Posts Tagged Sapa
Getting the most out of Sapa travel
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel Blog on December 28, 2009
Located in the northwestern mountains of the country, Sapa is a modest town nestled within the Hoang Lien Son mountain range in Lao Cai Province. Sapa is an excellent destination to enjoy outdoor activities with stunning landscapes that attract both domestic and foreign tourists.
Travelling in Sapa, few tourists miss an opportunity to trek to mountain villages and majestic waterfalls.
Cat Cat Village sits atop unspoiled landscapes and is a desirable destination for trekkers seeking to spend full days walking in a world of natural charm and tranquility.
Visiting the village, tourists will discover various traditional trades of the local people such as weaving, jewelry manipulation, metal work and stone carvings.
After first day on Motorbike
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 23, 2009
Day one and in the evening. I have survived. I am actually kind of blown away by where I am at right now. Which by the way I really don’t know where I am at. I kind of think somewhere NE of Lao Cai. My guide Khun speaks almost no English. Actually let me rephrase that. He dosn’t really speak any English. And I still cant even say thank you in vietnamese yet correctly after a week. So he and I are spending tons of time in deep philosaphical conversations. On a side note what is the deal with charades here? In the states if you made the motion of brushing your teeth people would know you meant to brush your teeth. I don’t think I have had one charade actually work yet. Its probablly that I just suck at it but I was wondering if others noticed the same?
We left Lao Cai in the rain this morning. I pretty much just put myself in the mindset that I signed up for a week of this. Plus, its not like I can just change my mind and go home. I am so happy now that I brought the raincoat and the backpack rain cover. We were able to get all my stuff covered and dry and on the bikes. Its probablly been 10 years since I had my motorcycle, so I expected to be a bit rusty. Which I was. I dont count the scooter ride we all did on Cat Ba island. The Minsk is a pretty underpowered, simply built, no frills bike. Which is probablly why its popular for this kind of trip. Its larger then the little scooters everyone drives and has more ground clearance.
Hiding from Hanoi
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 22, 2009
After a lousy night on a ’sleeper’ bus to the China/Vietnam border (although they did let us stay on the bus till border opening time) we were pretty much front of the queue to cross the bridge to Lao Cai in Vietnam.
Apparently still a bit politically unstable since the 17 day invasion by China in 1979, all seemed peaceful with people literally sprinting between the two countries without a worry in the world other than would they sell their wares on the other side. All queue orderly to get in.
Note to anyone who doesn’t queue in an orderly fashion to get into Vietnam – in the last 53 years Vietnam have warred with France, Laos, Cambodia, USA and China about their country and its boundaries … and beaten up on them all!
Talking of beating up, the minibus conductors in Lao Cai quite literally manhandle their ‘clients’ onto the bus in order to get it filled up quickly. Ours still took 1.5 hours to do this and by the time we left also had a cargo of tiles, tv’s and various ironmongery – mercifully though, no pigs or chickens.
The bus journey took us into beautiful rain forest covered mountains. By the time we reached our 5th floor room (no lift, heavy backpacks) the past 24 hours were forgotten as we opened our window to look out on a sun filled river valley built into glistening rice-terraces with Vietnam’s highest peak in the background.
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Sapa, Vietnam
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 21, 2009
Sapa! Mais quel decor epoustouflant! Le trajet en train pour venir ici fut penible, meme dans un wagon “sleepers”, mais une fois ici on oublie tout. Ces paysages de montagnes toutes aussi verdoyantes qu’acerees, parsemes de rizieres et parcourus par la riviere et ses chutes en son fonds, avec ses brouillards qui ne quittent jamais completement les flancs de montagnes, Sapa est une station climatique unique en son genre.
On y trouve des tribus Hmong dans leurs costumes traditionnels qui viennent des montagnes pour vendre leur artisanat et leurs productions agricoles. Nous avons decouvert le marche du week-end ou la ville grouille de Hmong, nous avons aussi fait un petit trek de 4-5 heures sur le mont Ham Rong dans un labyrinthe de sentiers qui nous conduisent au travers les jardins d’orchidees (pas en fleur malheureusement..), les araignees impressionantes, les formations rocheuses qui poussent comme de gigantesques champignons noirs et les paysages qui se renouvellent sans cesse. Nous avons aussi loue une moto pour parcourir les chemins (dangeureux!!) jusqu’a la chute de Silverfalls, haute de plusieurs centaines de metres et qui se brise a quatre reprises…
Trail Mix: Sapa Strolls, Treks and Scenic Drives
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel news on December 21, 2009
Most visitors to Sapa end up wishing they could spend more time there, and no wonder — this highland town in northern Vietnam has got it all, from spectacular mountain views to colorful hilltribe markets. Spend a few extra days there if you can, and be sure to check out the strolls, treks and scenic drives listed below.
