Sapa is a
mountainous town in Northen VietNam and become one of the most attractive
tourism destinations of worldwide traveler
Location &
Weather
Sa Pa District
is located in Lao Cai Province, north-west Vietnam, it is dominated by the
Hoang Lien Son mountain range which is at the eastern extremity of the
Himalayas, being famous with the Vietnam’s highest mountain of Fansipan at a
height of 3142m above sea level The town of Sa Pa lies at an altitude of about
1,600 m so the temperature ranging from the lowest of -1oC to the highest of
29oC, Sapa’s climate is moderate and drizzly in summer while chill and foggy in
winter.
The geographical
location of the area makes it a truly unique place for a rich variety of
plants, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects Sapa is famous both
for its fine, rugged scenery and for its rich cultural diversity.Its naturally
gifted beauty keeps attracting more and more people to spend their vacation there
since then. Particularly, the place is the foremost choice for honeymoon
couples
The best time to
visit Sapa
Sapa is about
380km northwest of Hanoi. The most popular route is the bumpy overnight train
to the border town Lao Cai and then 45 minnutes more from Lao Cai city by bus, Sapa appears in fanciful fog. Thanks to the height of 1,600 m above the
sea level, the average temperature of the area is always 15-18°C, cool in
summer, but a bit cold in winter.
The best time to
visit Sapa is from March to May and from September to November.
At these times,
the weather is relatively stable with sunny days and cool nights. The first
period is the fall time. At this time of the year, the weather is very
comfortable for tourism. It is dry, clear with much sunshine. The view of
Sapa’s terraces is at its best between September and October. The cool and dry
weather with the stable temperature makes it the perfect time for trekking and
photos.
In the summer,
although the weather is quite warm, it is not as hot as other regions in
Vietnam. If you spend time in this town in the period between April and May,
you will have the chance to see the wonderful scenes of many colorful flowers
and green fields there. Many Vietnamese visit Sapa after the Lunar New Year to admire
the blossoming cherry trees.
In the winter,
from December to February, the weather in Sapa becomes very cold, especially at
night. However, in return, visitors will have the opportunity to watch the
sunrise over the valley in the morning. In recent years, there is snow in Sapa.
If you have chance to travel to this picturesque town on this occasion, you
will definitely see quite a romance scene. However, this is the reason why Sapa
is always crowded at this time of the year.
Attractions:
Cat Cat village is located on the Muong Hoa Valley, this is the village of the H’Mong hill
tribe. It’s far from Sapa Town about 3 km and takes you 45 minutes to walk
here. The village is on the slope of the hill and easy walking, rice field and
corn are grown here
Visiting Cat Cat
village, we can have a chance to visit a big waterfall on the stream and the
old Hydro Electric Power Station built by the French here. That is the image of
young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with
designs of flowers and birds. Cat Cat Village gives tourists a chance to have a
glimpse into the daily life of local ethnic people, as well as take part in
traditional activities such as weaving fabric. It is also a good opportunity to
purchase some traditional souvenirs and handicrafts right from the craftsmen.
People can also try some local food selling the way upcoming to the hill.
Terraced rice
fields in Sapa
It were voted as one of seven most beautiful and impressive ones of
Asia and the world by readers of the US’s magazine Travel and Leisure.
Rice terraces in
Sapa are slopes claimed from nature for cultivation in hilly or mountainous
areas. Due to the steep feature, fertile soil thanks to it was created by
weathered granite rock and mountain cliffs often stock water, local ethnic
minority people can grow rice and establish terraced rice fields, one after
another, from the foot to nearly top of mountains
When being seen
from afar, the terraced rice fields look like a picture of nature with heart-
catching beauty keeping tourists to stay for admiration for a while. This
picture however has its color changed seasonally, exhibiting its most alluring
charm when the new crop begins, green rice grows and the field is lush with
ripening rice.
As usual in
April and May when the local people water their fields at full to prepare for a
new crop, the surface of terraced fields shines like a mirror reflecting the
contrast of the reddish brown of soil, the deep blue of the sky high above and
the green of surrounding forests. Embankments surrounding these terraces look
like threads softly lined by the painter
In June and
July, the terraced rice fields with fully-grown paddy rice and forest trees
spread the green out to the entire area, from the foot to top of mountains,
before disappearing in mist. The green of paddy rice grown on the terraced
field makes tourists think of it as a hand-made creation of uniqueness which
cannot be found anywhere else.
In September and
October when autumn ends, tourists can feel prosperity all over the area as
rice in all terraced fields is ripe, giving the gold color. During the time,
the terraced rice fields look like golden silk scarves flying over in the wind
above green mountain slopes, making the mountainous landscape astonishingly
beautiful.
Ham Rong
mountain
A famous spot is
known for beautiful scenery of Sapa which is Ham Rong Mountain, located in the
center of town. The main geomorphology is Casteur. Ham Rong is surrounded by
many different types of mountains, evergreen forests with other broadleaf
trees.
travelers often
climb up Ham Rong mountain to enjoy a cool atmosphere and charming landscapes
such as cloud ground and stone garden, gardens, garden of medicinal plants,
especially the garden of various orchids and specific houses on stilts of ethnic
minorities.
A great deal of
rocks in shape of dragon claws and fin appear to our eyes and we will think of
being lost in a wonderland. Following cliff will lead us to the heaven gate I
and II.
