Things To Do in Sapa

Combined with the majestic, lyrical natural scenery, diverse ethnic cultures, sincere and hospitable people, Sapa is a great destination whether you are a traveler who loves to explore or is looking for a place to have a perfect vacation spot.

Amazing Experience you should try

1. Trekking in Sapa

Some of the best things to do in Sapa can be combined in one highlight and that is trekking in Sapa! You can choose to do a half-day, full-day or multi-day trek where you spend the night in a homestay. It is the best way to see the rice fields and get in touch with the local minorities.

Coming to Sapa, trekking through villages, through rice fields, small streams, bridges…trekking to slow down, observe and learn more about the life and culture of the indigenous people here.

2. Discover the terraced rice fields

The main reason for most travelers to visit this mountain town are the stunning Sapa rice fields. It is for a reason that it is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Vietnam. These impressive terraced fields are spread all over the Muong Hoa valley from the bottom all the way to the top of the mountains.

As one of the most magnificent terraced fields in the world, nature not only gives the people in this land an ideal landscape and climate but also gives them skillful hands. For hundreds of years, they weaved masterpieces – stairs leading to the sky. Coming to Sapa, especially in September, the rice harvest season, you will be moved by the image of transforming from a green field to a golden color.

The locals grow rice here and settle around the rice fields, often at the foot of the mountains. It is best to discover them by a trekking tour, but you can also drive around by car or motorbike.

3. Explore minority villages

The important reason to visit Sapa is the unique culture of the mountain tribes. These ethnic minorities live in the mountains and live from the land for many generations. There are different kinds of minority groups to be found in this area, including the H’Mong, the Dao, the Tay and Giay.

Each group has their own language, traditional clothing and culture. The best way to discover this unique culture is by visiting the local villages outside of Sapa. Walk around the village to discover their daily life and unique way of living in the mountains.

4. Stay overnight in a local homestay

Sleeping in a homestay in the house of an ethnic minority, eating unique, rustic dishes, waking up in a village far from the town center will be a wonderful experience that you cannot forget. come to this land.

There are several homestays in Sapa and in the villages around it. The most unique experience is of course spending the night in a house of a local hill tribe. The accommodation is often basic and lacks comfort, but the experience is great!

In the evening you can enjoy a family dinner. End your day with a delicious traditional herbal bath or drink rice wine with the family. It will be an experience you will never forget.

The best thing is to combine a homestay overnight stay with a multi-day trek. If you go hiking or trekking for two days you will spend the night in a local homestay and the day after you continue walking, going far off the beaten track.

5. Hiking mount: Fansipan & others

Fansipan is the highest mountain in Vietnam. In the past, you could only get to the top by climbing for 2 or 3 days. And although this is still possible, today there is a cable car that takes you from the cable car station in Sapa to the top of Fansipan in 15 minutes.

However, hiking by trails to see the terrain and majestic mountains, and conquering the highest peak in Vietnam, that’s great.

6. Tram Ton Pass

Come to Sapa you will find the longest mountain pass in Vietnam. Enjoy a trip by car or motorcycle on the Tram Ton Pass (O Quy Ho Pass) with panoramic views. At the top there is a viewpoint where you should definitely stop.

Many travelers return directly to Sapa at the top of the mountain pass, but if you have more time, continue all the way to Lai Chau. Along the way you will have many more views of some of the most impressive mountains in this area

7. Local market

One of the other best things to do in Sapa is visit a mountain market. There are several markets in Sapa and beyond that you can visit. These markets are used by the local hill tribes to trade their locally grown food.

It is an incredibly unique experience to visit an ethnic minority market. The colors of all the traditional clothing, the animals and the crowds make it seem like chaos. But this chaos is surprisingly cozy with a good atmosphere.

8. See the sunrise and sunset in Sa Pa

In the afternoon, when the sun gradually disappeared behind the Hoang Lien Son range, a pink purple shirt completely covered the town. Sunrise and sunset in Sapa – the foggy town, are truly a magnificent landscape. Looking through the window from my residence, a gentle Sapa in the morning mist mixed with the chilly air will make you feel so lighthearted, relaxed and peaceful.

