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The northwestern part of Vietnam is one of the most interesting and beautiful areas of South East Asia. Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups and the area around Sapa is an exciting place to see the lives, culture and costumes of some of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. In this part of the country the minorities still dress in their traditional colorful clothing – especially the women. Each group has its own distinct color and style of dress.On this tour you will go by train to Sapa and visit some of the minority people in the Sapa Valley and experience the colorful Sapa market where some of the different ethnic groups come into town to sell their products.
Itinerary
Day 1: Night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai.
You will be picked up from your hotel at 20:10 for transfer to the train station. From here, you take a night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. The night train leaves at 21:10. Overnight stay on train in a 4-berth soft sleeper cabin.
Day 2: Lao Cai - Sapa - Cat Cat village - Sapa.
You arrive at Lao Cai train station early in the morning (around 05:30), from where you will be picked up and have a shared bus transfer to Sapa (35km - about 1 hour drive). Check-in at Cat Cat Hotel. In the morning, you will have time on your own to enjoy the view of Fansipan (3.143m) on the other side of the Sapa valley and to explore the market where some of the different ethnic minority groups come into town to sell their products. In the afternoon, you will walk down to Cat Cat Village and the beautiful valley, which is home of the Black H’mong people. Black H’mong is one of the biggest and poorest minority groups in the Sapa area. But they are proud of their culture and stick to their traditions and way of living. They have their own language and wear traditional indigio blue clothing.
Overnight stay at Cat Cat Hotel in Sapa.
Day 3: Sapa - Ta Phin village - Sapa. (B)
Today a jeep or motorbike will take you to Ta Phin village where you will experience the customs and life of Red Dao people. The Red Dao women have very colorful red embroideries and coins on their clothing. On the head they wear a deep red scarf. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because a hairless face is considered to be very beautiful by the Red Dao.
Overnight stay at Cat Cat Hotel in Sapa.
Day 4: Free and easy in Sapa town. (B)
You have a free day to relax and discover the daily life of the local people in Sapa town. You will be picked up by bus to Lao Cai train station at around 16:00 and from here get a night train back to Hanoi. You arrive in Hanoi the next morning, at around 05:00.
Tour ends at Hanoi train station.
(B: breakfast)
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