Sapa: trekking among terraced rice fields and local villages

When I think back to my trip to Vietnam, Sapa is the place I immediately loved—the one where I had nothing to complain about and where I met some of the kindest people.

Vietnam was, for me, a country that was a little difficult to love completely, despite its stunning natural landscapes. Yet I must admit that I often find myself thinking back with nostalgia to those three weeks in northern Vietnam, and I feel an increasing desire to explore the rest of the country.

As for Sapa, I fell in love with it straight away. From the very first curves illuminated by the dawn light filtering through the curtains of the night bus from Ninh Binh. The journey had started eight hours earlier, with me rather annoyed by the difficulties in communicating the departure point and bus plate number, and by Dice’s bunk already occupied by some random guy. But as soon as the first rice terraces appeared, I started to calm down, and when the taxi took us out of Sapa town toward the homestay that would host us, I was already completely relaxed and in a good mood, despite the tiredness.

Our homestay, La Beauté Sa Pa, welcomed us with a wagging little dog and the smile of Nhung, who immediately offered us a cup of herbal infusion. Around us was the mist of low clouds covering the rice terraces.
We had breakfast while waiting for our room, where we would take a short nap to recover from the night bus. It was a small and simple room on the second floor of the wooden house, with a bed, a small table, and a few hangers. The window overlooked the rice terraces, and the bathrooms were shared.

The atmosphere was very familiar and relaxed, and we immediately met a couple travelling around Asia for a few months. We would end up sharing the next day’s trekking with them, as well as a dinner of hotpot and other simple local dishes, served by the sweet Nhung.

Why visit Sapa?

Visiting Sapa is a true remedy for both heart and mind. The green of the rice terraces, the smiles of the local people, the slow pace of time… Rice terraces, valleys, and mountains stretching across the horizon, waterfalls, rivers, and villages of ethnic minorities.

If you love trekking, you will find countless options here, including multi-day hikes and the climb to Fansipan.

Sapa (also written Sa Pa) is located in Lao Cai Province, in northern Vietnam near the Chinese border, at about 1,600 metres above sea level. It is one of the best-known and most visited mountain destinations in Vietnam. Many hill tribes live here—ethnic minorities such as the Hmong, Dao, and Tay—and the terraced rice fields create breathtaking landscapes.

The H’mong tribe is the largest ethnic minority in Sapa. They migrated here about 300 years ago from southern China and also live in Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. They wear colourful jackets with geometric patterns, and depending on the colours of their clothes they are divided into Black, Red, White, and Flower Hmong. They grow rice, herd buffalo, and walk for kilometres every day.

The Red Dao, a mountain tribe originally from China’s Yunnan region, instead wear elaborate red headdresses. They have deep knowledge of medicinal herbs, and every family passes down from mother to daughter its own recipe for the traditional herbal bath. This bath is said to help restore strength and is usually prepared for women about a week after giving birth, as well as to combat the illnesses caused by Sapa’s cold winters.
Highly recommended after a day of trekking: soaking in a warm bath with a reddish colour given by ten different medicinal herbs collected in the surrounding forests, inside a wooden cypress tub, perhaps with the rice terraces right in front of your eyes.

There are also the Tay, who wear blue-toned clothing with knee-length skirts for women, and the Giay, known for their colourful shirts buttoned on one side.

When I suggest visiting Sapa, I am actually referring to the villages around it, not the town itself. The town is rather touristy and filled with hotels and restaurants, and to be honest it is quite uninspiring, despite its vaguely French atmosphere inherited from the colonial period.
You will inevitably pass through it, since it is where the bus station is located and also the starting point for the trip up to Fansipan. But despite the logistical convenience, I recommend avoiding overnight stays in town and instead choosing a homestay experience in one of the nearby villages.

Trekking in Sa Pa

One of the main reasons to visit Sapa is the many trekking routes that lead you through local villages, where you can discover local crafts, natural remedies, and traditional techniques such as textile dyeing and weaving.

There are trails of various lengths, generally well marked, but for a truly complete experience you should rely on one of the many local agencies, such as Sapa O’ Chau, which reinvests its profits into building schools in local villages. Alternatively, ask your homestay to organise a trek with a local guide.
Most likely, your guide will belong to one of the hill tribes living in the area and will share stories about the traditions and customs of their people, enriching your travel experience.

Even if you are not big hikers, you should absolutely include Sapa in your Vietnam itinerary for its landscapes and the people you will meet here—especially if you choose to stay in a homestay outside the town, in one of the villages belonging to the many hill tribes of the region.

Muong Hoa Valley, where the homestay we stayed at is located, is one of the most beautiful areas around Sapa. Several mountain tribe villages can be found here, including Lao Chai (Black Hmong) and Ta Van (Giay).

