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Travel Vietnam, Visit Sapa, Sapa City 2013
http://www.hotsia.com > Visit Sapa > Sapa City 2013 Mr.Hotsia travels to Sapa Travel information about Sapa Discover the Thai valley in Sapa Dien Bien Phu to Sapa Cat Cat Village 2013 Fresh salmon farmed in Sapa Spicy stir-fried sturgeon Vietnamese Yen Bai train Sapa Mr.Hotsia recommends hotels in Sapa Good and affordable hotels in Sapa Mr.Hotsia recommends hotels in Sapa Good and affordable hotels in Sapa My third trip to Sapa with mr.hotsia
On a trip to explore all provinces of Vietnam, I traveled from Chiang Khong, then took the train to Lao Cai, and then transferred to Sapa. The fare from the train station to Sapa is 50,000 dong or 75 baht per person. If you get a higher price, look for the Lao Cai bus station directly in front of the train station. Just walk straight ahead and you will find the bus station. There are many brokers in front of the train station trying to negotiate prices. Stay calm and don't rush.
Regarding train tickets back from Lao Cai to Hanoi, if you buy by yourself, you cannot get a four-bed sleeper ticket because brokers have already reserved them all and sell at higher prices. If you buy from your accommodation in Sapa, you will get a slightly higher price but better than buying at the train station. For my return from Sapa to Lao Cai, I bought a ticket to Vinh Phuc province, which is one hour by car from Hanoi, as the train ticket does not cover Hanoi. I took a six-bed sleeper cabin.
Vietnam trains have four classes: 1. Special sleeper cabin with 4 beds, 2. Sleeper cabin with 6 beds, 3. Air-conditioned seats, 4. Fan seats. For those traveling to Sapa with a tour package from Hanoi, you might get a more special cabin with four beds, beautifully arranged, attached to the regular train. This type has nice lamps and feels private. Paying for such a package also includes good service and transportation. When is the best time to visit Sapa? The answer is April.
Because the weather is just right, not cold and the sky is clear. In winter, it’s very cold with clouds covering almost all day, rain, and clouds. One day can have four seasons. You can visit Sapa in other seasons too, but summer is the best time. I recommend flying to Hanoi and buying a tour package to Sapa, staying two nights is just right. One night is too tiring. Sapa has had snowfall before but out of season. Snow fell on Fansipan peak in March 2011, not in downtown Sapa.
Fansipan peak is the highest mountain in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Traveling to the peak is not easy; you cannot just ride a motorcycle there. You have to hike, have a guide, and bring food for the journey. I have never climbed this peak myself, but Nu Bang Bo (http://www.111thailand.com) has. Check information there. Sapa has many affordable accommodations scattered around the city. I recommend staying near the morning market, church, and sports field, which are all close together.
It’s convenient for walking around at night and easy to ride a motorcycle up the mountain in the morning. When I went, I stayed at Sonla Hotel, located on the way to Cat Cat Village at the left corner. Click here to see the hotel location. There are Thai people running hotel businesses in Sapa. The owner, P'Supachai, took me out for drinks in the evening. If you want to book accommodation in Sapa, click here. About food in Sapa:
I have two options. First, the area around the Sapa morning market downstairs has affordable street food. This area is budget-friendly for backpackers or those who want cheap meals. The other area is near the sports field corner, popular with Vietnamese tourists. Prices there are reasonable and the food tastes authentically Vietnamese. Upstairs near the market front, there are restaurants catering to tourists with various price ranges, suitable for a light meal or Western-style breakfast.
Enjoy Vietnamese coffee while watching hill tribe people walking around during the morning market. Highly recommended for its great atmosphere. On my late 2012 trip to Sapa, I ate salmon farmed locally in Sapa. They farm and sell it fresh here. The salmon restaurant is before Silver Waterfall on the left. Must-visit places in Sapa include Cat Cat Village, which you can walk to without a motorcycle, and Silver Waterfall, accessible by motorcycle where you can also try salmon.
For the remaining time, ride a motorcycle about 4 kilometers behind the market to a left turn, then circle back another way. Be careful riding motorcycles. I recommend clicking on the images to view GPS coordinates from mr.hotsia’s map. January 2013 Sapa travel information. Upon arriving in Sapa: SAPA city view, speaking Vietnamese at hotels, Hotels in SAPA Vietnam, Vietnamese hot pot (Suki) in SAPA.
mr.hotsia Surprise in SAPA at night, Sapa traditional breakfast, Affordable food zone in Sapa, Sapa local food, Child in Cat Cat Village speaking English 1 2 3 4, Tien Sa Waterfall SAPA, Fitness field in Sapa, Field in front of Sapa church, SAPA city, Salmon sashimi in Vietnamese style, Eating fresh salmon sashimi in Sapa, Chan Chai’s motorbike accident in Sapa, Eating live fresh salmon in Sapa, Silver Waterfall SAPA.
How to prepare Vietnamese hot pot, Vietnamese-style spicy stir-fried pork, pig fried spicy, SAPA street breakfast, Sapa city top view, P'Supachai, a Thai living in Sapa, before parting ways to return to accommodation. Thank you for the friendship across borders. We are fellow Thais. Vietnamese hot pot food. GPS coordinates (POI) in front of Sonla Hotel where I stayed: 22 20 11.639 N, 103 51 18.335 E, 22 20 4.313 N, 103 50 29.387 E. Sapa-style breakfast: 22 20 4.518 N, 103 50 29.387 E.
Delicious mixed rice served hot: 22 20 1.338 N, 103 50 27.713 E. Way to Cat Cat Village: 22 20 1.883 N, 103 50 29.549 E. Affordable food zone under the market: 22 19 56.189 N, 103 50 9.666 E. Hill tribe people selling souvenirs: 22 19 45.702 N, 103 50 3.101 E. Cute children in Cat Cat Village: 22 19 37.86 N, 103 50 2.322 E. Tien Sa Waterfall in Cat Cat Village: 22 19 37.62 N, 103 50 2.705 E. Hmong children in Cat Cat Village selling souvenirs.
22 19 37.374 N, 103 50 2.574 E. Girls in Cat Cat Village, Tien Sa Waterfall: 22 19 46.314 N, 103 50 2.958 E. View at Cat Cat Village: 22 20 8.321 N, 103 50 31.079 E, 22 20 8.303 N, 103 50 30.888 E. Old church in downtown Sapa. P'Supachai who took me out for a meal and Nong Name, a Thai who married a Vietnamese and lives here. Thank you. Lake view in the city center: 22 21 39.611 N, 103 46 47.622 E. Salmon farmed in Sapa, very fresh: 22 21 39.791 N, 103 46 47.73 E.
