Sapa Vietnam

Sa Pa is a rural district of Lào Cai Province in the Northeast region of Vietnam.

As of 2003, the district had a population of 42,095. The district covers an area of 677 km².

Administrative divisions

Sa Pa contains the city (thị trấn) of Sa Pa and the communes of Hầu Thào, Bản Phùng, Tả Phìn, Nậm Sài, Thanh Phú, Sa Pả, Lao Chải, Trung Chải, San Sả Hồ, Thanh Kim, Bản Hồ, Sử Pán, Suối Thầu, Tả Van, Bản Khoang, Tả Giàng Phình and Nậm Cang.

SA PA Township

Sa Pa, or Sapa, is a frontier township and capital of Sa Pa District in Lào Cai Province in north-west Vietnam. It is one of the main market towns in the area, where several ethnic minority groups such as Hmong, Dao (Yao), Giáy, Pho Lu, and Tay live.

History

Sapa was first inhabited by people we know nothing about. They left in the entire valley hundreds of petroglyphs, mostly composed of lines, which experts think date from the 15th century and represent local property ownership. The first recorded inhabitants were the highland minorities of the Hmong and Yao. The township is one of the main markets in the area, where several ethnic minority groups such as Hmong, Dao (Yao), Giáy, Pho Lu, and Tay live. These are the four main minority groups still present in Sa Pa district today. The Kinh (lowland Vietnamese) never originally colonised this highest of Việt Nam’s valleys, which lies in the shadow of Phan-Xi-Pǎng (Fansipan, 3143 m), the highest peak in the country.

It was only when the French debarked in highland Tonkin in the late 1880s that Sa Pa, name of the Hmong hamlet, with "S" is pronounced almost as hard as "Ch" in French, "Sh" in English, "S" in standard Vietnamese, so Chapa as the French called it, began to appear on the national map. Near to the now Sa Pa townlet is "Sa Pả commune", which shows the origin in Hmong language of the location name.

In the following decade, the future site of Sa Pa township started to see military parties as well as missionaries from the Société des Missions Etrangères de Paris (MEP) visit. The French military marched from the Red River Delta into the northern mountainous regions as part of Tonkin's ‘pacification’. In 1894-96 the border between China and Tonkin was formally agreed upon and the Sa Pa area, just to the south of this frontier, was placed under French authority. From 1891 the entire Lào Cai region, including Sa Pa, came under direct colonial military administration so as to curtail banditry and political resistance on the sensitive northern frontier.

The first permanent French civilian resident arrived in Sa Pa in 1909. With its attractive continental climate, health authorities believed the site had potential. By 1912 a military sanatorium for ailing officers had been erected along with a fully fledged military garrison. Then, from the 1920s onwards, several wealthy professionals with enough financial capital also had a number of private villas built in the vicinity.

At the end of the Second World War a long period of hostilities began in Tonkin that was to last until 1954. In the process, nearly all of the 200 or so colonial buildings in or around Sa Pa were destroyed, either by Việt Minh sympathizers in the late 1940s or, in the early 1950s by French air raids. The vast majority of the Viet population fled for their lives, and the former township entered a prolonged sleep.

In the early 1960s, thanks to the New Economic Zones migration scheme set up by the new Socialist regime, new inhabitants from the lowlands started to migrate to the region.

The short 1979 occupation of the northern border region by Chinese troops had little impact on Sa Pa town, but did force the Kinh (lowland Vietnamese) population out for a month.

In 1993 the last obstacle to Sa Pa's full rebirth as a prominent holiday destination was lifted as the decision was made to open the door fully to international tourism. Sa Pa was back on the tourist trail again, this time for a newly emerging local elite tourist crowd, as well as international tourists.

Sa Pa is now in full economic boom, mainly from the thousands of tourists who come every year to walk the hundreds of miles of trekking trails between and around the villages of Dao villages of Ta Van and Ta Phin.

In 2006, the Chairman of The People's Committee of Sa Pa Province was elected to The Communist Party Central Committee as the youngest ever member (born in 1973).

