The BEST way to visit SAPA

If you are really ready to go on a hike to Sapa, there are a few things that you need to know before you commence your trip. The first and probably the most and important thing that you need to know, is that your whole hike success depends on what time of the year you go. If you are going during peak season you will need to book your train tickets or bus tickets well in advance in order to avoid the disappointment of missing out on a lift, or paying premium prices for a private taxi to Sapa from Hanoi 

We have just done the trip at the end of October, not the busiest time to hike, and we still were very lucky to get sleeper seat tickets on the overnight trains from Hanoi to low chi. 

We strongly recommend you begin this trip from Hanoi, and not other places, due to the fact that Hanoi is set up to handle the tourists and the travel necessary to have a successful trip. You can catch the train or bus from Ho Chi Minh City or whore yarn, but you will be injured a lot more hassle and price during your trip.

Your first and most important step of the trip is to make sure you know how you are getting to Sapa. There are three options that you must know about. The first option would be to take an overnight bus from Hanoi to Sapa. This bus will take will take you approximately 7 to 8 hours and depending on how much you pay, will be very comfortable or it will be a tough night sleep

The second option, and the option that we recommend the most, would be to take the overnight train from Hanoi to Lo Cai, a small train station and town which is located 45 minutes at the base of the hill before arriving at supper. I strongly prefer this option more for several different reasons. The first reason would be the fact that if you were travelling in a slightly larger group, you can book a four-bedroom sleeper which gives you total privacy for the night and the closest thing that you will get to a comfortable nights sleep. Each of the rooms has their very own charging point and lights and in our opinion is the best and most convenient way to get to Sapa.

The train itself is regularly cleaned so it’s acceptable for all levels of travellers.  We had the 4 person sleeper and ended up having to share our room with some other random travellers until they left about midnight.  There are also luxury 2 person sleepers which cost double the 4 person slots. Each 4 person sleeper bed costs approximately $20USD and is well worth the price. A lady comes around asking to sell sweets and biscuits if you are feeling peckish. We suggest visiting the supermarket located in the train station before you go for a wide range of fresh and yummy foods.

The whole train experience last 7-8 hours depends the number of spots. The rooms also have charging points so you can plug things and charge them too. The conductor will come around 20 minutes before you are due to arrive and will knock on the door so you wake up. There is also a tea/coffee lady that will do a round 

Most of the trains that arrive here are coming early in the morning, so it is a little tough to work it all out. You literally just jump off the train and you are already outside. As you step off the train, you will be met by a host of “drivers” who will offer to take you to Sapa, which is located 45mins-1 hour drive up the mountain. Unless you have prearranged your pickup with a hotel, you now have 2 options. You can take the public bus, which will be a little slower but cheaper ($1.50), attached below is a picture of the outside sign, 20m from the exit. Another popular option is to take one of the drivers and go with them on their minibus. These buses are quicker and less hassle but the flip side is that they cost approximately $5USD and can have up to 9 people in them if you are unlucky. We took the minibus and had no issues with it at all. 

The only problem with the train is that you will be required to catch a shuttle from the train station up the mountain to supper. The locals have already well accommodated you for this and there will be shuttles waiting for you at the train station. You can catch the local bus which will cost you less than two dollars to go up the mountain, but we recommend taking a shuttle for no more than five dollars due to its speed, and convenience to bring you to your hostel/homestay.

If you are catching the train from Hanoi, then there are dozens of eating options around the train station. Most of the trains back are all in the evening and are arriving early morning. 

Where to get your tickets to Sapa

We actually got our tickets last moment at Hanoi train station. We were very lucky to catch the only person who spoke English before she left so we suggest to book your tickets online for the train. However, of course, booking websites will usually charge you a little bit more money to make the booking transaction, but it is still quite cheap.

Choosing where to stay in Sapa 

Deciding on where you want to stay in Sapa is probably the most important call you will have to make when you are here. You will need to decide if you want to base yourself in the town of Sapa, and do your walking and hiking tours from here. This is very possible and many people do it. Personally, we chose to stay in a homestay, which is located about 10 km out of town. There are literally dozens of homes days within the villages that are around Sapa. They are extremely cheap and have a lot of hikers staying there, and they can organise and run hiking to is it for you just as easily as being in town. To be honest, I felt as though the homestays out there gave a much more authentic feel than staying in town, but it is totally your decision. It must be noted that there are no ATM machines in the homestay area but there are several in Sapa town, so make sure you get the money that you need in the town first. If you are dropped off into Sapa town, It is only a short $10 ride out towards where the homestays are, however, your homestay can arrange a pick up from you from the main area in Sapa.

Photo by Giau Tran on Unsplash

Where to stay in Sapa

There are literally dozens of homestays out in the village, approximately half an hour from town. We chose to stay at a place recommended to us called Tay Van Heaven Homestay, 30 mins from Sapa and a great place to stay for a few days.

The easiest part of the trip now is to actually go and begin your hike. There are several tracks that are offered from many different operators that give you the best access to all the hikes that Sapa has to offer.