Sapa has everything a travel lover seeks: fresh air, stunning scenery reminiscent of a fairy tale, and friendly local people. Travel to Sapa this season to experience the coolness of the northwest mountains and explore many attractive and unique Sapa tourist destinations. Check out Cuongdulich’s list of 30 breathtaking Sapa tourist spots that you must visit when traveling to Sapa.
For your convenience, Cuongdulich will categorize Sapa tourist destinations into 4 types:
1. Fun places in Sapa
2. Beautiful photo spots in Sapa
3. Exciting trekking destinations in Sapa
4. Famous Sapa tourist spots
1. Attractive Sapa tourist destination Sunworld Fansipan Legend
“The Roof of Indochina” where you can truly touch the sky
With an altitude of 3,143m, Fansipan is the “roof” of Indochina. From here, on clear days, you can see a vast expanse of mountains and hills below. And if you come here on a foggy day, you will feel like you are lost in a magical “kingdom above the clouds.”
Currently, to reach the summit of Fansipan, you no longer need to climb the mountain but simply take a cable car from the foot of the mountain to the top. The cable car is a convenient way to conquer Fansipan. This Fansipan cable car route is also one of the record-breaking constructions in Vietnam, first built in the mountainous region of the Northwest. Visiting Sapa without exploring the Phan Xi Pang peak would be a missed opportunity.
• Ticket price for Fansipan cable car: 700,000 VND/adult, 500,000 VND/child from 1m-1.3m, free for children under 1m
• Mountain train ticket price from Muong Hoa – Sapa cable car station: uphill 70,000 VND/ticket, downhill 80,000 VND/ticket
1. Cat Cat Village Sapa
Cat Cat Village in Sapa with houses that bear the ethnic characteristics of the northwest mountainous region.
Cat Cat Village is located in San Sa Ho commune, where a large number of H’Mong people live. Here, you can freely rent ethnic costumes and take photos in the natural village setting.
Aside from taking photos, when visiting Cat Cat Village, you can buy handicraft products and learn about the traditional occupations of the local people.
• Entrance fee to Cat Cat Village: 70,000 VND
2. Sapa Rose Valley
One of the largest flower gardens in the Northwest region. Sapa Rose Valley has over 1 million rose bushes with various colors and large flowers. This is also one of the most romantic tourist destinations in Sapa, attracting a large number of tourists to visit and explore Sapa.
• Location: Hamlet 1, Muong Hoa Street, Sapa Town
3. Sapa Stone Church
The Sapa church is extremely romantic on misty winter days.
The Stone Church of Sapa is located right in the center of Sapa town, built in 1895. It is a Romanesque Gothic architectural work with vaults, pointed arches, bell towers, etc. This is the last remaining structure from the French colonial period that is still intact at this tourist destination in Sapa. Location: center of Sapa town, Sapa district, Lao Cai province
4. Dragon Jaw Mountain
From Ham Rong mountain, tourists can admire the panoramic view of Sapa.
Located right in the center of Sapa town, near Sapa church. Ham Rong mountain is especially known for its natural scenery with many wildflowers. In addition, the observation deck on Ham Rong mountain is also the best spot to enjoy the beautiful view of Sapa town.
5. Fairy Falls
When traveling to Sapa, don’t forget to explore the pristine beauty of Fairy Falls. Cat Cat Falls, also known as Fairy Falls, is a famous waterfall in Sapa. The waterfall originates from high above, crosses the wild mountains, and then cascades down the beautiful Cat Cat valley.
• Location: Cat Cat village, Sapa
6. Silver Falls
Impressive mountainous landscapes and a friendly atmosphere are what you can see at Silver Waterfall in Sapa. Silver Waterfall, with a height of over 100m, cascades down from the mountain top into a stream of white water resembling a silver silk strip.
• Location: National Highway 4D, San Sả Hồ, SaPa, Lào Cai
• Silver Waterfall ticket price: 20,000 VND/person
7. Love Waterfall – Golden Stream
Love Waterfall in Sapa with water flowing straight from the top of Fansipan. After Silver Waterfall, you will reach Love Waterfall. The water at the waterfall is extremely cold as it flows straight down from the top of Fansipan, but the scenery on the way up to the waterfall is incredibly beautiful. This is one of the photo spots you cannot miss when visiting Sapa.
