In the hot summer days, Sa Pa (Lao Cai) is still a destination chosen by many tourists thanks to its cool climate with a temperature of only about 15-25 degrees Celsius.
Not only possessing pleasant weather, summer is also the time when terraced fields are covered in green, creating a typical scene of the Northwest mountains and forests. From June to early August, Muong Hoa valley, Lao Chai, Ta Van or Nam Cang are covered in the lush green of young rice.
Move
To get to Sa Pa from Hanoi, tourists have many choices. If you like to experience it, you can take the night train to Lao Cai station the next morning, then take a taxi or passenger car for about 40 minutes to get to Sa Pa town. Train ticket prices range from 300,000 - 600,000 VND/person/trip.
Sleeper buses are still the option chosen by many people thanks to their convenience. Buses take passengers straight to Sa Pa central bus station, ticket price is about 200,000 - 500,000 VND/person/trip. If you want to be picked up and dropped off on the spot, a limousine is a suitable choice, although the travel time may be longer due to picking up and dropping off passengers along the way.
For those who like to be proactive, driving a car from Hanoi to Sa Pa on the highway is also quite convenient, the distance is about 300 km, taking about 5-6 hours.
Residence
Accommodation in Sa Pa is very diverse, from budget homestays to high-class resorts. The town center area concentrates many hotels convenient for eating and moving. Meanwhile, if you want to immerse yourself in nature and admire terraced fields, tourists should choose homestays in Lao Chai, Ta Van or Ta Phin.
Some famous resorts such as Topas Ecolodge, Hotel de la Coupole, Silk Path Grand or Jade Hill are suitable for tourists who want to enjoy luxurious resort spaces with beautiful views.
What to play in Sa Pa?
Fansipan is still the most prominent destination of Sa Pa. Visitors can take the cable car to admire the panoramic view of the Northwest mountains and forests from above, then continue to climb or take the mountain climbing train to conquer the 3,143 m high peak. Summer is also an easy time to hunt clouds, but the weather on the peak changes quickly, so raincoats or umbrellas are needed.
Before taking the cable car, many people choose to experience the Muong Hoa mountain climbing train. The classic European-style train takes visitors across valleys, villages and terraced fields in just about 10 minutes.
In addition to Fansipan, Ham Rong mountain is also a panoramic view of Sa Pa town from above. Meanwhile, villages such as Cat Cat, Lao Chai or Ta Van still retain the unique culture of the Mong, Dao, Giay people with traditional houses and simple life.
Visitors can also drive for about 25 minutes to O Quy Ho Pass - one of the "four great passes" of Vietnam, to admire the majestic mountain scenery.
At the end of the trip, Sa Pa market is an interesting stop to buy vegetables, mushrooms, cardamom or local specialties as gifts.
Eating
Cuisine is one of the must-see experiences when coming to Sa Pa.
In the morning, tourists can start their culinary journey with many familiar addresses such as Pho Minh on Thach Son street, Bac Ha clean pho on Le Van Tam street, or bun cha chấm on Dien Bien street. You can also visit Ong Ha restaurant at 436 Dien Bien Phu to enjoy cốn sủi with large pho strands, thick sauce mixed with rich sweet and sour flavor.
Lunch and dinner are ideal times to enjoy highland specialties such as local pork, local chicken, salmon, sturgeon. Some addresses that are loved by many tourists such as May Quan, Vua Cha Ca on Xuan Vien street, Com Hoa Dao, Tuk Tuk chicken shop or Hoa Pheo Grill with a diverse grilling menu. If you want to change the taste, Cau May neighborhood also has many restaurants serving European dishes.
In addition to cuisine, Sa Pa also owns many cafes with beautiful views. To see clouds and mountains, visitors can visit cafes on the upper floors of Hotel de la Coupole, Viettrekking Coffee or Best View.
If you like the streamside space, Nha Ben Suoi in Lao Chai or WeCamp in Ta Van are popular choices. And to admire the green rice terraced fields, Chi Pau or Sailing Sa Pa bring a wide and very beautiful view.
Notes
A small note is that summer in Sa Pa has quite a lot of mosquitoes, especially when visiting villages or staying at homestays near streams. Therefore, you should bring insect repellent and cream.
From May to August, Sa Pa enters summer and showers often appear. However, rain mainly occurs in the afternoon or evening, tourists should proactively arrange time to have fun and read the weather forecast in advance.
