Sapa is the most popular place to go in the Far Northwest amongst budget travelers and packages tourists alike. By using Sapa as a base you can hike off to more remote ‘traditional’ hill tribe villages and sometimes you will be offered a bed in a village for the night. Sapa was originally built as a hill station in the early part of this century and, in winter, gets bitterly cold.Sprawling near the banks of a river, Can Cau Market is a clearly defined shantytown, packed with crude stalls covered with thatched roofs.
The start of a few simple settlements can be seen high above, many of whose residents now make their weekly pilgrimage to the market. We are only 9kms from the Chinese border and some traders make the journey across from China on horseback. The Sunday market in Bac Ha is where you'll want to stock up on water buffalo, pigs and horses. Once you're all set, you can browse for bottles of local firewater (made from rice, cassava or corn) or handicrafts made by some of the 10 Montagnard groups living near here - Flower Hmong, Dzao, Giay (Nhang), Han (Hoa), Xa Fang, Lachi, Nung, Phula, Thai and Thulao.Bac Ha is a less crowded alternative to Sapa, and arriving midweek makes for a relaxing visit. Around 700m above sea level, the highlands around Bac Ma are somewhat warmer than Sapa.
Night 1: Hanoi – Laocai Train station
Our private car come to pick you up from your hotel then transfer to Ha Noi Railway Station and catch the night train to Lao Cai (soft sleeper with airconditioning)., arrive 5: 30 or 6: 00am.
Day 1: Lao Cai – Sapa home stay (B/ L/ D)
5.30am - Arrive in Lao Cai. The bus ride uphill to Sa Pa takes a little over an hour, giving you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces. You'll have breakfast in a local Restaurant, then meet with our local guide and drive (30 minutes) to the Golden Stream Valley, stopping at Ta Van village. Walk down through the village from the main road and start trekking to Giang Ta Chai village. The trekking route offers some challenge as you balance on the rice terraces and a small trail on the steep mountainside. The vegetation is dense as the trail leads up to a peaceful village perched on the Hoang Lien mountainside. Head downhill and relax by a local stream for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, trek about 1.5 hours uphill before descending down to the quaint Tay hill tribe village of Ban Ho. Dinner and overnight in home stay.
Day 2: Sapa more trekking –Lao Cai: : (B /L/ D)
After breakfast, you will start the day with an easy trek on dirt paths. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the valley with its traditional stilt houses and rice terraces. Make your way along a stream to cross a hanging bridge before arriving in Nam Toong Village. In this picturesque valley, you'll pass some remote villages of the Red Dzao ethnic minority communities set amongst the rice and corn fields. After a picnic lunch, walk back to the meeting point where our driver is waiting to take you back to Sa Pa for a shower at the Vietnam TripAdvisor’s hotel in Sapa town.Our bus pick you up and transfer to Lao Cai train station.Have dinner before catch the night train depart at 20: 20 back to Hanoi
Day 3: Hanoi arrive
Arrive in Hanoi early morning. Check-in at Lucky or Hong Ngoc Hotel for breakfast and bathing (check-out time at Lucky or Hong Ngoc Hotel is 12 noon).
Sapa is the most popular place to go in the Far Northwest amongst budget travelers and packages tourists alike. By using Sapa as a base you can hike off to more remote ‘traditional’ hill tribe villages and sometimes you will be offered a bed in a village for the night. Sapa was originally built as a hill station in the early part of this century and, in winter, gets bitterly cold.Sprawling near the banks of a river, Can Cau Market is a clearly defined shantytown, packed with crude stalls covered with thatched roofs.