• Location: San Sả Hồ, Sa Pa district, Lào Cai province, about 4km southwest of Sa Pa town
• Ticket price: 75,000 VND/person
8. Hoang A Tuong Palace
Checking in at the entrance of Hoang A Tuong Palace is a must-do when traveling to Sapa
Hoang A Tuong Palace (also known as Hoang Yen Chao Castle) was built in 1914 and completed in 1921. After over 80 years and two wars, the palace still retains its ancient Asian-European architectural style as in the early days.
• Location of Hoang A Tuong Palace: center of Bắc Hà district, Lào Cai province
• Hoang A Tuong Palace ticket price: 20,000 VND/ticket
9. Ta Van Cloud Bridge
Ta Van Cloud Bridge is a famous spot for wedding photos and artistic photos in Sapa. It is also a tourist attraction in Sapa that attracts a large number of visitors to come and admire the scenery.
It is an ancient bridge made of bamboo ropes across Muong Hoa stream. Ta Van Cloud Bridge is one of the tourist spots in Sapa and a photo spot that tourists from all over the world seek out. Especially in the morning when the mist still covers the bridge, creating a mystical and poetic scene.
• Location: Ta Van village, Sapa
10. Muong Hoa Valley – Ancient Rock Field Sapa
When visiting Sapa, especially the Muong Hoa Valley in Sapa, you will have the opportunity to witness and admire the ancient rocks that have existed for generations without any satisfactory explanation.
From the town of Sapa, crossing a steep pass along the high mountains, you will reach the Muong Hoa Valley. A special feature of this Sapa tourist destination is the ancient rocks of Sapa, where rocks with various carvings lie among the grass, trees, and terraced fields. To this day, these strange symbols remain a mystery that no one has been able to solve.
11. Muong Hoa Stream
Muong Hoa Stream – Ta Van – Sapa, romantic and beautiful
The Muong Hoa Stream flows from Silver Waterfall through the Muong Hoa Valley. The clear water, terraced fields around, and the various shaped rocks turn Muong Hoa Stream into a wonderful photography spot in Sapa.
12. Ancient Taphin Monastery
If you have visited Sa Pa, don’t forget to visit the deserted yet beautiful Taphin Monastery
Nestled amidst nature and Sapa tourist spots in Taphin is the ancient Taphin Monastery – a structure that has survived from ancient times. Thanks to its ancient and solemn features, the monastery still attracts many visitors to stop by, explore, and take photos.
• Location: Taphin village, Taphin commune, Sapa district, Lao Cai province.
Exciting backpacking destinations in Sapa
13. Taphin Village
This is a destination for travelers who love to explore Sapa. Spend a day wandering around Tả Phìn to fully experience the local life of the people.
Tả Phìn is a village of the Red Dao and H’Mong ethnic groups. The road to Tả Phìn village winds along the mountainside amidst lush green terraced fields. Tả Phìn is a famous tourist spot in Sapa known for its exquisite handmade brocade products and special herbal remedies used by the Red Dao people for bathing (Dao leaves).
• Location of Tả Phìn village: 12km from the center of Sapa town
• Entrance fee: 50,000 VND per person
14. Tả Van Village
Travel to Sapa to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life and immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of Tả Van…
About 8 km from Sapa town is Tả Van Giay village. Tả Van has small paths winding through terraced fields, bamboo forests. Here you can find the Cloud Bridge, one of the famous tourist spots in Sapa where backpackers and photographers flock to. You can ask the locals to guide you through the forest to fully explore Tả Van village.
• Location of Tả Van village: 8 km from the center of Sapa
• Entrance fee: 70,000 VND per person
15. Sapa Sky Gate
The road to the gate of heaven twists and turns like a fairy silk strip
Leaving Sapa town, heading north about 18 km on the Tram Ton pass road, you will find the road to the gate of heaven – a Sapa tourist destination nestled between the mountains.