There are various trekking routes that can also be done independently, with trails available on apps such as Wikiloc. However, having a local guide will certainly help you appreciate them more. Additionally, if you walk independently, in most villages you will be asked for a small entrance contribution that helps support the local economy. With a guide, you do not have to pay it, since by hiring them you have already contributed.

Cat Cat Village – my honest opinion

Cat Cat Village is often mentioned as one of the must-see villages in Sa Pa and one of the easiest and most accessible treks. It lies in the valley just below the town and can be reached with a 20-minute downhill walk. Many motorbikes and cars will take you directly from the town centre to the ticket office for just a few dong.

Cat Cat Village is a postcard. A village crossed by a scenic river, surrounded by nature, and lined with small shops selling handicrafts and local products. It is so aesthetically beautiful that it almost looks fake… and in my opinion, it lacks the authenticity you can find in other Sapa villages. It is clearly oriented toward tourism: at regular times during the day there are performances of traditional music and dance, sometimes even involving visitors.

I think I will soon dedicate a full article to Cat Cat, because—just like my reflections on sustainable tourism in Ha Long Bay—it deserves a deeper discussion. Follow me on Instagram to know when the article will be published.

To visit Cat Cat Village you must pay an entrance fee of 150,000 VND, and there is a circular path that descends into the valley and then climbs back up to the parking area. The visit takes a few hours, and overall—despite being very touristy—it is still worth a look, as long as you keep in mind that it is not the most authentic place.

Climbing Fansipan

Fansipan is the highest peak in Indochina. Although climbing it from the base is quite challenging and requires a multi-day trek, it is also possible to reach the summit using the convenient cable car departing from Sapa station, located inside the very distinctive Art Nouveau-style building that also houses the Sun Plaza shopping centre.

From there, a funicular crosses above the road to Cat Cat Village and in about five minutes takes you near the Fansipan Cable Car station. The cable car travels more than 6.3 km in about 15 minutes, bringing you up to an altitude of 3,143 metres and is the longest and highest of the world!
From there, you can either walk the final kilometre and climb about 600 steps to reach the summit or take a second funicular. Of course, you will be at high altitude where it is often windy, so dress accordingly.

Unfortunately, because of the cloudy weather, we had to skip this excursion—but I hope to have another opportunity in the future.

The cost varies depending on weekdays or holidays but is roughly around $60. The final high-altitude funicular costs 150,000 VND one way or 270,000 VND round trip.

When to go and how long to stay in Sapa

Stay in Sapa for at least two full days, trust me. If you can, even longer.
We arrived early in the morning by night bus and used the first day to settle in, explore the surroundings, and evaluate the various trekking options, as well as whether and how to climb Fansipan on the second day.

Unfortunately, locals confirmed that the weather during our stay would not be particularly suitable, so we decided to skip it. It would not have been worth spending the day surrounded by clouds with little visibility and cold temperatures.
Instead, on the first day we visited Cat Cat Village. On the second we did a guided hike organised through our homestay and treated ourselves to a Dao Herb Bath. On the third morning we took another short walk near the homestay before catching the afternoon bus to Hanoi, arriving there in the evening.

For me, this was the right amount of time—though I would have happily stayed one more night, and I would love to return someday.

Spring, from late April to early May (when we visited), is when the rice terraces begin to be flooded, and the temperatures are still cool, especially in the mornings and evenings. It is also a pleasant break from the heat of Hanoi.

Then comes the lush green summer, one of the best seasons to see the terraces at their most beautiful. The rice harvest begins around September, when the climate becomes drier (meaning better visibility for Fansipan) and the fields turn golden.

Winter, on the other hand, is not recommended. The rice terraces are empty, and since Sapa is at about 1,500 metres above sea level, it can be quite cold.

How to get to Sapa

Sapa is usually reached from Hanoi, but there are also buses connecting it to other areas, such as Ninh Binh, which is how we travelled.

The most common option is the bus, with both daytime departures (about 6–7 hours) and night buses arriving early in the morning. I wrote about how to survive Vietnamese buses in this article.
Price: around $20–30 when booked in advance through 12Go.

Alternatively, you can take a train to Lao Cai, which is about 60 km from Sapa, and then complete the final hour by bus or private minivan. This may be a better solution if you get motion sickness or want to avoid potential delays caused by traffic or accidents.

Several railway companies operate on this route, but the most famous is the Chapa Express Train from Hanoi. You can choose between four types of cabins, all with four berths. The difference lies not in the layout but in the included services, such as breakfast or amenities.
Price: from around $30 for the lowest class, also bookable via Klook.

Sapa was without a doubt the place that managed to win me over effortlessly. Among rice terraces and local villages, I found that authenticity that sometimes seems to slip away elsewhere.
It is one of those places that does not need major attractions to be memorable: all you need to do is walk, observe, and let yourself be guided by the slow rhythm of the mountains.
If you are planning a trip to northern Vietnam, adding Sapa to your itinerary is a choice you will hardly regret.

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