Hiking in Sapa

Day 3 - 5: 19 - 21 Dec 2005

The overnight train journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai was uneventful. I shared the bunk with a Swiss couple and a Vietnamese who kept to themselves. The train arrived in Lao Cai at 5.30am and I was promptly picked up by the minibus operator who led me to a fully packed van.

The trip to Sapa took slightly more than an hour and we were all dropped off at Royal Hotel Sapa, which is both my accommodation and tour operator in Sapa.

Having some time to spare between breakfast and the hike, I took a short walk around the town and the market. As it was a weekday morning, there wasn't much tourist.

My guide, a H'mong lady in her early 20s introduced herself after I get back. The plan is to do a 3hrs hike that morning to Cat Cat and Sin Chai villages, and a 5hrs hike to Lau Chai village the 2nd day. Both trip will be a one way and minibus will pick us up on the way back.

I queried if there is a possibility to do a longer hike all the way to the lower Sapa valley in Su Pan. The H'mong guide advised that me that I have to join another group and stay in the village instead of hotel for the night. I agreed without hesitation.

My new group included Tan - Malaysian whom I met on the bus trip from Sapa. Jason & Kat - New Zealanders who are heading home after working 2 years in London. They are travelling Africa and Asia on the way back. Andre - German who resided in East Germany before the Wall came down. Young - a jovial art critic who bring laughter to both the villagers and us along the trip.

The leisurely hike through the villages is the highlight of the trip so far. The track took us through the rice fields and across the courtyard of the houses. We observed that the rural life is led in reasonable prosperity. There are TVs, VCD players and even satellite dishes in most households..

It is amazing to observe that the landscape has been engineered to suit man's needs. The rice terraces are built on an awesome scale. Steep slopes on the hills are craved out into level field to be flooded to grow rice.

We spent a night with a family in the village. Dinner was deliciously prepared by the family. We spent the evening around a basin of hot charcoal watching Vietnamese version of "Who want to be a millionaire". We reckon that it must be 7 C outside.

The family slept on the ground floor while we slept in the attic on the 2nd level. Bed consist of 2" mattresses spread across the a floor. Blankets, pillow, blankets sheet were provided. It was bare but adequate.

To think that I have given up my room in Royal Hotel, with comfortable queen size bed with electric bracket, attached bathroom, and a view of the valley, to share the attic of a wooden house with 5 other smelly backpacker must be insane. But I will gladly choose to do Sapa this way again.


We were picked up by a van for the return journey to Royal Hotel after lunch on the 2nd day. A refreshing shower, followed by warm dinner, before the van bring us to the train station for the overnight journey to Hanoi.

I bided my new found friends farewell as I am travelling on an earlier train. I am quite bless that I have good company for my trip so far.