• Location: Tram Ton pass summit
16. O Quy Ho Pass
One of the four famous mountain passes and a must-visit destination in Sapa
Located on the national highway 4D crossing the majestic Hoang Lien Son mountain range, O Quy Ho Pass is a famous tourist spot in Sapa and serves as a link between Lao Cai and Lai Chau. O Quy Ho is one of the four famous mountain passes with the longest, most dangerous, and most majestic mountain roads in the Northwest.
On the pass road, you should stop to enjoy the grilled food of the locals, along with grilled eggs and unique sticky rice. When the weather is cold, what’s better than eating a skewer of grilled meat?
• Location: national highway 4D, Lao Cai
17. Sin Chai Village
Trekking is a great way to explore Sin Chai when traveling to Sapa
Sin Chai Village, San Sa Ho commune, is over 4km from the center of Sapa town by road. Unlike Ta Van and Ta Phin, Sin Chai is a less-visited tourist spot in Sapa and still retains many wild and rustic features.
• Location: 4km from the center of Sapa town
18. Lao Chai Village
Lao Chai Village is a shared home for ethnic minorities such as H’Mong, Tay, Dao… This beautiful village is about 7km from Sapa town. To get here, you pass through May Bridge street and turn onto Muong Hoa street to reach Lao Chai Village. Lao Chai Ta Van when the rice starts to ripen is the ideal time for you to travel to Sapa. Location: 7km from the center of Sapa town
19. Ban Ho Village
Ban Ho Village where nature still has many undiscovered secrets
As the final point of the Muong Hoa stream, here you will immerse yourself in the lush green of the terraced fields. Along with that is the opportunity to experience the life of the indigenous ethnic people.
• Location: 30km southwest of Sapa town
20. Fairy Cave
Hang Tiên is a new but attractive tourist destination in Sapa
Hang Tiên with its primitive and beautiful stalactite system is one of the attractions for tourists in Sapa. When you visit Hang Tiên, you will be amazed by its grandeur, mystery, and unique wilderness that can only be found here.
• Location: Bảo Nhai commune, Bắc Hà district, Lào Cai province
21. Thanh Kim – Sâu Châu
Primitiveness and nature are what Thanh Kim Sâu Châu mountainous forest brings
These are two small communes in Lào Cai. When you visit Thanh Kim – Sâu Châu, you will become part of the Northwest village. Enjoy meals, trips with local people to see how they live and work. And of course, do not miss the peaceful natural scenery and lush green mountains and forests.
Location: Thanh Kim follows the direction of Lao Chải – Tả Van, Sâu Châu is located in the direction of Tả Phìn
22. Tả Giàng Phình
Tả Giàng Phình is where the Ngũ Chỉ Sơn mountain peak, the second highest in the Hoàng Liên Sơn range, is located
Tả Giàng Phình is the ancient land of the Mông people, where the Ngũ Chỉ Sơn mountain peak, the second highest in the Hoàng Liên Sơn range (3,090m above sea level), is located. Standing at Tả Giàng Phình, you can see the clouds covering the majestic Ngũ Chỉ Sơn peak all year round.
23. Giàng Tả Chải – Sử Pán
When traveling to Sapa, remember to visit Giàng Tả Chải to meet the Red Dao children
Giàng Tả Chải in Tả Van is located next to the Mường Hoa stream, the village of the Red Dao people. This place is hidden under ancient trees, bamboo forests, lush green bamboo, and next to a large, majestic waterfall. Meanwhile, Sử Pán is located on the other side of the stream with simple, small houses on rocky ground and cornfields laden with fruit.
• Location: 15 – 17 km from Sapa town
24. Bản Ý Lình Hồ
Visit Ý Linh Hồ when exploring Sapa to see how the people of the Northwest mountains live
Bản Ý Lình Hồ (Ý Linh Hồ) opens up a mountainous area full of beautiful natural scenery, with lush green cornfields, golden ripe terraced rice fields, and simple, rustic houses that are extremely peaceful.
• Location: Lao Chải, about 3km from Sapa town.
Ý Linh Hồ – Lao Chải – Tả Van 1-day trekking tour (departure from Lào Cai station)
25. Động Cốc San
Động Cốc San may not be as magnificent as Phong Nha, but it is still very interesting. This is a new and unique destination for tourists to explore Sapa
Cốc San is a complex of many waterfalls and caves located in Lào Cai, about 7km from Lào Cai town. Not only are there caves, waterfalls, and pristine, beautiful streams, but the road to Cốc San also has harmonious, rich mineral landscapes.
