Located in the far and high area in North Vietnam and own a special cool climate, Sapa is very well known among tourists. People in this small town of Lao Cai Province still remains their traditions in dressing and cultivating, especially their weekly colorful markets. Bac Ha is the most well known local market, where several ethnic groups gather every Sunday to trade and meet one another.
| Night 1: Hanoi - Lao Cai | (...) |
Transfer from hotel to train station to catch the night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train.
| Day 1: Lao Cai - Bac Ha Market - Sapa | (B, L, D) |
Welcome by a local guide at Lao Cai station. Breakfast then transfer 60 km to the morning Sunday Bac Ha Market, the most colorful market of the hill tribes in the North of Vietnam. This every-Sunday-market attended by at least 8 ethnic groups and last from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM. It is also chance for tourists to discover the H’mong King’s palace (old building built by the French & Chinese).
In the afternoon, we go for a light trek to visit Ban Pho, the village is home to flower H’mong minority. We are invited to enter several local houses to have some green tea, corn wine, listen to the host talking about their family, talk to them… and then enjoy landscapes on a roundabout way to Bac Ha for get back to Lao Cai.
| Day 2: Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van - Sapa | (B, L, D) |
Breakfast at hotel. Start the tour with 6 km of walking down to the south east of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village of the Black H’mong. Continue on 2km of trekking down to Lao Chai village of the H’mong. Lunch at a local family, and then walk through terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people. It gives you a worth chance for you to learn about the local house architecture which is full of their daily life styles and exclusive custom. Enjoy the landscapes…on the way. Get back to Sapa by jeep or motorbike.
Over night at hotel in Sapa.
| Day 3: Sapa - Cat Cat - Sin Chai - Lao Cai - Hanoi | (B, L, D) |
Breakfast at hotel, then start a walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the food of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Enjoy picnic lunch by the side of the river, and then next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. From here you can enjoy huge stunning landscapes before climbing up on the way a jeep to return to Sapa. Transfer to Lao Cai station for dinner and catching the night train back to Hanoi.
Tour end at Hanoi train station at about 5:30 AM.
Note*: The day in Bac Ha must be on Sunday. It can be organized flexibly on day 1, day 2 or day 3.
