This is my second trip to Sapa, while it’s the first time for my husband, so I unintentionally became the guide for our Sapa travel. At first, my husband trusted me a lot, but later realized how clueless I was in some funny situations.
Choose your vehicle wisely
Initially, I planned to go straight to the bus station to catch a bus, but my husband warned that Hanoi – Sapa route is full of steep slopes, so we must carefully choose a safe vehicle. Then, we booked tickets with Ha Son – Hai Van. Luckily, the whole trip was very comfortable, and the service on the bus was attentive.
Reference: Most detailed guide for traveling to Sapa
Prepare warm clothes before “landing”
When we left Hanoi, it wasn’t very cold, so my husband and I were dressed quite elegantly, but in Sapa, it was freezing. The experience is that you should keep a warm jacket handy on the bus, and mentally prepare yourself for the weather changes. Sapa in the early morning is chilling to the soul, but not everywhere in Vietnam gives you this feeling. It’s unique, special, and worth experiencing.
Remember to call the Homestay owner for pick-up
We booked the Homestay online, the pictures were charming, and the price was good. When the taxi dropped us at the foot of a steep staircase, we started to panic: Where is this address? Finally, the Homestay owner came down to pick us up. The Homestay here is beautifully decorated, creating a truly comfortable feeling. I noticed that most Homestays in Sapa are invested in this way, which is a plus point.
Reference: Solo Travel Guide to Sapa
Don’t Let Your Eyes Be Bigger Than Your Stomach
In the morning, on the way down to Cat Cat village, my husband and I stopped for breakfast at a restaurant. The weather was cool, and after being hungry and thirsty all night, I declared that I could eat the whole world. And then, my eyes were bigger than my stomach, so I ordered a large pot of fish hotpot and a plate of grilled meat. The cuisine in Sapa is truly legendary, eating it once will be remembered for a lifetime. But because we ordered too much, we couldn’t finish it all, which was a bit regretful.
Swimming in Ta Phin
Bathing in the red Dao herb is a quite famous service in Sapa (right next to the homestay), but my husband and I decided to go to Ta Phin. Ta Phin is the village of the Red Dao people, you have to go to the “root” to accept it. The map is only 3 km, but my husband and I got lost, walked more than ten kilometers, and by the time we arrived, it was already evening. After a quick swim, we hurried back before the fog “ate us up”. I really admire my husband and myself. But luckily, thanks to wandering around, I had the opportunity to broaden my horizons by admiring the Northwest mountains, the terraced fields often seen in magazines, and countless picturesque photos. Our country is incredibly beautiful!
Reference: Popular Tourist Attractions in Sapa
Mist on the Peak of Fansipan
My husband and I booked the Sunworld Fansipan Legend cable car ticket in Sapa on Klook. That day we went through mist-covered paths, but this experience still makes me feel elated. Although we didn’t catch the clouds as expected, the feeling was not bad, very special. The tip is to check the “weather forecast” to go up to the summit to see the sky and clouds on a sunny day.
Sapa at the time I visited still had many unfinished constructions, dusty and messy, but it still brought me a lot of emotions. The situations mentioned are just some unfortunate moments, there are countless romantic moments as well. You should visit Sapa at least once in your lifetime, you will never regret it. And remember to learn from experiences, don’t be as clueless as we were.
