Posted by huyentran on June 10th, 2010
We took the overnight train to Lao Cai on the Chinese border and were taken by minibus to Sa Pa, climbing above the early morning mist to view the peaks. We had an incredibly steep climb (172 steps!) to our room at the Cat Cat Hotel but the breathtaking views made it worthwhile.
The Hoang Lien Son mountains are home to many ethnic tribes, recognisable by their unique, distinctive clothing. We spent the weekend walking through the verdant terraced countryside, enjoying the panoramic view, through villages of Black Hmong and Red Dao, all eager for you to buy their handicrafts. We succumbed to three young Red Dao girls who escorted us for miles in the hope that we would make a purchase… so we did!
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 10th, 2010
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
Well, our trip to Sapa did not get off to the best starts. We were in the King Cafe (beside our hotel) waiting on our 20.30 pickup, when the manager of the hotel comes in and says you missed your train; just like that. We think haha very funny. So it turns out we had indeed missed our train. But, it was completely his mistake. We don’t know how he did it, but he got his times mixed up and we missed the 20.46 train.
Luckily there was a 10pm train. So, the three of us, including the manager, jump in a taxi and speed over to see if we can go on that one. We were down to have a sleeper cabin on the 20.46, which you kinda need when over the next two days you’ll be trekking about 30km 
)
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
Hi All,
I arrived in Lao Cai early this morning which is right near the Chiense border. Then travelled up hill winding like crazy but a better road than in the NE.
Sapa is absolutely beautiful. It makes me a little homesick for Canungra and there looks like really good flying sites but again no landing padddocks. I’ve spent the day browsing the markets and taking photos of the area. Its all rice paddies that are terraced into the mountainside.
My hotel is great overlooking the mountaiside (hence the name Mountain View). The receptionist here speaks English really well which is so nice. Also they are reasonably priced and not trying to rip you off every which way like most Vietnamese people.
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
Sapa album taken by Where’s Windom:
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
Sapa is situated here in the mountains of Northern Vietnam in a beautiful setting. The reason to come up here, besides getting a break from the heat of Hanoi, is to trek around the mountains and visit the surrounding villages where various ethnic minorities live. We took an overnight train from Hanoi, which was comfortable enough. When Laura and I entered our four-bunk cabin, we noticed that the couple who had the other two bunks were traveling with an enormous *humidifier*. Laura and I turned to each other and scratched our frizzy heads at the irony. If there’s one thing that Vietnam needs a little more of, it’s humidity.
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
Posted by huyentran on June 5th, 2010
After months of 90+ degrees with 90% humidity we climbed out of the train from Hanoi at 6am and were surrounded by beautiful green mountains and a refreshing smell of mountain air and rain. After months in polluted hot cities we couldn’t have been happier with the clean air and cool weather. We have arrived in Lao Cai in the northern mountains of Vietnam during a rain storm. Lao Cai is down in the valley bellow Sapa, are next destination. We made are way to our bus and took the one hour trip up to Sapa. It was such a beautiful drive winding up the mountain road in the rain. You looked down into the valley at the picturesque terraces of rice paddies hovering over the edge of the hills. It was beautiful! We were lucky because once we collapsed on our bed we had no choice but to stay in our room because it was a downpour all day, thank god! We were so happy to have the familiar Seattle weather, shhh don’t tell anyone!
Read more »
Posted by huyentran on June 4th, 2010
Posted by huyentran on June 4th, 2010