The waterfalls in Động Cốc San are extremely picturesque
• Location: Cốc San commune, Bát Xát district, Lào Cai province, Vietnam
Famous Sapa tourist destinations
26. Chợ phiên Cán Cấu
Cán Cấu market in Sapa is crowded with tourists from both inside and outside the country coming to see goods and buy souvenirs
Cán Cấu market is held near provincial road 153, meeting on Saturdays weekly and on holidays, Tet in the year. The market sells many items such as vegetables, herbs, spices, household items, local products unique to the Northwest.
• Location: DT153, Cán Cấu, Si Ma Cai, Lào Cai
27. Chợ phiên Bắc Hà
Vegetables, cattle, horses, dogs, or food and drinks? Just name it, Bắc Hà market has it all…
Bắc Hà market is the largest highland market in Sapa and even in Lào Cai province. The market is where many traders from various ethnic groups gather to exchange and trade all kinds of goods, from hoes, shovels to handicrafts, souvenirs, or even buffaloes, horses. Especially, there are countless local specialties such as thắng cố, mèn mén, sour pho,… The market is held every Sunday from early morning until 2 pm.
• Location: Bắc Hà town, Bắc Hà district, Lào Cai province, 65km from Lào Cai city.
28. Chợ tình Sapa
The Love Market in Sapa is a unique cultural feature of the Northwest region. During this time, young men and women from villages in the Northwest region come here to meet, socialize, and participate in various interesting activities such as tug of war, leaf horn blowing, love singing, etc. The market usually takes place on Saturday evenings in the spacious yard at the Stone Church in Sapa.
• Location: Stone Church in Sapa
29. Sapa Museum
Come here to explore the cultural beauty of Sapa over the past hundred years
One of the places that preserves the traditional values of over 100 years of Sapa. Currently, there are about 200 artifacts belonging to ethnic groups in Sapa such as H’Mong, Tay, Giay, Xa Pho, Ha Nhi, and Red Dao. Here, visitors will learn about the history as well as explore the production and labor life, religious activities, culture, and traditional costumes of each ethnic group.
• Location: 2 Fansipan, open from 7:30 to 11:30 in the morning; 13:30 – 17:00 in the afternoon.
30. Ha Khau
Ha Khau with a strong Chinese vibe
Ha Khau (Hekou) is an autonomous county of China, located in the southern part of Yunnan Province. Ha Khau is bustling with commercial centers, shopping stores, and various small cafes.
The enchanting scenery here allows you to take plenty of picturesque photos!
It is also famous for its distinctive Chinese cuisine such as steamed cakes, buns, skewered meat, hotpot, etc.
• Location: at the Lao Cai border gate.
• How to get there: take bus number 02 from the Stone Church in Sapa to the border gate for about 30,000 VND/ticket, takes 1 hour. Then find a border crossing service (remember to bring your passport) to exit to Ha Khau
How to get to Sapa?
By bus
Buses are a popular means of transportation to Sapa as they can go directly to the town of Sapa
With bus routes operating on the Nội Bài – Lào Cai – Sapa expressway, the travel time from Hanoi to the mountainous region of Sapa is only about 5 hours. This avoids fatigue on the road and allows more time for sightseeing and relaxation in the beautiful town of Sapa.
Bus Type Ticket Price (depending on the time) Book now
Sapa Express bus from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa (sleeper bus) 280,000 Book now
Inter Bus Lines bus from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa (sleeper bus) 238,000 Book now
King Express Limousine bus from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa 342,000 Book now
Sapa Express bus from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa (Limousine bus) 352,000 Book now
Inter Bus Lines Valentines bus from Hanoi to Sapa and vice versa (Private cabin) 428,000 Book now
By luxury train
High-quality service with full amenities: drinks, towels, toothbrushes, indoor slippers, wifi… are the “perks” for passengers on luxury trains
Always prioritizing quality, the combination of four to five-star standard facilities and professional services is what the Hanoi – Lào Cai luxury trains are offering. Traveling on these trains will surely bring maximum satisfaction to travelers on the long journey to the beautiful town of Sapa. The only downside of traveling by train is that you will have to take a short bus/ coach ride to get to Sapa.
