Sapa is an intriguing mountainous region in the northwestern part of Vietnam. It is famous for its topography and picturesque terraced rice paddies. Sapaās cultural makeup is quite intoxicating. The little villages on the hillsides accommodate a group of diverse ethnic minorities with distinct rich customs and culture.Ā Fusing culture and natural beauty in one alluring package, Sapa should definitely be your next travel destination. The rich cultural heritage and enchanting scenic beauty of the area are well preserved.
If you love adventure close to nature, Sapa is the best place to go. It is a premier destination for cycling and hiking. You will appreciate the nature, culture, beautiful villages, famous delicacies and the friendly ethnic Kinh, Hāmong, Dao Dom Xa Pho, Glay and Tay people. The lush green rice paddies embrace the mountainsides like contours on a map. The people here practice farming. They hold on to their culture, unchanged by the modernization that comes with tourism.
Here are five of the charming villages that you should visit while in Sapa:
1. Cat Cat Village
Cat Cat is a village located 2km from Sapa. The village is the most popular and most visited by tourists. Situated under the sublime Hoang Lien mountain range, Cat Cat village is home to the ethnic Hmong. The people live a rustic and simple life surrounded by stunning natural scenery. The village has modern roads paved with stones, with exhibit and artifact centers. They have a hydroelectric power plant that was built by the French a long time ago.
Walking through Cat Cat village, you will encounter striking, unspoiled nature and the little houses on the mountainside. The men spend the day in the fields, while the women weave using handlooms. You can learn more about their culture and practices and still have a day of fun at the same time.
2. Sin Chai Village
Sin Chai village is a community village about 2km from Cat Cat village and near Sapa town. The village is lined with wooden houses just off the road. The roads are only narrow enough for motorbike passage. It is a pristine place surrounded by nature and fresh air. You will enjoy viewing the paddy fields, fresh vegetable, and fruit beds and corn fields that adorn the area with unique colors. Sin Chai village has incredible scenery to explore.Ā The fascinating natural landscapes and characterized culture will capture your attention.
The village occupants are the Red Dao ethnic people who are cultured and very hospitable. The women here wear unique and beautifully embroidered clothes, a large red turban and silver jewelry. You can learn how to weave brocades and print beeswax on textile from the women in this village. The region is ideal for exploring the culture of the Red Dao, mountain climbing, among others.
3. Ta Phin Village
Ta Phin village is located about 12km from Sapa. It is situated in a broad, flat four-sided valley. The area is well-known for bath salts and the famous ābath medicine leaf of Red Dao.’ The natural green landscapes, fresh and crisp air and the fantastic natural cave are what makes Ta Phin village an exciting place to visit. The cave is said to have a special charm. It is 5 meters high and 3 meters wide. Inside the cave are crags with strangely shaped sparkling stalactites hanging down.
Ta Phin is recognized for its beautiful handmade brocades, thus the name ābrocade village.’ They have the most colorful handmade products in various designs. Their women are handloom experts who make travel bags, coats, backpacks, purses, handbags, scarves and more. The brocade motifs are elegantly decorated with images of nature such as flowers, plants, birds and trees, making them an attraction to tourists. To Taphin residents, brocades are mementos for the just wedded couples. Because of the growth of tourism in the area, the residents of Ta Phin village have developed many homestay resorts to accommodate visitors.
Their herbal bath services are something Iām sure youāll enjoy when you visit Ta Phin village. They make you feel relaxed after a long day of adventure. It is said that they have excellent health benefits including treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, muscle fatigue, skin disease, osteoarthritis pain, jaundice, sciatica and more. Take a trip to Ta Phin village, and you’ll have an unforgettable experience there.
4. Ta Van village
Ta Van village is located in the valley of Muong Hoa with many streams and rice paddies. Its inhabitants are the Giay ethnic communities. Ta Van has poetic scenery, especially if you plan your visit during the rice seeding season. The primary farming practice here is growing rice. The people live in stilted houses with a solemn room at the center of the village for paying respect to the ancestors.
Their special dishes include roast fish, sticky rice, buckwheat, pork, chicken and horse meet among others. The beautiful landscape and the peopleās cultural riddles, poetry, proverbs and fairy tales are a great inspiration to anyone visiting the village. Take a stroll through the hilly terrain and enjoy the fresh air and also learn about their customs and traditional practices. If you want to have a new travel experience, make Sapa your next tourist destination, and you’ll never regret it.
5. Ban Ho Village
Ban Ho Village is 30km from Sapa inhabited by the Tay community. Situated in a small valley in Muong Hoa stream, Ban Ho village is the least populated among the villages. Ban Ho village is known for its zigzag roads, silky springs, undulating hills, diverse and abundant vegetation, and the impressive waterfalls.
Swimming in Lavie streamās running water is an experience that will remain embedded in your memory for years. The fresh and clean water runs from the hills and rocks of Ban Ho village. Both the Muong Hoa and Lave streams pass through hills, boulders, rice fields, and mountains. You can also enjoy the refreshing water falling from the Da Nhay waterfall. The village has stunning scenery and unspoiled sites that you cannot miss to explore.
Sapa has a great diversity of ethnic people who live in hamlets scattered in the valleys across the district. These people often assemble in the town of Sapa to trade or sell their farm produce including fruits, corn and even souvenirs and handicrafts to tourists. Most of them, especially from the Mong tribe can speak fluent English. Every village in Sapa is unique, with each its own natural beauty that fascinates everyone who visits.
Sapa is the most beautiful northern Vietnam district to tour. During your trip, you’ll be treated to fascinating views of raging rivers and streams, verdant ridgelines, terraced rice fields, astounding waterfalls, and incredibly primitive mud-thatched villages. Its famed love market unites all the local villages on market day. The most prominent locals are the Red Dao people who are easy to identify with their intricately embroidered waistcoats for women and a coin hanging on their red headdresses. The Hmong ethnics can be pinpointed from their elaborately embroidered royal blue outfits.
