Sapa, in the north of Vietnam, is famous for its mountain views, trekking and the highest point in Indochina Mount Fansipan. If you love hiking and being outdoors, then a trip to Sapa should definitely be on your Vietnam bucket list. Even if you’re quite the avid hiker (I’m certainly not), Sapa is still so worth it for the cultural experiences and stunning views. This guide will cover everything you need to know from how many days to spend in Sapa, how to get there, how to get around and where to stay. I’ve also included my own tips and recommendations for what to do, where to eat and what to expect in terms of nightlife.
How many days to spend in Sapa
How many days you spend in Sapa depends greatly on how much you like hiking and more importantly, how many days of hiking in a row your body can handle! Regardless of your hiking ability, a minimum of two days is required to properly explore Sapa and enjoy the surrounding landscapes. Although some travellers visit for only one day, in my opinion, this short period does not make the travel to and from Sapa worth it. Two days in Sapa would allow you to do one day of trekking and one day exploring the town and nearby villages.
If you have the time though and you do enjoy hiking and want to make the most of Sapa, I would strongly recommend trying to stay 3-4 days. In this time frame, you could do a multi-day trek, hike to the top of Fansipan Mountain and spend some time exploring Sapa and nearby villages at a leisurely pace.
How to get to Sapa
Most travellers will travel to Sapa from either Hanoi, Ha Giang or Ninh Binh. There are options to get to Sapa from Cat Ba, Halong Bay and Phong Nha; however, these often aren’t direct services and are quite far distances to cover in one journey. The sleeper buses from Ha Giang, Ninh Binh and Hanoi are well-travelled routes with lots of different departure times. All buses can be booked online on 12GOAsia or usually through hostels, where sometimes they’ll include complimentary pickup for booking through them.
In Sapa, buses arrive at different locations so make sure you check before booking where you will be dropped off. Sapa Market is a fairly convenient stop if you’re staying in Mega View Hostel. Otherwise, stops like T-Bus Hanoi and Sapa Bus Station are on the opposite side of the lake, so you’d need to get a taxi or tuk-tuk to your accommodation. If you’re staying at a homestay or hostel outside of the township, it makes no difference where you get dropped off as you’ll have to arrange onward transport either way.
How to get to Sapa from Hanoi
By far the most popular way to get to Sapa is from Hanoi. Buses virtually run 24 hours a day at 30-minute intervals, with multiple bus companies servicing this popular route. The journey can take between 5-7 hours depending on the time of day and traffic conditions in Hanoi. Buses are usually sleeper buses and include one stop at around the halfway mark for a bathroom break and snack stop.
In Hanoi, buses depart from different bus agencies around the city, the two closest pickup locations to Old Quarter are T-Bus and Hanoi SSB. Make sure you check the pickup location before you book a bus as some offices can be quite far away and take a while to get to in the crazy Hanoi traffic! Depending on whether you go with a basic sleeper bus (no curtains) or a VIP Sleeper (fully-reclinable bed with curtains), you can expect to pay anywhere from 285k-430k VND Vietnamese Dong ($11-$17 USD).
How to get to Sapa from Ha Giang
Coming to Sapa from Ha Giang is a really popular route as it saves you from having to backtrack back to Hanoi. There are two options for getting to Sapa from Ha Giang: a sleeper bus or a small van transfer. Buses go at all times during the day, with the most popular time to depart being an evening bus on the last day of the Ha Giang Loop. On the last day of the loop, you get back to Ha Giang by around 5 pm and the first night bus for Sapa departs at around 7 pm, so you have time to shower, have dinner and say good-bye to your loop group.
Night buses depart Ha Giang between 7 pm and 8 pm for Sapa, at around 15-minute intervals with multiple companies servicing this route. If you don’t want to depart Ha Giang straight after finishing the loop, there are day buses the next day. Day buses depart at 30-minute intervals from 6 am to 10 am, with a couple of smaller buses departing at 2 pm and 3 pm. There’s nothing to do in Ha Giang township though, so ideally getting a night bus on the day you finish the loop or a morning bus the next day will be the best use of your time. Buses take between 5-7 hours depending on traffic conditions and time of day. For a sleeper bus, expect to pay 320k VND Vietnamese Dong ($13 USD) and for a small van transfer, expect to pay 475k VND Vietnamese Dong ($19 USD).