Geography

Sa Pa District is in Lào Cai Province, northwest Vietnam, and 380 km northwest of Hanoi close to the border with China. The Hoàng Liên Son range of mountains dominates the district, which is at the eastern extremity of the Himalayas. This range includes Vietnam's highest mountain, Fan Si Pan, at a height of 3143 m above sea level. The town of Sa Pa lies at an elevation of about 1500 meters (4,921 feet). The climate is moderate and rainy in summer (May—August), and foggy and cold with occasional snowfalls in winter.

Sa Pa is a quiet mountain town and home to a great diversity of ethnic minority peoples. The total population of 36,000 consists mostly of minority groups. Besides the Kinh (Viet) people (15 percent) there are mainly five ethnic groups in Sa Pa: Hmong 52 percent, Dao 25 percent, Tay five percent, Giay two percent, and a small number of Xa Pho. Approximately 7,000 live in Sa Pa, the other 36,000 being scattered in small communes throughout the district.

Most of the ethnic minority people work their land on sloping terraces since the vast majority of the land is mountainous. Their staple foods are rice and corn. Rice, by its very nature of being a labour-intensive crop, makes the daily fight for survival paramount. The unique climate in Sa Pa has a major influence on the ethnic minorities who live in the area. With sub-tropical summers, temperate winters and 160 days of mist annually, the influence on agricultural yields and health-related issues is significant.

The geographical location of the area makes it a truly unique place for many interesting plants and animals, allowing it to support many inhabitants. Many very rare or even endemic species have been recorded in the region.

The scenery of the Sa Pa region in large part reflects the relationship between the minority people and nature. This is seen especially in the paddy fields carpeting the rolling lower slopes of the Hoàng Liên Mountains. The impressive physical landscape which underlies this has resulted from the work of the elements over thousands of years, wearing away the underlying rock. On a clear day, the imposing peak of Fan Si Pan comes into view. The last major peak in the Himalayan chain, Fan Si Pan offers a real challenge to even the keenest walker, the opportunity of staggering views, and a rare glimpse of some of the last remaining primary rain forest in Vietnam.

climate and human activity have combined to produce a range of very distinct habitats around Sa Pa. Especially important is Sa Pa's geographic position, at the convergence of the world's 14 "biomes" (distinct biographic areas), producing an assemblage of plant and animal species unique in the world.

In 2014, Sa Pa ranked number nine in the top 10 rice terrace destinations of the world by SpotCoolStuff.

Ecological life

The Hoàng Liên Mountains are home to a rich variety of plants, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects, many only found in north-western Vietnam. For this reason, the Hoàng Liên Nature Reserve was made a National Park in 2006, and covers much of the mountain range to the immediate south of Sa Pa.

Forest type and quality change with increasing altitude. At 2000 meters the natural, undisturbed forest begins to be seen. Above 2500 meters dwarf conifers and rhododendrons predominate in the harsh “elfin forest”, so called because a lack of topsoil and nutrients means that fully mature trees grow to measure only a few meters in height. Higher still, only the hardiest of plant species are found. At over 3000 meters, Fan Si Pan's summit can only support dwarf bamboo.

Topography

The Hoang Lien Mountains lie at the south-eastern extent of the Himalayan chain. The national park is located on the north-east flank of these mountains and includes Vietnam's highest peak, Fansipan, at 3,143 m (see map). The lowest point is 380 m but most of the national park lies above 1,000 m. The flanks of the mountains are very steep and many areas are almost inaccessible on foot. Between Fansipan Mountain and Sa Pa town, lies the Muong Hoa valley, which has been terraced for wet rice agriculture. This valley becomes wider towards the east of the national park.

Climate

The climate of Hoàng Liên National Park is unique in Vietnam. It is highly seasonal, with a subtropical climate in the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. Under the Köppen climate classification, Sa Pa has a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). Mean annual temperature for Sa Pa town is 15.4 °C (59.7 °F), with a maximum of 29.4 °C (84.9 °F) and a minimum of 1.0 °C (33.8 °F). The warmest months are July and August, and the coldest months are December and January. Snow falls in some years on the highest peaks. It has snowed in the town itself in 1983, 2000, 16 March 2011, 15 December 2013, and 19 February 2014.

