What is it about Sapa that attracts so many tourists every year?
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As a highland district of Lao Cai province, Sapa is located on a mountainside 1,500–1,600 meters above sea level. It’s between two Hoang Hoa mountain ranges. Lien Son and the Elephant range face northwest. Blending natural beauty and unique national culture, Sapa has become a suitable tourist destination for everyone. Whether you are an adventurous traveler or are looking for a peaceful vacation.
Which season is best to travel to Sapa?
Sapa is blessed by nature for each season, each month has its beauty. So you can go to Sapa at any time of the year.
From February to April every year, in the spring of Sapa, visitors will be able to see hundreds of types of flowers blooming like azaleas and vast forests of peach and plum blossoms. The hills are covered in pure white. Summer from May to August is the time when tourists come to Sapa to escape the heat and admire the green terraced fields. In Sapa, there is a season called rice season, which falls from October to December. At this time, the terraced fields are covered with green by new rice clusters or the golden color of ripe rice flowers. In this time, visitors also have an opportunity to admire the cloudy cover of mountain peaks in the early morning.
In 2009, Travel and Leisure Magazine (USA) also voted SaPa terraced fields as one of the 7 most beautiful and spectacular terraced fields in Asia and the world. December and January are the coldest times when Sapa is in winter, the temperature can drop as low as 0-2 degrees Celsius. This is the only time visitors have the opportunity to watch snowfall in Vietnam.
Moving to Sapa
Traveling to Sapa, visitors can book a Hanoi – Sa Pa limousine or a bus from My Dinh station for 230,000 – 350,000 VND/person. Depending on seat class, travel time is about 5 – 6 hours.
If you go by train, you choose the Hanoi – Lao Cai route. After about 7 – 9 hours of travel, you have to take a bus or take a taxi to Sapa center. Train ticket prices range from 160,000 to 800,000 VND depending on seat class and train type.
For tourists living far from Hanoi such as the Central and Southern regions, they can travel by plane to Hanoi and then continue to choose a bus or train to get to Sapa.
Staying in Sapa
Sa Pa is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country, every year it welcomes millions of domestic and international visitors, so motels and hotels in Sa Pa are very developed, mainly in Concentrated in 3 areas: the area near the lake, the Cau May-Muong Hoa area, and the town center area.
Besides, in areas farther from the town center there are also many homestays with cheap prices that many young people choose. Some popular homestays include Eco Palms House, Heaven Sapa, Viettrekking, Phori’s House, Sapa Heavenly, Rock Garden, Coong, Cloud Garden, Mong…
Besides, if you want to choose a resort in Sapa with a beautiful view to fit Admiring the majestic scenery of Sa Pa. Experiencing relaxing moments and enjoying amenities such as a spa and swimming pool. 4-5 star resorts will be the most suitable choice for tourists. Some resorts you can experience are Silk Path Grand Sapa, Victoria Sapa Resort, Pistachio Hotel Sapa, and Hotel de la Coupole…
The choice of 2-4 star hotels in Sapa is also countless, most will focus on the central area of Sapa for convenience for entertainment and sightseeing. Some favorite names are Sapa Stunning View Hotel, Muong Hoa View Hotel, Golden Town Hotel…
Visiting Sapa
Many people’s experience of going to Sapa shows that to explore Sapa, the ideal time is said to be within 3 days and 2 nights. Sapa has many beautiful natural scenery and villages imbued with Northwest culture. Visitors can choose in advance an itinerary to visit Sapa for their trip.
Fansipan
About 9km from Sapa, Fansipan is the highest mountain in Indochina and is also a famous tourist destination in the Sapa travel itinerary that you cannot miss. If you walk, it takes about 6-7 days to conquer it, but now there is a cable car so visitors can rest assured to explore this place without worrying about losing strength. The cable car ticket price is 715,000 VND per adult, 525,000 VND per child, mountain train ticket is 99,000 VND per person.
