Sapa is a small town in Northwest Vietnam. It’s in Lao Cai province, about 350km from Hanoi. Sapa is great to visit all year. It’s known for stunning nature. Expect majestic landscapes and beautiful terraced rice fields. The diverse culture of ethnic minorities lives here.
Best Time to Visit Sapa
Sapa has a cool climate. Travel is good year-round. Avoid June to early August. This is the rainy and stormy season. Extreme weather can cause floods and landslides.
February to May brings vibrant colors. Hundreds of flowers bloom. See cherry, peach, and plum blossoms. Summer is June to August. Tourists escape the heat here. Enjoy the green rice terraces.
Autumn is September to November. Sapa is enchanting. Ripe rice turns golden. The weather gets cooler. Winter is December to February. You might see snow and frost on peaks.
How to go to Sapa
From Hanoi, you can book a Hanoi-Sapa limousine or bus. Find them at My Dinh bus station. It costs $9-$14 per person. This depends on your seat. The trip takes about 5-6 hours.
If you take a train to Lao Cai from Hanoi. The ride is 7-9 hours. Then, take a bus or taxi to Sapa town. Train tickets cost $6-$31. Prices vary by seat and train type.
Driving yourself? Take the Noi Bai – Lao Cai expressway. Then, turn onto National Highway 4D to Sapa. The road is easy. Watch for signs and speed limits. In rain, cold, or fog, check your car. Look at tires, brakes, and lights. Driving takes 5-6 hours. Leave Hanoi by 12:30 PM. You’ll reach the Sapa pass before dark.
Sapa Accommodation
Sapa has many options to stay. Choose from guesthouses and village homestays. Hostels and budget hotels are available. You can also find 4–5-star hotels and luxury resorts. Good resorts include Topas Ecolodge and Sapa Jade Hill. Consider Hôtel de la Coupole – MGallery and Silk Path Grand.
For homestays or hostels, go to Cat Cat, Lao Chai, or Ta Van villages. Enjoy the peaceful mountains and forests. Dorm rooms start at $9 per person. Double bungalows start at $19.
Popular homestays include Eco Palms House and Heaven Sapa. Check out Viettrekking and Phơri’s House. Consider Sapa Heavenly and Rock Garden. Coóng, Vườn mây, and Mộng are also options.
Things to See and Do in Sapa
Many tourists love Sapa’s attractions. Don’t miss these.
Ham Rong Mountain
Ham Rong Mountain has a magical, misty view. Many visitors come here. The lowest point is 1,450m. The highest peak is over 1,800m. From the top, see Sapa’s famous spots. This includes Muong Hoa Valley and Cat Cat village.
Ham Rong is great for picnics and hikes. You can eat, shop, and see sights. There are many eateries and flower gardens on the way up.
Sapa Stone Church
After Ham Rong, visit Sapa Stone Church. It’s near the town center. Construction began in 1895. It’s a symbol of the mountain town. The church has a Gothic style. Its roof and bell tower are pointed. This gives it an airy, elegant look.
Cat Cat Village
Cat Cat Village is 2 km from Sapa town. You can trek or go by motorbike. It’s a peaceful H’Mong village. They still keep many customs and crafts. See weaving, silver carving, and jewelry making.
Lao Chai – Ta Van Village
From town, take the 10 km road to Ta Van. Use a motorbike, taxi, or trek. The road to Lao Chai – Ta Van is narrow. Green rice and corn terraces line the sides. It’s not remote anymore, but it’s still peaceful. H’Mong, Dao, and Giay people live here.
The terraced rice fields are impressive. They cover the hillsides. In late summer, the rice turns golden. If you have time, spend a day here. Experience the local life.
Fansipan Peak
Want to reach Fansipan Peak easily? Take the cable car and mountain railway. Buy tickets in the morning. The station is opposite Sapa town square.
To reach the peak: take the mountain railway, then the cable car. Then, take another short train or climb 600 steps. Each train ride is 6-7 minutes. The cable car is about 30 minutes. Walkers can climb stairs. Visit the spiritual complex on Fansipan. See Kim Son Bao Thang Tu Pagoda and an 11-story tower. There’s a bronze Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva statue. You’ll also find Vietnam’s largest bronze Amitabha Buddha statue.
Swing Sapa
This photo spot is at 87 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street. It’s near the town center, about 2 km from the Stone Church towards the cable car.
See statues of couples and giant stone hands. There’s a Buddha statue and the “stairway to heaven.” Swings offer many photo opportunities. Get unique pictures here.
Seo My Ty Lake
To reach Seo My Ty Lake in Ta Van commune, travel 20 km. The road has many rocks. It’s hard for new drivers. The lake was formed by a dam for the Seo My Ty hydroelectric plant. It’s Vietnam’s highest artificial lake. From above, it looks like silk. It’s along the Hoang Lien Son range. Ask fishermen to join their boats. Admire the lake and learn about salmon farming.
Heaven’s Gate
From Sapa center, follow National Highway 4D for 15 km. Reach the highest point of O Quy Ho Pass. You’ll find Heaven’s Gate. See a panoramic view of the valley below. Terraced fields and winding roads stretch out. There are new restaurants, cafes, and hotels here. Heaven’s Gate costs 80,000 VND per person. A drink is included.
O Quy Ho Pass
O Quy Ho is called the “King of Mountain Passes.” It has a deep valley on one side and a steep cliff on the other. It’s about 50 km long. It connects Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Go at sunset (5:00 – 5:30 PM) for great photos. The pass turns a beautiful golden color. But Sapa’s weather changes fast. Clouds can appear quickly after sunset.
Silver Waterfall – Love Waterfall
Located on O Quy Ho Pass road, 3 km from the top, are Silver and Love Waterfalls. Many young people stop here. Silver Waterfall has stairs to the top. It gets colder and the water is strong. Be careful of slipping. Love Waterfall is a 1.5 km walk through a romantic forest. Silver Waterfall costs 20,000 VND. Love Waterfall costs 75,000 VND.
What to Eat in Sapa
Try Thang Co A Quynh (Thach Son Street). Get hot pot at Hotpot Center (Xuan Vien Street). Pho Con Sui Ong Ha is at 468 Dien Bien Phu Street. Young tourists like Mi Nuong (Dien Bien Phu Street) for grilled food. Tuk Tuk Chicken Restaurant has spicy ribs and cheese-shaked chicken. H’Mong Pizza is at Pi’s Boutique.
There are many cafes in town. For quiet spots with valley or mountain views, try Coóng Cafe (in Coóng homestay, on the way to Cat Cat). Visit Vietrekking (Hoang Lien Street) and Gem Valley Cafe (Cat Cat village).