Sa Pa Things to Do

Besides the Hmong and Red Dzao who are the predominant ethnic minority groups at Sapa and surroundings, there are others such as the Tai people who are not so commonly spotted. I think this photo which I took shows a Tai woman.

4 more images

The Red Dzao people are recognised by their beautiful and elaborate head dress, shaven head and eyebrows. They are less populated compared to the Hmong people and tend to me more shy. The best time to see the Red Dzao people is on a Saturday morning at the Sapa market. You will be many of them in big groups, as well as buying stuff from the market.

4 more images

The Hmong people are the most populated of the ethnic minority groups at Sapa and surroundings. These people are the same as the Miao people in China, and they are mainly divided into the Black Hmong and Colour Hmong. You will see lots of Black Hmong people at Sapa and they are very skilled at selling souvenirs (in fact some of them speak good English). You will also get to visit their villages during trekking (Cat Cat Village near to Sapa belongs to the Black Hmong). For the Colour Hmong (which wears very colourful costumes), you will need to visit the markets of other villages such as Bac Ha (2-3 hours drive away). The Black Hmongs used the indigo dyes obtained from the indigo plants growing in the hills to dye their clothes, and use the hemp fibres to make various handicrafts.

4 more images

One of the main attractions of Sapa are the beautiful rice terraces along the slopes of the hills and mountains. The rice harvesting usually happens around September and therefore the best months to visit would be in the middle of the year (it is also warmer but be prepared for many tourists). The best way to enjoy this is to do some trekking (see my tips under "Transportation Tip" section) but it will not be as easy as your think. Besides growing rice, the local people also grow vegetables and farm poulteries. It is generally self sufficient in Sapa and the surrounding areas.

4 more images

Attached are more photos of the town of Sapa. It is actually a very small town but very charming and relaxing even though it is touristy. A trip to northern Vietnam without visiting Sapa will not be complete somehow.

4 more images

Sapa is a small town located in the mountainous area in northern Vietnam close to the border with China (Yunnan province). Sapa used to be a stronghold of the French during the colonial days but now this gives way to tourism. In fact on a busy day, there could be more tourists than locals in Sapa. Therefore this town is geared up for tourism with hotels, restaurants, cafe bars, souvenir shops etc. Sapa is actually located on a slope and you will have a good view of the town from your hotel. The main attractions in the town area are the Sapa market, ethnic minority people, Sapa church and of course the relaxing atmosphere and fresh mountain air. More photos are at part 2 of this tip as well as the travelogue section of this VT page.

Highly recommended. A nice standard trek from Sapa town, about 3km on well paved road downhill. A great introduction to see the country side of Sapa. There is a nice bridge across the fast flowing river and confluence of waterfalls at this disused small power station built by the French.

Recommend joining a tour with a guide. Of course, you can do it own your too as this is safe and clearly marked walk more than a trek and you come back the same way.

Going back is uphil and I recommend taking the motorcycle ride, xe om. Price is negotiable and reasonable. Save your legs for other longer hikes. I took the motorcycle back, the others walked back but were heavily drenched by unexpected downpour.

There is a small open air market in the centre of the town where you can sit around and eat some freshly barbequed food, or just browse around the local arts and craft. We didn't really find anything that particularly interested us, but we did enjoy just sitting at a stall and people watch.