Van transfer vs sleeper bus
The small van transfers tend to be more expensive, but honestly, if you have earplugs the sleeper bus is just as easy to sleep on. Sleeper Buses and vans in Ha Giang both offer hostel pickup, so you don’t need to worry about heading to a bus station or travel agency. The sleeper buses to Sapa are pretty basic, with seats that recline most of the way but no curtains.
How to get to Sapa from Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh to Sapa is another fairly popular travel route that travellers will take to avoid backtracking to Hanoi. Buses in Ninh Binh depart from many different travel agencies around town, the most popular are Long Restaurant and TBus as they are right opposite Banana Tree Hostel. Buses depart for Sapa from 4:30 am to 10:30 pm daily at intervals of 30 minutes to an hour.
The journey takes between 8 to 9 hours, so most travellers will take a later bus so they don’t lose a day travelling. With most travel routes in Vietnam, there are standard sleeper buses and VIP sleeper buses. Standard sleeper buses recline 90% of the way but aren’t completely flat and don’t have curtains. VIP bus seats are virtually beds that fully recline and there are curtains. For a sleeper bus, expect to pay 330k VND Vietnamese Dong ($14 USD) and for a VIP sleeper, expect to pay 715k VND Vietnamese Dong ($29 USD).
How to get around Sapa
Sapa Town itself is fairly small and compact, but a lot of the key sights like Cat Cat Village and Fansipan are located outside of the town, so you will need transport to get there. The main methods for getting around Sapa are on foot, by Grab or by hailing down a Tuk Tuk or Taxi. One of the major attractions of Sapa is doing a trekking tour (either one day, two days or three days). However, you won’t need to worry about transport for this, as tours include hostel pickup and dropoff.
Getting around Sapa on foot
Walking is, hands down, one of the best ways to get around the actual town of Sapa. The town itself is pretty compact, making it easy to explore the main spots on foot. The downside? Sapa’s terrain is hilly, to say the least, so be prepared for a workout. And when the weather turns, be prepared to be pretty wet and cold. If you’re staying in Sapa Town, you can easily walk to all restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as explore the Sapa Markets. Sapa is a tiny town, so it feels very safe to walk around even as a solo female at night. There’s also not much traffic to watch out for, which is a bonus.
Getting around Sapa with Grab
Grab Car, Southeast Asia’s answer to Uber, is a convenient option for getting around, especially if you’re looking to explore areas a bit further out. The app’s straightforward, with clear pricing and the ability to book a ride right from your phone. It’s great for avoiding haggling and ensuring you don’t get overcharged. However, the availability of Grab in Sapa can be hit or miss, as there are not many drivers, so it’s not always a reliable option. I would recommend trying to book a Grab as a first option, but if you can’t get a driver within 10 minutes, you’ll have to resort to a taxi or Tuk Tuk. You could use Grab to get to and from the bus stop, to Cat Cat Village and the entry point to Fansipan.
Getting around Sapa by Tuk Tuk or Taxi
Hailing a taxi or tuk-tuk is the classic Southeast Asian travel experience. You’ll find taxis and tuk-tuks readily available around town, and they’re perfect for short distances or when you can’t get a Grab. The pros? It’s instant, there’s no need for Wi-Fi, and it’s a chance to practice your bargaining skills. The cons include the potential for a language barrier, which can make explaining your destination a bit of a challenge, and there’s always the risk of paying more than you should if your haggling game isn’t strong.
