Sapa Travel Guide

Geography and environment
Located in the northwest of Vietnam, Sapa is a mountainous district of Lao Cai province, a land of modest, quietly but hides many wonders of the natural scene. The natural scenery of the Sa Pa is associated with human creativity and the topography of mountains, green forests creating the harmony paintings of beautiful scenes.

Rice terrace fields in Sapa, Vietnam

Transportation
Sa Pa is located 38km far away from Lao Cai City and 376km from Hanoi. There are two ways to come here: one from Lao Cai city and one from Binh Lu (Lai Chau province) by many types of vehicles such as cars, motorcycles.

Potential development of economy and tourism
Immersed in the floating clouds, Sapa look like magical city in mist, painting a charming picture. Sapa has invaluable resources that are fresh cool climate and diversity because of located at an average height of 1500m to 1800m. Therefore Sa Pa is temperate zone with average temperatures of 15-18 ° C and heavy rains from May to August.
See Sapa tours in Vietnam here.

Sa Pa certainly has a meaning. “Sa” is sand, “Pa” is the beach. The site called “sand beach” is on the right side of bridge, km number 32 from Lao Cai to Sapa. Long time ago, residents in this area went to that marketplace. As a result, local residents called “going to market of Sa Pa”.

Coc Ly Market in Sapa, Vietnam

The word “Sa Pa” had been pronounced “Cha Pa” since a very long time ago. The town of Sa Pa is also called “Hung Ho”, “Hung” is red, “Ho” is stream, “Hung Ho” is red stream.
Sa Pa covers 3,143m high Phan Si Pang on Hoang Lien Son range. “Hoang Lien Son” is named follow a kind of rare medicinal herbs named Hoang Lien on this range. Besides, Hoang Lien Son is also home of precious species of plants and birds such as partridge, bear, monkey, antelope and thousands of medicinal plants. Hoang Lien Son national forest has 136 species of birds, 56 species of mammals, 553 species of insects. There are 37 mammal species recorded in the “Red Book” of Vietnam. Hoang Lien Son forests have 864 species of plants including 173 species of medicinal plants.

Ham Rong Mountain is situated near Sapa town. Visitors can see the panoramic view of the town, Muong Hoa valley, Sa Pa, Ta Phin hidden in smog. Currently, embellished by human, Ham Rong is filled with full of fruitful landscape in Sapa. Visit Ham Rong in Sapa, travelers will be lost in the magical garden with clouds chasing around and colorful flower over ground.
There are an ancient church in Sapa town and a monastery built by stone near the way to Ta Phin on the clear hill. Walking three more kilometers over the monastery from north visitors can see Ta Phin Cave with width can contain a number of regimental sizes of the army.

Especially in Muong Hoa valley with 196 stones carved by ancient inhabitants in thousands years ago that many archaeologists could not yet decode. This carved area has been ranked as national relic site.
From Sapa town, moving from west about 12km on the road to Lai Chau, we will meet Silver Falls with the water rushing down from a height of over 200 meters making impressive sounds of nature.

Flower Hmong schoolchildren in Sapa, Vietnam

Sa Pa is home of 6 groups ethnic people, each ethnic group has its own culture with festivals such as “Roong Poc” of Giay Ta Van people, “San San” (mountain kick) of Mong people, “Tet Nhay” of the Red Dao people, all festival annually takes place in Tet holiday. Sa Pa is kingdom of flowers and fruits such as many species of peach blossoms and plum blossoms, pear blossoms, cherry blossoms, roses…
Sunday Market weekly opens in Sapa town. People in remote areas have to begin from Saturday. On Saturday night, everyone has the fun time together. They will sing the folk songs of the Hmong boys and girls, Dao people in the sounds of flutes and trumpets of Mong people and enjoying the bowls full of wine with old people. People call it”love market”.