During your custom-made trip to Vietnam, you have the opportunity to discover Sapa. This region in Northwest Vietnam will charm visitors with its breathtaking landscapes, from mountain ranges to terraced rice paddies and rivers. This is the ideal place for nature lovers and walkers, as you can find many delightful hiking trails. Visiting the city of Sapa is also an opportunity to discover the many remote villages where minority ethnic groups live, which are easily recognizable by their traditionally colourful clothing.
The ideal time to visit the Sapa Region of Vietnam is between April and October. Though it is possible to visit Sapa during other months of the year, the temperatures are cooler. Be careful however, as there can be a lot of rain in June and July.
The city of Sapa in Vietnam is located in the heart of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which is both calm and green, a real joy for the eyes. Climbing up the mountain allows you to admire the beauty of the region from above. This region will satisfy all walkers and nature lovers. Here you can do many guided treks to discover the paddy fields and the surrounding villages. You can also spend the night with locals, and you can stay several days to immerse yourself in the life of the villages of Sapa and participate in daily activities.
One of the highlights of this region is the Muong Hoa Valley with its green terraced paddy fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. Located about ten kilometres from the centre of Sapa, the valley is bordered by two mountain ranges. The best time to admire and enjoy the enchanting green active paddy fields is between April and early September. During the rest of the year, the landscapes remain impressive even if the rice fields are not active. The paddy is planted in the Spring (April/May). The rice harvest takes place only once a year and lasts between one and two weeks during the month of September. It is also a paradise for photography enthusiasts who will take back beautiful photos and lots of memories.
On the slopes of the hills of the Sapa region, you will find villages containing various ethnic groups, who have managed to preserve their ancestral traditions through generations. While hiking in the heart of Vietnamese nature, you can go from village to village to meet the inhabitants of the five ethnic minorities, easily recognizable by their colourful traditional costumes. Hmong, Dao, Tay, Giay, and XaPho are the names of the tribes that make up the majority of the local population. Each tribe has its own distinguishable characteristics. The Hmong ethnic group has the largest number of members and lives in the high mountains. They are easily recognizable by their blue costumes. Their houses have no windows and the kitchen is located in the centre to conserve heat during the cold winter weather. Among the Hmong, it is the men who run the home and take care of the children while the women go to work in the fields or sell handicrafts to tourists who come to visit Sapa. In the Dao community, women wear a red scarf on their heads and have their eyebrows shaved. They are also known for their knowledge of medicinal plants.
Go to the heart of an ethnic market to meet the local population and let yourself be intoxicated by the colours, smells, and flavours. The most famous markets are those of Can Cau, Bac Ha, and Coc Ly where you can find products of all kinds, from food to textiles to handicrafts.
Between a temperate climate, warm encounters with locals, and above all, landscapes that you will not forget – all the ingredients for a timeless getaway are located in Sapa. If you are interested in discovering Sapa, do not hesitate to talk to your Travel Designer about it.