In common with the rest of northern Vietnam, Hoàng Liên National Park experiences a marked wet season from May to September, with the heaviest rainfall occurring in July and August. Mean annual rainfall is 2,763 mm (108.8 in), with a high of 4,023 mm (158.4 in) and a low of 2,064 mm (81.3 in). Humidity ranges from 75 to 91 percent with a yearly mean of 86 percent.

Climate varies considerably within the national park. The prevalent wind direction for most of the year is west to east, leading to cloud formation on the upper slopes of the Fansipan massif. These high-altitude areas are covered by cloud most days of the year and have very high humidity. Cloud also penetrates into the valleys but these areas are usually less humid than the mountain slopes. In the extreme east of the national park, around Ban Ho village, mean temperatures are considerably higher due to the lower altitude of these areas.

Extreme temperatures have ranged from −6.1 °C (21.0 °F) to 33 °C (91.4 °F).

Geology

The geology of Hoàng Liên National Park includes metamorphosed sediments and a granitic intrusion. The metamorphosed sediments strike from north-west to south-east along the Muong Hoa valley. On the north-eastern side of the valley is a craggy ridge of marble and metamorphosed carbonate rocks that exhibit a karst style of weathering. These formations are currently being quarried for road building. The valley floor is characterised by schist and, to a lesser extent, gneiss. The granitic intrusion extends from the Muong Hoa River to the summit ridge of Fansipan and beyond. Due to the high humidity and rainfall in the area, chemical weathering is prevalent. This is reflected in the clay nature of the soil.

Economic and social development

Before the 1990s, the town's economy was mainly based on small size agriculture.

Tourist arrival between 1995 and 2003 grew from a total of 4,860 to 138,622. On average, 79% of the visitors are Vietnamese and 21% are foreigners.

The people of the Sa Pa area are very poor even by Vietnam's rural standards. Efforts to improve the situation for the local people include both governmental and non-governmental initiatives. The government of Vietnam and foreign governments have contributed to local development programs. International non-governmental organizations such as Oxfam have also been involved in Sa Pa. Locally, the Hmong-run social enterprise, Sapa O'Chau, organizes volunteer placements, such as English teaching, and visiting through trekking and homestays at local villages for short or long-term periods. Vocational training by the Hoa Sua School also aims to increases skills and earnings potential for local residents.

Hydrology

Hoàng Liên National Park is drained by the Muong Hoa and Ta Trung Ho rivers, which feed the Nam Po River and, finally, the Song Hong (Red) river. The forest has an essential role in water catchment protection, particularly the forest at high altitudes, which is frequently covered in cloud. Water condenses on the vegetation and falls as ‘occult’ precipitation. Occult precipitation makes a major contribution to stream-flow during the dry season when rainfall is low.

Vegetation

The forest of Hoàng Liên National Park can be classified as belonging to 3 types: sub-montane dry evergreen forest, tropical montane deciduous forest and sub-alpine forest. The sub-montane dry evergreen forest, which occurs at lower altitudes, has been the most heavily disturbed by the activities of man.

In addition to the forest habitats, the national park contains large areas of agricultural land, scrub land and Savannah. Agriculture is concentrated at altitudes below 1,500m, in the bottom of valleys. Scrub land and Savannah areas are found where forest has been cleared: around the edge of cultivated areas and on ridge tops, which have been subjected to burning. A final vegetation type represented at Hoàng Liên National Park is dwarf bamboo. This habitat is confined to the highest ridges of the Fansipan massif, at altitudes above 2,800 m.

Tourism

Understand

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.

There are actually 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.

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.

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 paddies 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 this 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 handmade 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 $10 to the guide. If you want to save money, some locals will guide you on a 4 hour hike to their village (including a lunch) for 600,000 VND (30$). Keep in mind that this very cheap price does not includes return transportation. You will have to come back on your own or hire a taxi (around 50 000VND or 3$).

Get around Sapa

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 40,000 dong, while the way to Ban Ho & Lao Chai villages are taxed 40,000 dong in one ticket. The way to Ta Phin village is taxed at 20,000 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 enable 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 5,000 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 Village, 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 7pm 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. Note: By law Vietnam requires a motorbike liscence.

