Experience traveling to Sapa on your own

Experience traveling to Sapa on your own

Sapa is one of Vietnam's famous tourist destinations, attracting millions of tourists each year. If you are planning to travel to Sapa on your own, immediately refer to BDATrip's self-sufficient Sapa travel experiences below to have a complete and memorable trip.

Introduction to Sapa

Sapa - City of mist
Sapa - City of mist

Sa Pa is a district of Lao Cai province in the Northwest mountainous region of Vietnam. Sa Pa town is famous for being the most crowded destination for indigenous people and tourists in Sa Pa. This place not only attracts and attracts the footsteps of domestic tourists but also receives a lot of compliments from foreign tourists. Sapa was even voted by the foreign press as one of the 50 destinations. The most attractive on the planet. Sapa is magically beautiful in the mist and majestic mountains. In the middle of the poetic natural space are lovely small villages with simple, honest and rustic people. The image of Sapa is always beautiful and carries an indescribable attraction to those who love traveling to Lao Cai. Traveling to Sapa, visitors will feel the typical climate of the high mountains with 4 seasons in a day, in addition, you will also be able to admire the beautiful natural scenery along with the cultural features of the ethnic people. Locality is something you cannot miss in Sapa.

When to travel to Sapa?

Travel to Sapa in December
Travel to Sapa in December

Belonging to the humid and temperate subtropical climate group, with an average temperature of only about 15 degrees Celsius, this city offers an exciting experience for those who love exploring the mountains and chilly weather. Sapa is not only one of the rare destinations in Vietnam but also has special characteristics: four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Every time of the year offers ideal opportunities for independent travel. The natural carpet here often shines with tens of thousands of hectares of pine forests and all kinds of rare flowers.

For most tourists, November and December are the ideal times to go to Sapa on your own. At this time, Muong Hoa Valley is immersed in the yellow color of mustard flowers and buckwheat flowers, creating a wonderful natural picture. On the contrary, if you want to experience the red color of azalea or climbing roses, February to April is the perfect time to travel to SaPa. With fresh air, majestic scenery and natural diversity, self-sufficient Sapa is an adventure not to be missed. Feel free to explore this mountainous region and catch the most beautiful moments of the four seasons in one of the most unique destinations in Vietnam.

How to travel from Hanoi to SaPa

  • Going to Sa Pa by motorbike: This is a means of transportation that many backpackers love because of its freedom, comfort and cost savings. However, you need to have good health and experience driving on mountain passes to ensure safety. From Hanoi, you follow Highway 32 to Son Tay, then turn to Highway 6. Continue along Highway 6 for about 330km to Sa Pa. Travel time is about 7-8 hours.
  • Going to Sa Pa by bus: Passenger bus is the most popular means of transportation to go to Sa Pa. There are many bus companies running the Hanoi - Sa Pa route with different prices, ranging from 200,000 - 400,000 VND/ticket. Reputable and quality bus companies such as: Fansipan Express, Inter Bus Lines, Queen Café, Sao Viet,... Travel time is about 5-6 hours.
  • Going to Sa Pa by train: Train is a safe and comfortable means of transportation to go to Sa Pa. There are two types of trains running on the Hanoi - Sa Pa route: sleeper trains and seat trains. The sleeper train has 4 types of seats: hard seats, soft seats, air-conditioned soft seats and 4-berth sleepers. Ticket prices range from 200,000 - 1,200,000 VND/ticket. Seat trains have 3 types of seats: hard seats, soft seats and air-conditioned soft seats. Ticket prices range from 150,000 - 600,000 VND/ticket. Travel time by train is about 8-9 hours.

Some famous places in SaPa

Fansipan peak

Cloud hunting on Fansipan peak
Cloud hunting on Fansipan peak

As a tourism symbol of Sapa and also a particularly attractive destination, any tourist coming to SaPa cannot miss the opportunity to save special photos at this sacred mountain peak. Located at an altitude of more than 3000m above sea level and is known as the Roof of Indochina. In the past, to reach the top, visitors would have to walk for 2 days, climbing from the bottom of the mountain to the top, but now there is a cable car system to help visitors reach the top easily and quickly.

Ham Rong mountain

Sa Pa Dragon Jaw Flower Garden - City of thousands of flowers
Sa Pa Dragon Jaw Flower Garden - City of thousands of flowers

Ham Rong Mountain is a famous tourist destination in Sapa town, Lao Cai province. This place is known as "the rose among the Northwest mountains and forests" because of its poetic and lyrical beauty. Ham Rong Mountain is located right in the center of Sapa town, about 3km from Sapa ancient church. With a height of about 1,800m above sea level, shaped like a dragon stretching out to the sea. Visitors will have to walk from the foot of the mountain to the top. Along the way you will see many beautiful flowers on both sides of the road and especially the pink color of cherry blossoms. When reaching the top of the mountain, visitors can admire the panoramic view of Sapa town below, the majestic mountain scenery and breathtaking clouds.

Sapa Market

Bustling trading activities at SaPa market
Bustling trading activities at SaPa market

It is the exchange and trading center of the whole Sapa town. This is the area that attracts the most tourists, because there are many local products sold here such as brocade, cat apples, bamboo shoots and other products collected during the forest trips of indigenous people. .

Sapa Market is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Sapa, Lao Cai. Sapa Market is a place for exchange and trading of ethnic minorities in the Northwest region, where tourists can find and buy typical highland products. Sapa market is located in the center of Sapa town, about 500m from Sapa ancient church. The market opens on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Sapa market is large in scale, with hundreds of stalls selling all kinds of items, from handicrafts, brocade, to foods and snacks.

