. It also offers free transfer to and from their BnB to town which makes travelling convenient. More importantly, within walking distance to the villages of H'mong and Red Dao ethnic people, it is an excellent starting point to explore the charm of Sa Pa. USD$45.  edit

• Sapa Hostel, 01 Hoang Lien Street, Sapa (From the central square, walk uphill, turn left and then walk up the driveway of Cau May Hotel). Friendly hostel/hotel in a huge, mansion-like house. Staff is incredibly friendly and will help with tours, maps and questions. Rents out Motos $4//$5 for manual/automatic. dm from $5, privates from $10.  edit

• U Sapa, 8 Cau May, ☎ 020 3871 996, [17]. U Sapa is located in the heart of city close to City Center Park that is best suited for domestic and international leisure travellers to experience the Sapa lifestyle and what’s happening in town. Architecture and interior are designed in beautiful French Colonial style with a indigenous twist combined with services that are delivered in a U’s unique concept whether be it free Wi-Fi, breakfast whenever/wherever and 24 hours use of room, ensuring guests a totally relaxed holiday experience to recharge and reconnect to the local environment and its nature, bringing back with them the most memorable moments of a life time.  edit
• Little View Homestay, No 042 Cau May Alley, Sapa (At the end of tourist street (Ngõ Cầu Mây), walk down stairs and follow signage), ☎ +84988787711, [18]. checkin: 1100; checkout: 1300. Great value home stay, $15 per night. New building has great views and balconies with shared area on the top floor. Friendly owners (couple) who have great english. You need to walk down a lot sit of stairs to reach the homestay. Follow the the main tourist street (Ngõ Cầu Mây) to the end where the motorbike parking is, walk down the stairs and follow the signs. 15. (22.3321402,103.8427775) edit
• Sapa Jade Hill Resort & Spa (Sapa Jade Hill Resort), Muong Hoa St, SaPa (SE), ☎ +84981066266, [19]. checkin: 6:00; checkout: 12:00. Featuring free WiFi and a sun terrace, Sapa Jade Hill Resort & Spa offers accommodations in Sapa. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant. You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property. US$ 110.  edit
• Mama Lili Homestay Sapa, Hao Tao VIllage, Sapa, ☎ +841627286475, [20]. Mama Lili will make you discover the authenticity of her home and the friendliness of local ethnic groups. By joining her and her family, you ‘ll have the opportunity to observe and understand a sample of the Hmong Culture. If you’d like, she could show you the wonders those villagers perform in their farm day to day : rice fields, vegetables plantations, how they grow their own livestock feed and more depending on what you’re interested in. treking, food, water and sleep for 25 to 30$ per day (price could change depending on your activities and how long you'll stay.. (22.315170,103.899346) edit

Get out

• Lao Cai. There is a public bus service to Lao Cai, leaving from near the church in the main square, for between 20k VND and 28k VND per person (large bags are an additional 15k VND). The buses are white, yellow and red. The first bus leaves at 7:00, and the last around 18:30 (as of May 2017), coming at around half-hour intervals. The ride is okay, but beware of motion sickness due to the curvy roads.  edit

• Cat Cat Village, [21]. The ethnic Cat Cat is a few kilometers' walk from Sapa. You're not likely to get lost - just walk down the road out of Sapa, which should be marked on maps, and after a while you'll find a path which descends the hill to your left. This path runs through the village before climbing another hill back to the road. This walk provides a good chance to observe Vietnamese farming and farm animals, and there are excellent views. The walk back up can be difficult (it is steep in parts) but once you get back onto the road there are plenty of enterprising locals ready to take you back to Sapa on motorbikes (40k VND per person per bike, 100k VND for a taxi, but remember to try negotiate the price even lower). Alternatively, you could hire a cab at Sapa to take you down to Cat cat and wait for you at the car park 1 near the bottom, so that you dont have to take the tiring walk upwards. Entrance to the village is currently 70k VND. Elderly persons should skip this Cat Cat trek if walking down steps is going to be a problem. Walking down the steps to Cat cat, you see a few home cottage industries like fabrics, carving, art shops. You walk by some mud-walled houses and supposedly the local shaman's house. In the middle of the trek, you come to a restplace, with a so-so waterfall, and a minority village which is a block of dwelling, like compartmentalised units in one building, and no sign of any activity. You will also spot water-mills and bridges made out of bamboo, as well as some swings. At the end, you will cross the 'Cat cat' bridge. Overall, the trek makes for a nice stroll if you have a morning or afternoon free.  edit

• Small step-through Honda motorcycles can be rented in the touristy parts of town, as well as near the petrol station on the road leading to Lao Cai, for US$3-6 depending on the amount of time rented and your bargaining skills (i.e. determination). Day trips into the surrounding countryside can be very rewarding, although a good up-to-date map and a healthy dose of caution is required as roads are winding and populated with all manner of conveyance, and markings can be misleading as the North undergoes some odd town-relocation schemes.

• For those looking to go farther afield, the road to Dien Bien Phu is simply stunning and makes for a fantastic 4-5 day return trip. Always give yourself plenty of daylight hours to return home, however, as highly changeable weather could strand you in dense fog without notice, especially during the winter months. There is also a bus to DBP which runs from the tourist office at 7.30am each day, and costs $11.

• Try to arrive at the Lao Cai with a couple of hours to spare and you can zip to the border (5 minutes away) on taxis (cheaply). The locals do it regularly because it's like one big bazaar with carnival atmosphere overflowing with merchandise of everything under the sun.

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