Where to stay in Sapa
Despite Sapa being fairly small, there are many hostels and homestays to choose from, depending on what kind of experience you want to have. The great part is most accommodations are fairly cheap, with dorms starting for as little as $1. The first decision you need to make before looking at accommodations is whether you want to stay in Sapa Town or one of the smaller villages. The benefit of staying in Sapa Town is that you’ll have many restaurants, cafes and bars within walking distance. It’ll be a short distance to get to and from the bus stop making finding transport to Cat Cat Village and Fansipan much easier. The benefit of staying in a smaller village, is the hostels are much homier with family-style meals and stunning views of the surrounding region. Overall, you get a much more culturally immersive experience.
I would recommend staying in town if you have plans to do the two-day or three-day trek. If you do either of these treks, you’ll get to stay in a homestay for either 1 or 2 nights, so you’ll experience that cultural immersion and homely vibe. If you don’t want to do an overnight trek, staying in one of the smaller villages would be a great decision. That way you could do some smaller walks during the day, and still enjoy the scenery and cultural immersion, without having to do long hard days of trekking. It really depends on you and your personal preferences towards hiking. Below, I’ll give you hostel options for both staying in town and the smaller villages. You can book all accommodation in Sapa here.
Mega View Homestay
Mega View Hostel is located in Sapa Town, just a short walk from great, restaurants, cafes and the markets. The dorms are pretty basic but clean and functional with sturdy bunk beds (no curtains, unfortunately) and big security lockers for belongings. They also have private rooms for decent prices if you want to treat yourself (great after a long day of trekking). They have good amenities like hot water, wifi and a small restaurant on-site, offering affordable breakfast options. The real winner, though, is the communal areas. They’re inviting and foster a friendly atmosphere, making it super easy to mingle with fellow travellers. The staff also deserves a shoutout; they’re incredibly welcoming and go out of their way to assist guests, be it through arranging tours or giving local tips. Despite being in the town, Mega View Hostel does offer pretty good views from their rooftop.
Zizi Mekhoo Sapa Homestay
Zizi Mekhoo Sapa Homestay is located in a small village outside of Sapa Town. This is perfect for backpackers keen on immersing themselves in local culture and wanting to do some light day hikes nearby. The dorms here are basic but are clean with warm blankets and mosquito nets. The other amenities are modest but adequate (it is a homestay in a rural small town of course). You’ve got some Wi-Fi, which is reliable enough for basic needs, and shared bathroom facilities that are kept clean.
The standout feature, however, is the nightly family dinners, which allow travellers to mix with each other and the family who run the homestay. Zizi Homestay is a great mix of a backpacker social vibe, but also offering the cultural immersion of a homestay. They have guided walks you can book at the reception, or you can just hike on your own from the homestay.
What to do in Sapa
Sapa in a nutshell is all about hiking/trekking. Even if you’re not an avid hiker or not that physically fit, Sapa is still very much worth the visit, as long as you’re mentally prepared for some long days and sore muscles. The main activity that you must do in Sapa is trekking in the surrounding regions, but you have the choice of how many days you do depending on your hiking experience and preference. Other than hiking, you can either hike or get a cable car to the top of Fansipan, the tallest mountain in Indochina and visit a cultural village called CatCat.
Trekking
Trekking is a must-do activity in Sapa! There are three options: a one-day hike, a two-day one-night hike and a three-day two-night hike. In my opinion, the day hike isn’t worth it as you lose so much of the cultural immersion and the whole experience would feel quite rushed. As a non-hiker, I felt that the two-day one-night experience was the perfect amount of time for me. If you love hiking and being out in nature, you may want to consider the three-day option.
There are also “luxury” trekking tours available, which stay in hotels/ resorts instead of homestays, but I feel this would also greatly detract from the cultural immersion benefits of a homestay. Trekking in Sapa isn’t just about the physical trek through stunning rice terraces and lush landscapes; it’s about immersing yourself in the local culture, getting to know the hill tribes, and experiencing their way of life firsthand.