Standing on the
peak, you will enjoy particularly interesting landscapes around as much as you
wish and throw your view farer to make the most of poetic beauty of Sapa town
looming in clouds.
Bac Ha Market –
Sapa
Being a minority
ethnic people market, Bac Ha market is located in 80 km from Sapa, Bac Ha is
famous for its Sunday market which is a trading centre and meeting place for
couples, friends, and relatives.
Every Sunday,
Bac Ha hosts the biggest fair near the mountainous highlands and the Chinese
border. It is the largest and most colourful market in the area and attracts
throngs of villagers from the surrounding hill tribes. Some walk several hours
for the weekly opportunity to trade and barter food, animals, clothes and
household goods. 80km from Sapa, Bac Ha Market is not only the place for buying
and selling, but also a place for cultural and sentiment exchanging. On the
market days, right from the early morning, all paths and mountain roads are
full of people and horses pouring to the market. People usually sit in groups
around a soup pan (“thang co”) eating and chatting.
Coc Ly Market
(Tuesday Only) – Sapa
Coc Ly market is
the colorful market in a mountainous area where the Flower H’mong mainly
gathers to exchange their homemade products. This Tuesday market is about 35km
from Bac Ha. You can get here via a good road, or by road and river; hotels in
Sapa and Bac Ha can organize trips. Coc ly is a small village on the Chay River
inhabited by the Flower H’mong Minority people. The Flower H’mong traditionally
wears a distinctive and bright colored costume. They are a gentle, softly
spoken people who live in the steep mountainous country close to the Chinese
border. Because Coc Ly is more remote than Sapa, the dress and way of life is
more traditional than in the large centers. The market deals in fruit, vegetable,
pork and chickens, in addition to colorful fabrics and items of traditional
dress. There is a buffalo sale in progress and many of these placid animals are
tethered close to the market. Buffalo are still widely used in the growing
process, especially in the mountainous regions. Horse are an important form of
transport in the North West and a quite a few, sturdy ponies were tied to tree
around the market. The horses carry a light timber frame on their back to carry
produce to and from the market.
Y Linh Ho
Village – Sapa
Y Linh Ho
village, a part of San Sa Ho commune, Sa Pa is a small but interesting village,
especially for travelling and visiting. From 7km distance of Sapa town, on the
way to Lao Chai village, you can contemplate the superb panorama of this
picturesque village
Coming to
village, you will have a chance of going along such a beautiful valley lying
between mountains. The fresh air in the highland of Vietnam is really great for
taking a walk. Y Linh Ho is a small commune composed by a dozen of small
hamlets scattering on the very tough mountain terrain with high and steep
mountains. This village is home to the Black Mong who wears very dark clothing
in blacks and navy dyed with indigo (often seen on the hands of older Mong
women).
Here you can
enjoy the beautiful and interesting scenery of these villages. This is your
chance to visit the H’mong people living in their wooden and bamboo houses.
Then walk beside the river and valley to Lao chai village where the H’mong also
live, enjoy a picnic lunch beside the Muong hoa river, if the weather is good
you can go for a swim! After lunch you move onto Ta van village to visit the
Dzay minority and Ta van Bridge where you take the Jeep or motorbike back Sapa.
Ban Ho Village –
Sapa
At the end of
the motor way about 25 Km from Sapa town lies a vast and flat valley, circled
by mountains and hills. It is Ban Ho valley home to the Tay ethnic. It is
divided into three areas: Ta Trung Ho, Xeo Trung Ho and Hoang Lien, which is
place of the Mong, Dao, Tay. The Muong Hoa River winds its way around the
village provide fresh water for 2 crops of rice and bean every year and it make
the scenery of the valley more romantic. The Tay people possess high rice
farming technique and live sedentary lifestyle. Their villages are often very
large with hundred households. Their houses are impressively built on stilts in
unique structure to form superb dwellings. It is also a very good village for
experiencing home stay.
Come to Ban Ho,
you get chance not only to view wonderful spots, enjoy fresh air but also to
see natural beauty. You will have opportunity to see water fall, go swimming in
hot water pool or cold water stream, find out traditional weave fabric, make
brocade… and take part in community activities. you will be alive and living in
the cozy ambiance and friendly family. Because the climate in Ban Ho is warmer
than Sapa (between 18-250C), in the afternoon, tourists can enjoy yourself in
the stream Lave, sight Da Nhay waterfall
Silver Waterfall
– Sapa
Thac Bac lies
beside National Highway No 4D, about 12km from Sapa Town’s centre. Silver
Waterfall is formed by sources of water from the Lo Sui Tong mountain peak.
From the distance, the waterfall looks like a white dragon looking down from
the sky. You can reach the Silver Waterfall by motor bike or by car in half an
hour. From there you can see stunning view of the surrounding mountains and the
last forests belonging to Hoang Lien National Park
Fansipan
Mountain – Sapa
Location:
Fansipan Mountain is located 9km south-west of Sapa Townlet in the Hoang Lien
Mountain Range. At the height of 3,143m, Fansipan has
been widely known as the highest mountain in Vietnam and “the Roof of
Indochina”. Conquest of Fansipan is dream of many professional climbers as well
as adventurous travelers when they come to Vietnam.
Visit us at http://bluetoursvietnam.com/daily-tours/sapa-tours/ to get more information about tours in Sapa and Vietnam tours
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inquiry, please contact us:
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