To reach Fansipan Peak, you follow the mountain train route, then cable car, then another train ride or walk up 600 steps. Each train ride lasts about 6-7 minutes, each cable car ride lasts about 30 minutes. Those who like to walk can leisurely climb the stairs and visit the spiritual complex on Fansipan including Kim Son Bao Thang Tu, 11-storey tower, bronze statue of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and the largest bronze statue of Amitabha Buddha Vietnam…
Cat Cat village
Next is Cat Cat village, about 2 km from Sapa center. Cat Cat village is mainly inhabited by H’mong ethnic people. The village is surrounded by mountains and forests, with a stream flowing in the middle of the village. Walking around the village, it is not difficult to see H’mong girls weaving, embroidering, and sewing, creating a peaceful, poetic scene blending the scenery and people here. Entrance fee: 50,000 VND/person, visitors can also rent national costumes for 50,000 VND/set.
Ham Rong Mountain
With its magical and misty landscape, Ham Rong Mountain also attracts many tourists. The lowest point of the mountain is 1,450m, and the highest peak is more than 1,800m. From the top of the mountain, you can see most of the famous tourist attractions of Sa Pa town such as Muong Hoa Valley, Ta Van village, Cat Cat village… Ham Rong Mountain is suitable for organizing a mountain climbing picnic, combining eating, shopping, and sightseeing. Because on the way up the mountain, there are countless shops and beautiful flower gardens. The price to visit the Ham Rong mountain tourist area is 70,000 VND for adults and 30,000 VND for children.
After going to Ham Rong Mountain, you return to the town center not far away to visit Sa Pa Stone Church. This is a symbolic project of the mountain town that was started in 1895. The church was built in the shape of a cross in the Gothic style, shown in the roof, bell tower, and arches…. All of these are pyramidal shapes creating flying features and elegant benefits for the project.
Lao Chai – Ta Van
For tourists who want to learn about culture, they can go to Lao Chai – Ta Van, about 7km from Sapa town center. where the ethnic minorities H’mong, Dao, Giay, Tay… This is the place to live. Although one of the villages has full amenities. It still retains its traditional living culture, creating a very unique beauty, and attracting domestic and foreign tourists.
The most impressive thing here is the terraced fields spread across the hillsides. Late summer is the time when ripe rice dyes the entire mountainous area golden. The entrance fee is 70,000 VND/person.
O Quy Ho Pass
In addition, going out of the town center, tourists who love nature and the majesty of mountains and forests can go to O Quy Ho Pass. This place is known as the “King of passes” with one side is a deep valley, with cliffs on one side. O Quy Ho stretches about 50 km connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai – Lai Chau. A suggestion for those who want to take beautiful photos on this pass is to come at sunset, around 5 – 5:30 p.m. When the sun gradually hides behind the mountains, the entire pass is covered with a dreamy, beautiful golden color. However, Sa Pa’s weather changes very quickly, maybe just 10 minutes after the sun and sunset, dark clouds will cover it.
Besides, when reaching the highest part of O Quy Ho pass, visitors will reach the Heaven Gate. Standing from here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the vast valley below, terraced fields mixed with winding roads. Currently, many new projects are being built here such as restaurants, cafes, hotels… Heaven’s Gate charges 80,000 VND/person, including a drink.
What to eat in Sapa?
Sapa is famous for many dishes with mountain and forest flavors. But one dish that cannot be missed when coming here is salmon. No longer a “monopoly” of temperate climate countries, salmon is now raised and bred in Sapa. Sapa salmon is firm and delicious, not at all greasy. And can be eaten raw as sashimi, or processed into grilled fish. A salmon hot pot costs 300,000 – 600,000 VND, suitable for 3 to 6 people.
Besides, when traveling to Sa Pa, you cannot miss grilled food. This is a dish that is everywhere and has many types from skewers of pork, chicken, and rolled vegetables to eggs, corn, potatoes, and bamboo-tube rice.
In addition, the most famous dish in the Northwest that tourists want to experience in Sapa is thang co. This dish is often cooked with meat and the internal organs of buffalo, cow, pig… The special thing is that delicious thang co will need 27 different spices such as cinnamon, anise, cardamom… All these ingredients will be cooked in a large pan and simmered on the stove for many hours to soften and absorb the spices, creating a particularly rich flavor. Both sweet and fatty, eaten with a cup of corn wine on a cold winter day…
The above analysis and suggestions can help you in preparing for the upcoming SaPa trip. When you read this article, you also know better to choose the best for yourself to travel to Sapa in what month or what to eat when coming to Sapa. Compass Tourist wishes everyone a right choice to travel to Sapa cheap and best!