Cat Cat village

Panorama of Cat Cat village
Panorama of Cat Cat village

This place is only about a 15-minute walk from Sapa town center. Cat Cat village is a long-standing village of the H'Mong ethnic people. In the village, many traditional handicrafts from the past are still preserved such as growing cotton, flax, weaving, etc. Currently, Cat Cat village has been repaired and built into a tourist area, attracting tourists every year. attracts a large number of tourists to SaPa. Tourists come here not only to enjoy the beautiful scenery but also to relax in the fresh air of the mountains and forests.
Cat Cat village is a H'Mong ethnic minority village located about 2km from Sapa town. Cat Cat village is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Sapa, attracting thousands of tourists each year. Cat Cat village is located in Muong Hoa valley, surrounded by rolling mountains. The village has an area of ​​about 40 hectares, with about 200 households living. Cat Cat village is rich in the culture of the H'Mong ethnic people. Simple stilt houses, winding trails, terraced fields,... All create an extremely poetic and lyrical scene.

Ta Van village

Ta Van village is ripe rice season
Ta Van village is ripe rice season

Ta Van village is a village of Mong, Red Dao and Giay ethnic minorities located about 12km from Sapa town. Ta Van village is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Sapa, attracting thousands of tourists each year. Ta Van village is located in Muong Hoa valley, surrounded by rolling mountains. The village has an area of ​​about 130 hectares, with about 600 households living. Ta Van village has bold cultural features of the Mong, Red Dao and Giay ethnic people. Simple stilt houses, winding trails, terraced fields,... All create an extremely poetic and lyrical scene. During the ripe rice season, tourists coming here will admire the ripe golden terraced fields covering the entire area. Ta Van is the most beautiful tourist destination in Sapa during the ripe rice season. On the way to the village, there are 2 stops where people can observe the panoramic view of Ta Van village. The scenery here is amazingly beautiful, no picture can fully describe that beauty, on one side is a massive cliff, on the other side is a valley of terraced fields stretching as far as the eye can see.

Ta Phin village

The lyrical and poetic beauty of Ta Phin village
The lyrical and poetic beauty of Ta Phin village

This is a H'Mong ethnic minority village located about 13 km northeast of Sapa town. Ta Phin village is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Sapa, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Ta Phin village is located in Muong Hoa valley, surrounded by rolling mountains. The village has an area of ​​about 100 hectares, with about 400 households living. Ta Phin village has bold cultural features of the H'Mong ethnic people. Simple stilt houses, winding trails, terraced fields,... All create an extremely poetic and lyrical scene. Currently, in Ta Phin village, the long-standing cultural identities of the Red Dao people are still preserved. This place possesses beautiful natural landscapes and cultural features rich in national identity. Coming to Ta Phin, visitors can visit Ta Phin cave nearby, in the cave there are many stalactites with strange shapes such as: dancing fairies, distant fields or sparkling forests,...

Silver waterfall

Silver Waterfall is located at the foot of O Quy Ho Pass
Silver Waterfall is located at the foot of O Quy Ho Pass

Silver Waterfall has long been famous as a beautiful landscape of Sapa. This waterfall is more than 100m high from the top of the mountain. When standing at the foot of the waterfall, looking at the vast sky and earth and the steep and majestic mountain ranges in the distance, I suddenly feel very small before the magnificent natural scenery of the mountains and forests here. Silver Waterfall is formed from Muong Hoa stream, falling from a height of 100 m. The waterfall is called Silver Waterfall because the water when pouring down creates white foam, looking like a long flowing silver strip. With a width of about 60 m, divided into three floors. The highest floor is about 50 m high, the remaining two floors are about 20 m and 30 m high. Surrounding the waterfall are high, craggy cliffs. Looking down from above, Silver Waterfall looks like a beautiful natural picture.

What to eat when traveling to SaPa?

Smoked buffalo meat

Smoked buffalo meat specialty of the Northwest mountains and forests
Smoked buffalo meat specialty of the Northwest mountains and forests

Smoked buffalo meat is a typical dish of ethnic minorities in the Northwest, including Sapa. This dish is made from fresh buffalo meat, after being treated with balanced seasoning techniques, it will be smoked for 2-3 days until the meat is cooked and firm. Grilled buffalo meat has a rich, fragrant smoky flavor, and is delicious when served with Cham Xo dipping sauce or lemon chili salt. This dish can be eaten as a snack or served with rice.

Sapa salmon

Fresh and delicious Sapa salmon
Fresh and delicious Sapa salmon

Sapa salmon is one of the most famous specialties of the foggy town. Sapa salmon usually lives in cold waters and has soft, delicious fatty meat, especially the red-orange belly meat. Sapa salmon can be processed into many different dishes such as: salmon hot pot, grilled salmon, salmon with passion fruit sauce,... Among them, salmon hot pot is the most popular dish.

Roast pork

Armpit pork is very lean and has a unique delicious taste
Armpit pork is very lean and has a unique delicious taste

Armpit pork is a specialty dish of the Mong people in Sapa. This dish is made from small, free-range Ban pigs with firm, delicious meat. Armpit pork is often grilled over charcoal, dipped in lemon chili salt or shrimp paste. When you eat, you will feel the natural sweetness of the meat, mixed with the aroma of kitchen smoke.

In addition, Sapa also has many other specialty dishes such as: thang co, five-color sticky rice, bamboo-tube rice,... Each dish has its own flavor, contributing to the uniqueness of Sapa cuisine.

Hopefully this article will help you gain more experience traveling to Sapa on your own for your trip. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy trip.

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