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 is 70,000 dong.

If you got 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 square and Town Hall building. While walking in the mountains you will encounter many hill tribes such as the Red Dao tribe.

Do

Sit and Drink, sit on the balcony of a hotel overlooking the valleys while drinking a beer at sunset - sublime!

Hmong Sewing Classes Indigo Cat provides Hmong Sewing Classes but you also will find a huge selection of local products such as genuine crafts, different teas, or cardamom. You can find it at 046 Fansipan Str.

Trekking, sign-up for a trekking trip that enables you to stay overnight at one of the ethnic 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, and it is hard to get lost. Map can be found in the tourist office for 25 kDong. 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.

Homestay, at the time of writing a typical "classic" tour will costs you around 35/40$ for one night including the trek to the village, including 4 cooked meals and as much rich wine as you can drink. Some of the more remote villages have very few foreign visitors and do not deal with the large volumes of tourists from the 'homestays' on the guided tours. Just a little reminder: Sleeping in houses not officially recognised as homestays can lead to problems for both the host and you if you get caught.

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.

Go Solo Biking, hire a motorbike and head for one of the villages outside of Sapa. When you pay at the pay stations, they give you a pretty good map or you can buy a great 'Tourist Map' for about 20k at the tourist information center. All of the trekking routes are marked (the one you get at the pay station even gives you distances and difficulty). Paths are generally easy to follow and there are a lot of people around to help if you are unsure. Great adventures! 248.  

A popular motor biking route among tourists that covers the mountainous region of the province known as the "Tonkinese Alps" starts from the White Thai villages, Sơn La, historic site of Dien Bien Phu and terminates at Sa Pa.

Sapa Lake, A 5-minute walk from the church will bring you to Sa Pa Lake where you can rent a pedal boat for 40,000 dong/30 min or 80,000 dong/hour. Note that the pedal boats are available only on weekends & good weather days.

Remote Sapa valley, catch a free shuttle bus from the Topas Travel Office at 9:30 AM (21 Muong Hoa Street, Sapa) and drive 18 km to the Topas Ecolodge in the remote Muong Hoa valley. From here there is excellent access to various hikes to areas with no tourism (in contrast to busy Sapa). The ecolodge has an excellent restaurant with great views of the mountains.

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, and 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 everything 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.

Banks & Shopping

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. Traveler’s 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.

Food

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.

Drink

Hmong Sisters Bar - Close to the Sapa Bamboo Hotel. Has a pool table, a fire pace and local beer on tab. 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 rice wine of different flavours.

Accommodation

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).

There is a good choice of hotels catering for every budget. Try to book in advance especially in high season.

Get in/out

TRAIN

From Hanoi it is an 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"!).

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 rip-offs 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 150,000-385,000 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 650,000-3,500,000 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 (10,000 dong) and rice porridge (10,000 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.

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. If you prefer to travel with a private railway company there are some reputable websites that sell train tickets for all these brands:

Baolau is a useful web service that lists fares and facilitates online booking for Vietnam Railways and private railway companies. The system shows fare availability in real time for cars operated by Vietnam Railways.

Vietnam Impressive is a reliable Hanoi-based agency which specialises in train bookings and works with most private railway companies. They get regular glowing reports from seat61 correspondents.

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.

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 does 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.

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.

BUS

The bus station in Sapa is in the centre of town, near the lake. Night bus to/from Hanoi costs about 150,000 dongs; Very uncomfortable with loud music and no leg space. Train is much better option, but often needs to be booked in advance.

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 16-18/person/way - 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.

Lao Cai to Sapa

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. There is now also a government bus operating; which is much cheaper!

Leaving from the train station at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 17:30. The station is clearly marked "buses to Sapa" in the train station parking lot, and the buses are white, yellow and red.

The ride 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.

Note August 2016, Sa Pa and Lao Cai were subject to bad flooding causing damage to the roads. Please check with your tour operator for travel updates.

Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa_Pa

http://wikitravel.org/en/Sapa