Sapa Holidays

We will travel to Sapa from Hanoi by train. The train pulls into Lao Cai Station, giving us a unique view of Vietnam away from the capital cityscape and a different type of discovery. You are greeted by our guide and travel along the winding roads to Sapa Town. The hotel room is not available for early check in;  however you can leave the luggage at the hotel and start  this day activity. We take a drive downhill  before we set off on a walk  from Y Linh Ho to Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages. After that, we will have dinner and take a rest prepare for the next day.

The local footpaths bring us a chance to meet many villagers doing their daily works. Perhaps they are the Hmong, Dao or Giay  ethnic minorities who have settled here a long time ago and make for the main local population. On arrival  at Lao Chai Village, we have a stop to admire the stunning mountain backdrop and the steep terraced rice fields, and make friend with local ethnic minorities along village lanes. We continue walking to Ta Van  Village, home to the Zay ethnic minorities. They often stay on stilt house and have the  culture and traditions different from their nearby Hmong people. We complete our walking trip and drive back to Sapa Town. This hill station set at an elevation of 1,500 meters has some warm days and cool evenings. The evident vestiges of the French colonial era are still found in place as it was once a summer retreat place for French administrators to escape the unbearable summer heat in the  plain regions.  We stroll around to discover the quaint townscape brought from the prominent architecture styles, mountain peaks,  rice terraces, and colorful ethnic minority people.

Upon leaving Sapa, we start our drive through Lao Cai Border Town to Bac Ha. The road conditions vary in some places, involving some downhill and uphill drive. On arrival in Bac Ha Town, we enjoy a walk  around to explore the vibrant Bac Ha Weekend Market. This local trade fair is rather affected by the influx of mass tourism, but it still offers some colorful picture and a unique experience.  We see many different ethnic minorities including  the Flower Hmong, Dao, Phu La, Nung, La Chi, and Tay, and discover their amazing local trading ways. These hill tribe people come into this conglomeration on every Sunday for not only to trade but also enjoy some entertainments, and are recognisably distinct by their dress. They  make for the entirely local affair full of noise, colour and  hustle, and the bustle of commerce. We also have time to enjoy a short walk  to the nearby village of  Ban Pho, home to the flower Hmong people who are dominant in this mountainous area. They have their own culture, traditions, and costumes different from their counterpart in Sapa. We visit a traditional house to learn more about the local lifestyle and taste the potent maize alcohol distilled by villagers. Today we travel by overnight train from Lao Cai back to Hanoi. The local train usually leaves Lao Cai by midevening, giving us some time to catch a look across the border line to the China land