Getting the most out of Sapa travel by Crossing Vietnam Tour
Located in the northwestern mountains of the country, Sapa is a modest town
nestled within the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in Lao Cai Province. Sapa is an
excellent destination to enjoy outdoor activities with stunning landscapes that
attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
Travelling in Sapa, few tourists miss an opportunity to trek to mountain
villages and majestic waterfalls.
Cat Cat Village sits atop unspoiled landscapes and is a desirable destination
for trekkers seeking to spend full days walking in a world of natural charm and
tranquility.
Visitors in Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire and watch locals sit with
looms and create colourful pieces of brocade. When these pieces of brocade are
finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs of flowers and
birds. Interestingly, Mong women use plants and leaves to dye the fabrics. After
dyeing the fabric, they then roll a round, smooth piece of wood, covered with
wax, over the material in order to polish. By doing this it helps to make the
colours more durable on the fabric.
In addition to their weaving craft, many residents in Cat Cat are good at making
gold and silver jewellery. Their products are quite sophisticated, especially
the women's jewellery.
Further into the village are waterfalls along with a stream that weaves its way
around boulders, hills and mountains. The pristine stream is spanned by a
suspension bridge, which offers a good view of the waterfalls and mountains.
The path after the bridge passes through bamboo forests filled with wild flowers
and past tranquil brooks.
Another must-see village is Ta Phin, a remote village located 12km from the
centre of Sapa, which still retains traditional customs and lifestyles of the
Dao, Tay and Mong ethnic groups.
It's recommended for tourists to catch a local xe om (motorbike taxi) at price
of VND180,000 (US$10) in order to get there. Another option is to rent a
motorbike for VND100,000 ($5.50) a day, which provides a convenient and
interesting way to discover the landscape and villages.
Despite the winding road to the village, tourists can see picturesque rolling
hills and terraced fields on the way. Much of the Sapa valley has been
cultivated into verdant rice paddy fields equipped with irrigation systems.
Ta Phin Village seeks to capitalise from tourism and thus causes local children
and adults to constantly follow visitors, in an effort to persuade them to buy
wallets, hats, bags or fabric. However, these sellers tend to be friendly and
hospitable.
The villagers often invite tourists to visit their homes, where they show them
how they live and what they have, and tell about their families. Their living
standard is still low, but their lives have been improved by the expanding
tourism industry.
"We women are so active - not only do we grow vegetables and raise pigs and get
wood for the fire, we also try to learn English so we can talk to tourists,"
said a 25-year-old Dao woman. "Before there were tourists we were very poor, but
now we can make handicrafts, make money and meet people."
Ta Phin Village is able to win tourists' hearts thanks to the beautiful sights
that surround it. Lavie Waterfall is a common destination for trekkers. After
trekking through forests, maize fields and mountains, tourists often enjoy
soaking in Lavie Stream and sunbathing on flat boulders.
After a long day of walking on the curvy roads and hills around Sapa, it was
pleasant to soak my bones and muscles in a traditional Dao herbal bath at Ta
Phin.
The price was reasonable, VND60,000 ($3.30) for a one-hour bath. Soaking in
medicinal waters may make you feel a little tipsy. When you start feeling dizzy,
it's time to get out of the wooden bathtub. After the soak, I finally felt
relaxed. The herbal bath was good for my health, mind and bones.
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
Top hotels in Sapa
Vietnam Top Hotel