One step at a time
Overview: More country stroll than hike, this short walk provides an excellent introduction to the countryside surrounding Sapa. Most people tackle this trail on their first day in Sapa, when they’re still feeling worn out from the long night-train ride from Hanoi. Trail Route: This hike begins just past the popular Cat Cat Hotel, continues on past the turreted mansion-like HQ for Hoang Lien National Park, and then descends by staircase to Cat Cat Falls. After crossing the river on a plank-floored suspension bridge, the trail then climbs steeply up the other side of the valley before descending to cross the river yet again on another narrow suspension bridge. At this point you can walk back to Sapa or hire one of the waiting motorcycle drivers to take you back on a high-speed ride up twisting mountain roads. Hilltribes: Black Hmong live in an extended village scattered along the river valley. The Scenery: The Cat Cat Falls are picturesque, though nowhere near the size of the famed Silver Waterfall (see below). Fitness Level: Moderate, as the trail features hundreds of concrete steps. Trail Conditions: Cement staircase or sidewalk the whole way. The second suspension bridge has lost some planks, so watch your step. Trail
Hanoi the Sequel: Escape to Sapa
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 20, 2009
The 4 hour bus-boat tango back to Hanoi seemed less taxing on the way back from Cat Ba. All was going smoothly till we arrived at the bus station in Hanoi. In a moment of weakness we agreed to get in a slightly scruffy looking taxi. The fact that he had to roll it out its parking place should have sounded alarm bells. I distinctly remember Milla saying, “Great, he’s pushing his taxi…”
Anyway we had driven about 500 metres when I noticed the meter read 46,000 dong. The whole trip back to the hotel should cost about 20,000 at most. So we demanded he stop and the kids watched bemused as we bundled them all out onto the side of what is probably Vietnam’s only freeway. Milla was horrified when Julie berated the man loudly saying “you are a bad man, a bad man!!”.
“Mum, you can’t speak to other adults like that!!”, she wailed, more than a little confused by the whole spectacle.
It’s just another of those unexpected outcomes of travel with children. They get to see their parents carrying on in ways they are never likely to encounter in their everyday lives.
Sapa
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations on December 10, 2009
Sapa is famous for both its fine, rugged scenery and its rich culture diversity. Sapa is nestling of many ethnic minority village and vivid green rice terraces are sculpted into the mountain sides. It would be of considerably less interest without the HMong and Dzao people, the largest ethnic groups in the region. Its lush, deep river valleys, in the shadows of Vietnam’s tallest peak Mount Fansipan.
General information:
Area: 678,6 sq. km
Population: 52.5 thousand habitants (2007)
Administrative division:
- Townlet: Sapa
- Communes: Ban Khoang, Ta Giang Phinh, Trung Chai, Ta Phin, Sa Pa, San Sa Ho, Ban Phung, Lao Chai, Hau Thao, Thanh Kim, Ta Van, Su Pan, Suoi Thau, Ban Ho, Thanh Phu, Nam Sai, Nam Cang.
Ethnic groups: H’Mong, Dao, Tay, Kinh, Day, Xa Pha (Phu La) and Chinese. Read the rest of this entry »
The beauties of Sapa in Autumn
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations, Photos on December 8, 2009
The smiling faces of children, the shyness and charming of young ethnic girls appear simply in the collection of Vu Minh Trong. The foggy town of Sapa attracts many people with its beauty in the dusk.
Children playing on the grass Read the rest of this entry »
Sapa in ice and snow
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations, Photos on December 8, 2009
Recent days, the temperature in Sapa region has fell to below 5 degrees Celcius, even to 1.5 degrees Celcius on November 21. At O Quy Ho pass (over 2000 meters above sea level), turned white with ice and snow. Many visitors headed to Sapa to see the winter wonderland.
Xoe Dancing Festival in Ta Chai
Xoe Festival in Ta Chai is the spring festival of the Tay to pray for good crop, full of grains and rice. The ritual is rather simple with a tray of offerrings put at the foot of a neu tree which show the sincerity of villagers to the god of farming. After the magician observes rituals, the whole of the village take part in dancing of xoe in the boisterous sounds of gong, drum with many special styles of dance such as: xoe in group, xoe in couple, xoe in four person, xoe greeting..
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