If you have been to Sa Pa (Lao Cai) many times and are familiar with famous tourist destinations, a short trip back to the village will bring a different experience.
With a 2-day 1-night itinerary, Pham Tu (freelance photographer, Hanoi) chose to return to the villages of Sa Pa to enjoy a peaceful space, while admiring the green terraced fields that are entering the rice season.
From Hanoi, tourists can travel along the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway. The distance is about 315km, the travel time ranges from 5 - 7 hours, depending on the type of vehicle and number of stops.
Hanoi - Sa Pa bus ticket prices are currently around 270,000 - 750,000 VND/person/way. Tourists can choose many types of buses such as standard sleeper berths, VIP sleeper cabins or 9-11-28 seat limousines.
To save time, Pham Tu's group chose a sleeper bus departing at 11 pm from Hanoi. At about 5 am, the bus arrived in Sa Pa and dropped off passengers at Sa Pa bus station.
After getting out of the car, the group rented a motorbike to move proactively. The rental price is from 100,000 - 120,000 VND/day for manual transmission motorbikes, 120,000 - 150,000 VND for scooters and 150,000 - 200,000 VND for manual transmission motorbikes.
Because he had been to Sa Pa many times, this time Tu did not choose to stay in the central area but found a homestay in Ta Van village for convenient sightseeing.
In the morning, the group had breakfast at Nga Canh bun cha restaurant and then drove from the center of Sa Pa down to Ta Van. After sending their belongings at the homestay, everyone continued to move along the route to Nam Cang to see the rice.
Terraced fields covered in young green stretch along the mountainside, interspersed with villages and winding roads.
According to Tu's sharing, the road to Nam Cang is not too difficult to travel by motorbike. However, there are not many eateries on the road, so the group then returned to Sailing Sapa restaurant (Ta Van) for lunch. The chosen meal is a meal of the Giay people for 4 people, with a cost of about 250,000 VND/person. Drinks are about 80,000 VND/cup.
In the afternoon, the group returned to the homestay to rest before visiting De Mong Sapa. This is also a place chosen by the group to relax at the end of the day, when tourists can combine enjoying drinks and watching the sunset.
In the evening, the whole group had hotpot right at the homestay and then rested, preparing for the next day of discovery.
The second day started quite lightly. After breakfast, the group rode a motorbike around from Ta Van to Ta Phin area. For tourists who like to take photos, this is an ideal time to leisurely drive, stop at angles with wide views and capture the highland scenery.
In the afternoon, visitors can visit L.á Coffee, a popular cafe thanks to its window corner overlooking the rice fields. Another option is The Pause Coffee & More, a new cafe with terraced fields and quite good drinks.
After having fun, the group returned to the homestay to pick up luggage and then moved to the center of Sa Pa. In the evening, the whole group ate at Nướng ngói Gia Bảo before stopping at Cộng Coffee to wait for a bus to take them back to Hanoi.
Sharing about the trip, Tu said: "Instead of chasing after too many check-in points, choosing to stay in the village below, spending time driving between green terraced fields, sitting at a coffee shop looking out into the valley and watching the sunset is also a way to feel a Sa Pa that is slower and more peaceful.
If you have more time, tourists can refer to some cafes, accommodations and other attractions in Sa Pa such as House by the stream, Chi Pau Coffee, Cham, Pavi Garden or Wecamp Glamping.
In addition to the village areas, the journey can also be combined with some familiar places such as Sa Pa Stone Church, Cat Cat village, O Quy Ho pass, Love Waterfall and Y Linh Lake.
Pham Tu's group's trip had a total cost of less than 2 million VND/person, including transportation, motorbike rental, food and accommodation.
