Local tour guides provide an insight into the real Sa Pa, Vietnam by Crossing Vietnam Tour
It's a strange land that leaves me with different feelings whenever I come to
rediscover it.
Sa Pa is an incredibly picturesque town in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range
near the Chinese border in northwestern Viet Nam, 350km from Ha Noi.
It can be explored almost year-round from March to early December. Vietnamese
most like to visit during June and July to escape the summer heat in other parts
of the country. Sa Pa is 1,500m above sea level so the weather is quite mild,
and cold at night. The best time to go to Sa Pa is on a weekday, as weekenders
tend to flock here. However, the famed "love market" only takes place on
Saturday nights, so visitors often extend their tour to Saturday to experience
it.
Tourists can see many hill tribe people, their villages and rice terraces. The
ethnic minority groups generally retain their lifestyles and traditional
costumes.
The area's high mountains, deep ravines and lush vegetation rise to the peak of
Mt Fansipan the highest point in Indochina. The combination of fresh mountain
air, relaxed ambience, sweeping panoramas and fascinating hill tribes make Sa Pa
a must-see destination.
A trek took us deep into a hill tribe region where tourists are still something
of a novelty. Staying in village homes allowed us to experience firsthand a
lifestyle that has been little touched by the modern world and a curiosity from
our hosts just as great as our own. The trekking is fairly strenuous at times
but the spectacular scenery and sense of adventure make it worth the effort.
Ta Phin Cave, at the far end of Ta Phin village, is an attractive destination
which tourists often bypass without a local guide's suggestion. The cave
requires a guide with a flashlight, and the guide will shine the torch on a
variety of stalactites.
Some of the locals invite visitors to go to their homes to show how they live
and what they have, and tell them about their families. On following them to
their houses, tourists find out how simply they live. The tour guides suggest
you to buy the merchandise you like from them as repayment for what they have
shown for you. Local tour guides also lead the trips to the forests and
mountains because they know thoroughly the terrain.
City lovers may find Sa Pa is not the place for them as its rich ethnic
lifestyle is far removed from modern life. If you expect to go shopping in
malls, Sa Pa has nothing to offer. The only way to go shopping is to go to the
local market where you can find unique handicrafts, jewelry and fabrics with
colourful embroidery. While tourists don't know how to bargain or choose the
best items, the local guides are ready to help.
Sa Pa is famous for its "love market" where local young people go to show off
and find partners. It is held every Saturday night and provides a unique and
unforgettable experience.
The love market is a tradition in the culture of the Mong, Tay and Dao. All the
people around Sa Pa live in isolated villages and can only get together once a
week during the Sunday morning market. The night before, young men and women
from all around come to the love market to meet and express their emotions
through playing the khen (pan pipe) and singing according to traditional customs
of their people.
The experience of Sa Pa trip is not something that everyone can buy, but
adventurous people and those who seek to know the hidden charm of Vietnamese
hill tribes living in their old traditional mountain villages cannot miss this
place.
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
