Sapa town and attractions

Sapa town overlooks a plunging valley of cascading rice terraces, with mountains towering above on all sides. The views of this epic scenery are often subdued by thick mist rolling across the peaks, but even if it’s cloudy, Sapa is still a fascinating destination, especially when local hill-tribe people fill the town with colour.

Sapa town is the one place in the northwest where tourism is booming, and it’s now firmly on the European and North American package tour circuit. Inherent in this prosperity is a cultural change for the hill-tribe people. The HMong people are very canny traders, urging you to buy handicrafts and trinkets. Many have had little formal education, yet all the youngsters have a good command of English, French and a handful of other languages.

Visit to Sapa, you can discover the unique customs of the local residents. Minority groups come here to exchange and trade their products. Market sessions are also a chance for locals to promenade and meet; while young men and women in colorful costumes can date or seek sweethearts.

Sapa is also home to various of flowers with captivating colours and regarded as the kingdom of orchids. When Tet (Vietnamese new year festival) come, the township is filled with the pink colour of peach blossom, which brought from the vast forests just outside the town.


Attractions in Sapa

	Cat Cat village Cat Cat village is an age-old village of HMong ethnic group remaining unique customs and practices that are lots in other villages. Wooden houses in Cat Cat village populated by Black HMong people cluster close to a waterfall, along with a couple of snack vendors. During your trek to the Cat Cat village, you will have a chance to see water buffaloes at work or grazing leisurely on the rice terraces, because there are no modern machinery to plough the rice fields at Sapa. HMong women are likely to join with you for part of the walk.
	Ta Phin village Ta Phin village is the home of Red Dao people who still keep strong customs. You'll be mobbed at the entrance to the Ta Phin village by young Dao women in their elaborate regalia with high red headdresses. Some of them speak English well and can provide some useful insight into Dao culture and offers to take you on a village tour...
	Ta Van village Ta Van village has more than 140 families with mainly Giay ethnic, of which about 40 families in the Homestay tourism - guests eat, stay and participate in activities with homeowners to explore indigenous culture. Most houses in Ta Van village are built on mountain slopes and between terraces, makes the landscape more poetic...
	Sapa stone church Sapa ancient stone church was built in 1895, with the cross shape simulation Gothic Roman architecture, shown in the roof, bell tower, arches... with pyramidal shape and windows with colored glass. The whole church is built of hewn stone, and are linked together by a mixture of sand, lime and molasses...
	Love Market In the center of Sapa town, the local market is the interesting meeting for local hill tribes in their impressive traditional costumes, and exchanging local products. The weekend (Saturday) market is also very well known by the name "Love Market" as the venue for hill tribe people finding their lovers. Local teenagers from the surrounding minority villages gather together to sing and charm each other. This market is still quite central to the socialising of the mountain tribes, and a worth while sight to see.
	Ham Rong mountain Ham Rong mountain is houses of Rock Garden, Orchid Garden and a mini museum where displays objects of some Northwest ethnic minorities. The mountain is 1800 meters above the town of Sapa, and its bottom was turned into a public park. Ham Rong park is essentially a long cobblestone walkway to the top of Ham Rong Mountain, with beautiful landscaped gardens. The top of Ham Rong mountain offers a panoramic view of Sapa and the surrounding fresh nature including Mount Fansipan.
	O Quy Ho pass O Quy Ho Pass is zigzag and keep a record of the longest in the northwest mountains of Vietnam with nearly 50 km. Height, length and adventurousness of O Quy Ho made the pass was dubbed the "Northwest King Pass". The peak of O Quy Ho Pass located on untouched mountain and covered with clouds, it is also known by the name Heaven Gate. When winter comes, O Quy Ho Peak can be covered with snow...
	Fansipan mountain Fansipan is the highest peak of Indochina with the elevation of 3.143m and it's also called "the Roof of Indochina". Fansipan Mountain is an adventure spot for many and the scenery is spectacular, so remember to bring your camera...
	Bac Ha market Bac Ha market is very special culture of hill tribe people in the mountain area, in which the meaning of socializing is much more important than shopping. There are 14 ethnic minority people living in Bac Ha which most are Flower HMong, and their costume is the most beautiful with colorful...

Where to stay in Sapa

Places to stay in Sapa town center concentrated on Cau May Street, Fansipan Street, and around the Sapa market. Reference price for budget rooms is 12-15 $ / night.


Time to visit Sapa

At the height of 1,600m above sea level, the average temperature of the area is 15 - 18oC. It is cool in summer and cold in winter.

- In summer, you can feel the climate of four seasons in one day. In the morning and afternoon, it is cool like the weather of spring and autumn. At noon, it is as sunny and cloudless as the weather of summer. And it is cold in the evening. With no advance warning of a short or heavy rains may come on any summer day. Subsequently, a rainbow appears, transforming Sapa into a magic land, which for years has been a constant source of poetic inspiration, lights up the whole region.

- The best time to visit Sapa is in March and May. Sapa is blooming with flowers and green pastures; the clouds that settle in the valley in early morning quickly disappear into thin air.

- From June to July, Sapa climate is cool.
- From late August to mid-September, Sapa mountain scenery becomes brilliant with golden terraced rice fields.
- From October to November, Sapa climate is dry-sunny at day and cold at night.
- From December to February next year, Sapa weather is very cold, especially at night, maybe snow.