Sapa memories
The night is cool and crisp and we are
boarding our train from Hanoi, Vietnam to the northern mountain town of Sapa.
Our train is a modern overnight sleeper; clean, comfortable, and sparkling
white. The rest of the station is like stepping back in time. Ancient boxcars
darkened by time, are parked in the yard, and steam is rising in the air. People
donning conical hats are huddled around open fires. Some squat on small plastic
stools eating noodle soup with chopsticks. As I look out the window I feel as
though it is 1969.
It is not long until I am peacefully sleeping. Rocking with the rhythm of the
train I dream of the adventure ahead. 4:30 am arrives quickly however and I
awake famished and thankful for the complimentary sweet bread and bottled water.
We have arrived in Lao Cao, a small town on the Chinese border. As I step onto
the platform a brisk, cold wind awakens my senses. Luckily, a van is waiting to
take us the rest of the way, so we don't have to wait in the morning chill for
long. It is a harrowing journey up the winding mountain road. We put our lives
in the hands of our speeding driver who dodges herds of water buffalo, oncoming
traffic and local villagers herding their oxen. Whizzing around each corner, we
are thankful to not have plunged off of a vertical cliff into the deep valley
below.
We arrive a little shaken but all in one piece to our hotel where we meet our
guide, Xin. He is a friendly young man who grew up in the area and as we will
soon learn, enjoys singing and playing the guitar. We will be spending the next
two days with him as he takes us through the mountains to visit the Hmong and
Dzai People who live among the rice terraces.
The scenery is magnificent and as we venture farther from the town, my breath is
taken away by the incredible view unfolding. Thousands of rice terraces filled
with water glisten in the sun for as far as the eye can see. Every turn becomes
more overwhelming and I am struck with awe by the giant terraced mountains
surrounding me.
Barking dogs guard their territory as we pass and gaggles of ducks waddle by
following their leader with frenzied dedication. Villagers from the Hmong Tribe
speed past us carrying heavy loads in their woven baskets. They walk with ease
as I gasp for air climbing the steep path. As we continue to hike, Xin tell us
about the people and the history of the land and how it has changed.
The Hmong village we are visiting has come to depend on tourism and he tells us
not to feel pressured to give money or to buy jewelry to the people who will be
approaching us. Not wanting to contribute to a begging society, I chose not to
give children the "bonbons" that they have come to expect or to give money for
nothing. Instead, I gladly buy some silver bracelets from a lady who invites us
into her home for a glimpse of tribal life.
We make our way to the top of a mountain, where Xin puts out a picnic lunch and
we dine among a herd of water buffalo. As we look into the deep valley, children
stop by for a visit and we share some cookies and fruit. It is a place of
overwhelming beauty.
The contentment is short lived however, because we have a lot of ground to cover
to make it to the village of the Dzai people where we will be spending the
night. Being farther away from Sapa and not a part of the usual one-day tours,
this tribe is less corrupted by the tourism industry. They are completely
self-sufficient at harnessing water from mountain runoff for irrigation. They
grow their own rice, sugar cane peanuts and vegetables. Every child attends
school, they raise their own livestock, and weave and dye their own fabric for
clothing. This is truly a people who are at one with the land.
We stay with a family that has four generations living under one roof. Their
house, built by the hands of villagers using traditional methods is gigantic and
surprisingly cozy in the brisk mountain air. It takes one year to build a home
and everybody pitches in. We are treated to a feast after we settle in and enjoy
their friendly hospitality. The 94-year-old grandfather keeps my plate full,
urging me to eat more and we stuff ourselves until we cannot move.
Later that evening we walk to visit other houses and the celebrations continue.
Rice wine is flowing as we sit around the fire in their kitchens singing songs.
The local people are eager to hear songs from our country and there is no
getting out of belting out a tune. They applaud with enthusiasm and then Xin
treats us to a traditional Vietnamese folk song before heading back to bed.
It is a cool night, but we sleep well under a thick warm blanket and awake a
little groggy from the abundance of alcohol the night before. Saying goodbye to
our hosts after a breakfast of fried eggs and a warm baguette, we slowly walk to
the mountains feeling the burn in our legs from the day before. We trek to the
high waterfall overlooking the valley, walk through a bamboo forest, and once
again witness the beauty of gigantic rice terraces.
A jeep picks us up at the end of our trek to take us back to Sapa where we sleep
comfortably that evening in our small hotel. Our last day is spent exploring
this beautiful town. We hike up Ham Rong Mountain to see its many gardens and
stone forest, shop for fresh fruit in the market and relax on a terrace
overlooking the mountains. The people are friendly and as usual, the scenery is
magnificent.
Northern Vietnam is a fascinating
experience. It is rich in culture and history and diverse in landscape. If you
do it right and stay in a Home Stay far away from the village, it will be an
experience that you will remember forever.
Sapa Budget Tours
- Sapa Day Tours - Sapa Day Excursions - Day Trips Sapa Vietnam
- Sapa Walk and Bac ha Market
- Sapa Hard Trekking Two
- Sapa Hard Trekking One
- Sapa Medium Trek Two
- Sapa Medium Trek
Sapa Trekking and Adventures
- Fansipan peak conquering VIP tour (3 days - 2 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering VIP tour (2 days - 1 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (4 days - 3 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (3 days - 2 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Deluxe tour (2 days - 1 nights)
- Fansipan peak conquering Standard tour (4 days - 3 nights)
Sapa Cycling Options
- Sapa - Binh Lu - Lai Chau(with biking)
- Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Ban Ho
- Sapa Biking Tour - Ban Ho Village
- Sapa Biking Tour - Binh Lu - Lai Chau
- SaPa - Bac Ha Market with biking
- Pedalling The Remote Sapa\'s Northwest
Sapa Luxury Holidays
Traditional Minority Discovery Packages
- Green Sapa bus (Hanoi – Sapa)
- Eco Sapa Limousine Van (Hanoi – Sapa)
- Private car Hanoi Sapa
- Hanoi Sapa Private Cabin bus
- Coc Ly market with boat trip
- Cao Son market -boat trip on Chay river- Sapa Tours
Sapa Classic Trips
Northern Mountain Discovery Packages
Topas Ecolodge Sapa tours
- Topas Ecolodge and Market Package 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge and Market Package-2D/3N
- Topas Ecolodge and Victoria Sapa Package – 4D/5N
- Topas Ecolodge and Victoria Sapa Package – 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge Package – 3D/4N
- Topas Ecolodge Package 2D/3N