Vietnam Heritage, Lao Cai Village People
Setting off from Sapa one morning, our first stop is Ta Phin monastery, about
12km away from Sapa town. You can hire motorbikes for about VND 100,000, if you
feel like blowing the cobwebs off, and traversing the hills of Lao Cai. But with
the threat of rain in the air, we opt for jumping on a bus instead.
But even still, we enjoy the sweeping landscape of mountains, valleys and
terraced fields as local farmers work on paddy fields amidst a light layer of
mist. It's a stunning tapestry that wows any resident of a city like Hanoi.
From a distance, the monastery appears. It has been a landmark of the area since
being built in the early 1940s. Today it's one of the area's most popular
tourist sites.
Construction began in 1942 and at first the monastery was more of a nunnery. A
group of nuns belonging to a congregation of devout Reformed Cistercians stayed
here raising poultry and growing vegetables with farming tools donated by the
French colonial authorities, who hoped to boost dairy and agricultural products
in Lao Cai, where some tourists came in search of cool mountain air visitors,
but where there was also a military presence.
In 1945, due to spreading unrest - the first Indochina War had begun - the
sisters fled to Hanoi. The monastery was partially burned and ruined. It had
never been fully completed. A second phase, which would have accommodated a
further one hundred nuns and novices, was never started.
The structure is now covered with a thin green and orange layer of moss. Much of
the building is too dangerous to walk though as the floors have caved in.
Nature, has flourished outside. Flowers and trees surround the site, blooming
peacefully, a sign that war is ancient history. A cool wind blows and sun shines
brightly, so we sit around and relax, enjoying the scenery and mountain air. In
the distance, a young couple poses for a wedding album.
Leaving Ta Phin Monastery, we travelled for another 5km to visit Ta Phin village
- home to a community of Red Dzao. The village is well-known for its traditional
brocades, which are all hand woven.
The Red Dzao women are the producers and also the fashion models. They are
always dressed from head to toe in traditional garments - an eye catching array
of embroidered pieces with a red headscarf, the symbol of Red Dzao. The women
are friendly and converse easily with visitors in English and Vietnamese telling
us about the village, the local customs and the daily routine of the villagers.
"If you want to know about our culture, the easiest way is to stay with us and
join us in our everyday life," says Man May, one of the villagers who offers
homestay accommodation for tourists. "We can drink some of our home made wine,
which is very good for health," she adds hopefully.
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