9. Try handicrafts of ethnic minorities

Sapa brocade weaving is one of the oldest traditional professions with echoes of the Northwest mountains and forests. Brocade is a hand-woven fabric with embossed textures on the surface, diverse colors such as birds, flowers, plants, etc. Practical products in life are made from fabrics. Brocades such as clothes, scarves, hats… The girls of the Dao, Mong, and Tay ethnic groups have been handed down by their mothers and grandmothers since childhood.

Best time in Sapa for your experiences

If you are still wondering what is the best season to go to Sapa, our advice is to go at any time you want. Although the town is still divided into four distinct seasons, the average temperature of Sapa rarely exceeds 25 degrees Celsius, even in summer. Coming to Sapa in any season of the year, you can also enjoy a unique landscape, each season has its own beauty, and will easily attract visitors.

Spring

From the end of December, the peach blossoms in Sapa have bloomed, lasting until February, covering this place in brilliant pink. From February to March, you will admire the forests of apricot flowers, plum flowers blooming on the horizon.
March – April is the time of blooming of all kinds of flowers, when the weather is warm in spring. This is the time when the whole town is filled with white, peach, and plum flowers.

Summer

It is also the rainy season of Sapa, but do not think that summer is not suitable for traveling to Sapa. Early summer and late summer are two great times for you to make a trip to Sapa, if you are always fascinated with the majestic terraced fields.

April – May is the rice transplanting season, also known as the pouring water season. This is the time when people start a new crop, Sapa is immersed in the green color of young rice fields. But the most beautiful is the moment of dawn or dusk, when the orange-yellow sun spills over the fields, reflecting sparklingly on the water.

The end of August – September is the ripe rice season. Coming to Sapa at this time, you will have the opportunity to see the golden rice season on the winding terraced fields in the cool air of late summer and early autumn.

Autumn

Fall is a favorite time for trips to Sapa, because this is the season of cloud hunting. In this season, you will easily see the sea of white clouds floating, like in a fairy tale. From mid-October to the end of November, the whole Northwest mountainous region is immersed in the pink color of fields of mustard flowers or buckwheat flowers.

Winter

Sapa is one of the rare regions in Vietnam that gives you the opportunity to see snow and snow covered. If you want to experience the cold of the high mountains, and admire the scenery of ice and snow on the high peaks, do not hesitate to come to Sapa in the winter months. Besides, from the end of November to the beginning of the new year is when the mustard flower fields in Sapa bloom, the foggy town is the characteristic of Sapa.

How to have the best experiences in Sapa?

• You should choose a reasonable time to travel to Sapa. If you go in the rainy season, remember to bring a raincoat and umbrella, and don’t forget to prepare extra clothes to change into when you get wet.
• Choose an experience that suits your health and time when coming to Sapa, and that suits the weather, but don’t worry too much because Sapa’s weather changes very quickly, you can feel all 4 seasons in one day.
• Sapa weather is quite cold, so remember to bring warm clothes.
• Be fully prepared for your trip to Sapa. You should bring only the necessary items for the convenience of the journey to discover Sapa.
• Some luggage that you should bring in your Sapa tour itinerary. These are: Clothes, shoes, hats, towels, flashlights, battery chargers, sunscreens, personal items, special medicines…
• Don’t forget to bring your driver’s license and identification if you want to rent a motorbike to Sapa or join our motorbike tours.
• You can chat with ethnic minority girls and boys. However, do not give money or buy anything with children in Sapa because they need to go to school instead of thinking about money and not going to school.
• Please return intact the place you have passed, do not litter indiscriminately causing environmental pollution.
• If you go to visit sacred places such as temples… You should dress politely and neatly, avoid wearing skimpy clothes.
• In case you do not have time to prepare a schedule to explore Sapa, or have no travel experience, you can book a tour or contact us to be able to explore Sapa to the fullest.

Conclusion

Sa Pa will be the destination that meets all your travel needs. It is a peaceful Sa Pa with a fresh atmosphere suitable for those who love vacation travel. With dynamic young people, the famous roads in Sapa help you satisfy your passion for conquest. Sa Pa also has no shortage of beautiful photography angles that cannot be found anywhere else, so no matter what type of travel experience you have, Sa Pa will not disappoint you.