Train Type Ticket Price (depending on the time) Book now
Sapaly Express train from Hanoi to Lào Cai and vice versa 650,000 Book now
King Express train ticket from Hanoi to Lào Cai and vice versa 523,000 Book now
Chapa Express train ticket from Hanoi to Lào Cai and vice versa 721,000 Book now
Sapa – a familiar destination but not everyone has had the opportunity to visit. Reading articles about independent travel experiences in Sapa, sharing emotions, and seeing magnificent images always urge me to explore and experience. Sapa is a small town in Lào Cai province, in the Northwest mountainous region of Vietnam. Sapa is known as a “Dalat of the North.” But I feel Sapa is not just a Dalat with a cool climate all year round, with four seasons suitable for leisure trips, but it is also a pristine, unique, and enchanting travel destination.
February-March:
Spring in Sapa. During this time, Sapa is filled with cherry blossoms and plum blossoms in the cool air all day long. Lucky days with clear skies, the bright sunlight at noon dispels the mist, giving you a radiant Sapa with colorful flowers. Independent travel to Sapa at the beginning of 2019 will bring you the most romantic and magical photos.
May-June:
Rice planting season. The entire valley is bustling with rice planting activities. This is also the time when peaches and plums start to ripen. The peach and plum season lasts until the end of July. During your trip to Sapa, you can enjoy a variety of fruits. Sapa is also the fruit basket of the North. In summer, with peaches, plums, and even strawberries, you can freely pick and bring them as gifts.
August:
Rice ripening season. A lush green color covers the entire Muong Hoa valley. Travelers share their experiences of independent travel to Sapa during this season, which is very beautiful. The air is extremely fresh and cool. Walking through these green fields, even in summer, feels refreshing.
September-October:
Harvest season. My favorite season. Imagine a vast Muong Hoa valley turning from green to a brilliant yellow. A truly magnificent sight. The ripe rice season in Sapa becomes a rich source of inspiration for artists (painters, photographers). This ripe rice season attracts many photographers and filmmakers to this place. Just getting on the Sapa travel bus, I can already feel the excitement.
December-January:
Winter. The freezing cold becomes a unique specialty of Sapa. I visited Sapa in winter, and the feeling of cold was intense, almost cutting through the skin. Wet feet from walking, not daring to stand still for fear of freezing stiff, had to keep moving. After returning, that freezing feeling turned into nostalgia, feeling that I had overcome my limits, enduring the 0-degree cold. Take your loved one on an independent trip to Sapa in winter, hug each other in the freezing weather, and overcome limits together, it will be a very happy experience.
Sapa is a small town, but the number of hotels, guesthouses, or homestays is not inferior to large tourist cities. So it’s not difficult for you to choose an overnight stay. The important thing is how to choose accommodation with a beautiful view, convenient transportation, suitable for your budget, and with satisfactory services down to every detail.
In the town center, there are more accommodation options for you to choose from, from 5-star hotels, 4-star, 3-star, 2-star to guesthouses, hostels, homestays. Here, it is a bustling area convenient for sightseeing, experiencing all services. From gathering for meals with friends, grilling hotpot, working overtime at a café chatting, karaoke, bar, pub, all are available. Or simply take a stroll, buy some roasted peanuts by the roadside, or choose a souvenir from a H’Mong ethnic child. These will be very enjoyable moments with a night stroll around Sapa town.
Staying in the villages below is a different space. Completely quiet. In Lao Chai, Ta Van, or Ta Phin villages, you can choose a peaceful and clean place to stay. Most accommodations in the villages are homestays. But the services are complete, clean, no different from guesthouses or hotels in the town center of Sapa, so you can rest assured. Many places offer views of terraced fields, overlooking the vast fields or simply smelling the scent of freshly plowed fields is wonderful, you won’t want to leave.
Are you ready to explore the tourist attractions in Sapa? Do you have any other points to add? Contact the Đi Vui team now to have an exciting exploration of the Sapa region.