What to expect on the Trek
The trek itself can be challenging yet incredibly rewarding, offering panoramic views of Sapa’s iconic terraced fields, misty mountains, and remote villages. It’s a physical journey that demands a decent level of fitness, but you can take it as slow as you want and stop for breathers as you need. I am by no means a hiker and only have a basic fitness level and I managed two days of hiking. On the hike, you’ll be navigating muddy paths, steep inclines, and sometimes unpredictable weather. You don’t need to bring any special gear, as you’re supplied Wellington boots, wooden sticks to use as walking poles and rain ponchos. The pace of the hiking is fairly slow, as it can be muddy, slippery and steep in parts and you stop a lot for photos.
What to expect at the homestay
The homestay experience adds another layer to the adventure. Staying with a local family in their home offers a rare glimpse into daily life in the mountains. You’ll likely be sharing a communal meal, cooked with fresh, local ingredients, and learning about life in the small village. It’s a chance to connect, even if just for a night, with people whose lives are vastly different from your own. The homestay amenities are usually fairly rustic but clean and comfortable.
How to book Sapa Trekking
Sapa Trekking Tours do not need to be booked in advance, you can book them up until 9 or 10 pm the night before you begin. All hostels and travel agencies will offer all of the trekking options, so it’s really easy to book when you arrive in Sapa, or you can book directly through the families that host you at the homestay. Booking direct means all of the profits go to the families and communities who provide guiding and their homes for you to stay in.
I booked with Su, who is starting her own guiding business, if you want to book directly with her, send her an Instagram message (@sulothi6). She’s an excellent guide and host so I couldn’t recommend Su any higher! All tours include guides, all equipment, meals and hostel pickup and drop-off. The only thing you have to pay extra for is drinks like coffee, beer or soft drinks and a tip for the guides if you feel it’s appropriate. Tours start at 9 am and finish at around 3:30 pm. I paid 600k VND Vietnamese Dong ($24 USD) for a 2 day, one-night trek with a homestay.
What I wish I had known before trekking in Sapa
When you do a trek in Sapa, you’ll have one tour guide who will pick you up from your accommodation and is paid by the tour organiser. They’ll usually also be the same person whose house you stay in if you’ve opted for a multi-day hike. When you get to the first part of the trek, local Hmong women will join you and offer to help you along the way, usually navigating trickier/ slippery parts of the hike. These women are not officially a part of the tour and will expect you to buy handicrafts from them at the end of the hike.
If you need help with the hike (I did) and want a chance to help out local women, giving them a little money at the end or buying souvenirs from them is a great way to support local families. The women also often chat to you as you walk so it’s a great opportunity for cultural exchange. Even a few dollars make a huge difference in the lives of these women and their families.
If you don’t wish to participate in this and don’t need help with the hike, make sure you let them know at the beginning, so they don’t waste their day and exhaust themselves trekking with you. A simple “I don’t need help, but thank you for the offer” will suffice.
Tipping your guide
A lot of people will also tip their actual paid guide at the end of the trek. While it’s not compulsory and they are getting some payment from the travel agency you book with, the tour guides and hosts put in so much effort and host you in their homes. They only get a small portion of what you pay as the original tour price, so many people feel it appropriate to also tip them. Another thing you could do is book directly with the Hmong guides, instead of booking through travel agencies and accommodation, which take the lion’s share of the profits.
Mount Fansipan
Hiking to the top of Fansipan, affectionately known as the “Roof of Indochina,” is a bucket-list adventure for many backpackers venturing into Sapa, Vietnam. Standing at 3,147 meters (10,326 feet), it’s the highest peak in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, offering not just bragging rights but also breathtaking views and a sense of achievement that’s hard to beat. The journey to the summit is as challenging as it is rewarding, weaving through dense jungle, over rugged terrain, and past remote hill tribe villages, offering a glimpse into a way of life that’s remained largely unchanged for centuries.
Fanispan can be tackled in various ways, from a one-day power hike to the top to a return cable car to avoid the hike. Conquering Fansipan is no walk in the park. The trail can be steep and slippery, especially after rain, demanding a good level of fitness and determination. For those not keen on the physical challenge, the Fansipan cable car offers an alternative route to the summit, delivering you to the top in comfort within 20 minutes. While this option lacks the physical and mental challenge of the hike, it makes the stunning views accessible to everyone, minus the sweat and toil.
