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.
We decided to go the princess route for this excursion up to Sapa and booked a little two-person tour with a local company. Our guide, The (pronouned “tay”) took us trekking for the past two days through various villages. It really helps having a guide in these parts, to help you figure out where you’re going and also to get some perspective on the cultures of the ethnic tribes you meet. I’ll post photos in the next couple days of the treks/ villages, but it’s been a good side-trip. Since it’s been raining, we bypassed a bit of the mud-path trekking along buffalo trails and got around by jeep for those parts.
The scenery here is really beautiful- clouds drifting over the mountains, green terraced rice paddies, water buffalo, colorful ethnic tribes, bad techno music…
The hotel here has been nice- a definite step (or two) up from our normal backpacker choice, with free toiletries and a tv in the room! I have to say, though, that the music is geographically and seasonally inappropriate, since at breakfast this morning the restaraunt was shuffling through the Celine Dion Christmas soundtrack, and here in the hotel’s internet cafe we’ve been alternating between German techno and “It’s Raining Men”- actually, that’s appropriate since it’s been raining here all day… but without the accompanying dudes.
The scenery here is really beautiful- clouds drifting over the mountains, green terraced rice paddies, water buffalo, colorful ethnic tribes… the first day we visited a Black Hmong village that was pretty interesting. Dirt-floor homes with no running water, but some still manage a tv with satellite reception. I made some more progress on exorcising my fear of the water buffalo by petting one yesterday… after plotting a mental escape route.
Today was a Red Day village, where a group of about 20 local women joined us for about an hour and half as we walked through their village and visited a local cave. The women who are married shave their eyebrows and the front part of their heads… I’m not sure there’s a better way to say “off the market.” They put on the anticipated hard-sell with their crafts when we returned to our jeep, but it was a fun visit nonetheless.
Tonight, we take another night train back to Hanoi, and then take another side trip to Halong Bay in the morning.
(By Where’s Windom)
Sapa package 01
Fansipan Summit
Sapa adventure tour
Muong Hum market
Colorful Coc Ly