What to know before visiting Fanispan
The cable car rates are 220k VND Vietnamese Dong ($10 USD) for a one-way and 250k VND Vietnamese Dong ($11 USD) for a return ticket. The cable car only operates between 9 am to 5 pm so make sure you don’t miss the return journey. If you are planning on hiking Fansipan, allow a full day. If you’re taking the cable car, you would need to allow around 2-3 hours. Make sure you check the weather in advance as sometimes the cable car won’t run in extreme weather and if it is going to be foggy or cloudy, you may not be able to see any views from the top.
Cat Cat Village
Nestled in a beautiful valley just a short walk from Sapa town, this small Hmong village has become a popular spot for backpackers looking to experience the culture and lifestyle of the local ethnic communities. The journey down to the village is part of the experience, offering stunning views of terraced rice paddies and lush green landscapes. Once in the village, you’re greeted with quaint stone paths, rustic wooden homes, and the sound of a waterfall that adds to the serene atmosphere.
Cat Cat Village offers demonstrations of traditional textile weaving and silver jewellery making with the locals, dressing in their traditional attire and open to sharing insights into their daily lives. However, the village’s popularity with tourists means it can feel very touristy and commercialised, with souvenir shops and photo ops at every turn. While this provides a source of income for the community, it can detract from the authenticity of the experience for some visitors. To get to Cat Cat, you can either trek down or get a grab/ taxi. Most people will opt for a taxi if they’ve done other trekking in Sapa. Cat Cat Village costs 150k VND Vietnamese Dong ($6 USD) to enter and you should allow around 2-3 hours for the visit.
Where to eat in Sapa
Sapa town offers a small but diverse culinary scene that caters to both traditional Vietnamese tastes and international cravings. During the day, there are not too many venues open and busy for breakfast and lunch as most people are out exploring or trekking and most accommodations have breakfast on site. Around dinner time, restaurants can get quite busy so expect service to be a little slower. All of the below restaurants and cafes are located in the centre of Sapa, walking distance from all the of the accommodations in the town.
Little Sapa
Little Sapa Restaurant is one of the best dinner spots in Sapa. It’s very cosy, with great food for a reasonable price. This place is all about authentic Vietnamese dishes, with a menu that’s rich in local specialties like pho, spring rolls, and grilled pork. The only downside? It’s quite popular, so you might have to wait for a table during peak times, but the food is worth it!
Cong Caphe
Cong Caphe brings a different vibe with its retro, war-era decor and a laid-back atmosphere that’s perfect for sipping on Vietnamese coffee on a cold day. It’s the perfect place to relax, catch up on some reading, or people-watch. The menu extends to light snacks and sweets but is more of a coffee shop. Due to its popularity, the prices are a tad higher than what you’d find in more traditional Vietnamese cafés.
Casa Italia Pizza
If you’re looking for a hearty, carby feed after trekking then Casa Italia Pizza is for you! The restaurant offers a break from Vietnamese cuisine with its wood-fired pizzas and a selection of Italian dishes. It’s a bit pricier compared to local food options, but when craving bread, cheese and wine, Casa Italia delivers.
Sapa Nightlife
Sapa is not the place for those seeking wild nights out or neon-lit clubs. Instead, Sapa’s nightlife is more about having a few beers at the hostel or a few casual drinks with dinner. The town is known for its early mornings, with trekkers and adventurers rising with the sun to explore the surrounding landscapes, which means everything here tends to wind down relatively early. At most, there may be a few people in your hostel common area having casual drinks until 10 or 11 when everyone goes to bed. A lot of travellers enjoy Sapa as a bit of a detox from the crazy nightlife in Hanoi, the many happy water shots of the Ha Giang Loop and the late-night karaoke buses in Ninh Binh.
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