Hiking the Sapa Valley of Vietnam
Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 07:36PM 
Can you spot the tourist in this photo?
My friend Heidi and I spent the last 4 days hiking the "remote" Sapa Valley in northwestern Vietnam. About 5 hours from Hanoi, the region, noted for its rice terraces and hill tribe peoples, is rapidly developing. A few photos and observations below...
We took day hikes from the lovely Topas Ecolodge, perched on a mountain high above the valley floor. This was a much fancier place than I am accustomed to staying. Spa, dining room and bar, infinity swimming pool, and individual cabins with king size beds were all welcome after hiking. Disposables of any kind (plastic water bottles, straws, etc.) were not present. We were given water bottles we refilled from large jugs in the lobby.
The altitude made for interesting weather with clouds moving around the hotel. Some breathtaking views and sunsets, however. We were very lucky with the weather - warm and dry. Our final day here it is raining - but we are not hiking.
Our guide each day was Chung, who spoke good English and thought himself quite the comedian (at least he laughed a lot at his own jokes.) But he was well informed and had a good relationship with the tribal peoples we encountered. And he knew the trails and roads. In the photo above, Heidi is being helped by a Black Hmong woman who accompanied us the first day of hiking.
Each day we hiked about 4-5 hours, covering 6 or 7 miles at a rather slow pace. We traveled paths through the forests, along the rice terraces (see above), and often on one-lane concrete roads. We shared both the paths and roads with motor scooters carrying wide loads and villagers going about their daily business. On only a couple occasions were the paths steep and slippery.
The valley's mountainsides were almost completely terraced, with scattered wooden buildings among them. The two-story houses were temporary shelters for the farmers during the growing season on the top floor with space for water buffalo, chickens, ducks, and pigs below. We visited during the cool dry winter so saw few people working in the fields.
The soulful gaze of this water buffalo was pretty typical. The buffalo only work during the growing season so this guy had a few months off. Chickens, goats, pigs, cattle, and of course, dogs and cats, ran loose in the towns and countryside.
Making handmade embroideries was a major pastime of the Hmong and Dao women. The pieces were detailed and finely crafted.
Of course the sales pitch for those pillow cases, purses, bags, and wall hangings was constant. This small group of ladies camped along the path we took each day from the swimming pool to the main lodge. I ignored such pitches. Heidi got her souvenir shopping done.
It was often hard to distinguish where a village began and ended. Built along the steep mountain sides, the little towns were strung out for a quarter mile or more. The larger ones had small schools and clinics, a couple homestays, and sometimes a small shop.
Toward the end of our hikes, we had lunch at a small restaurant or homestay. (Locals are rapidly adding second floors to their homes to rent to tourists.) Rice, veggies, tofu, and fruit for dessert was the standard fare. Rather healthy.
Chung, our guide, was very proud of the schools throughout the area. Each village had an elementary school and we saw many middle schools as well. The buildings were relatively new and seemed quite large. The kids seemed to behave like kids everywhere. We did see a lot of little truants running around the villages as well.
The elderly women of the Hmong and Dao tribes wore the traditional dress. Many of the women we saw were in their 80s and still doing needlework or childcare. I don't remember seeing a single old man. When asked why there were no old men, Chung replied that men all die young because the drink too much. And then laughed like crazy.
Not all the kids were in school or wore clothes. These boys seemed very happy in their natural state to play while their mom gathered herbs.
Hydroelectric dams provide over 70% of Vietnam's electricity. Villages have electricity and internet and each home we visited had a flat screen TV. Smart phones were everywhere and I never lost my 3G wireless connection. The big dams are scarring the valley and the area's rustic appeal is waning. Good for the people, I am sure; sad for the tourists.
But until the place is totally developed, enjoy the views!
Link to all my photos, including those of Hanoi city tour and Halong Bay.
Reader Comments (4)
Wonderful story and pictures. This part of Vietnam is beautiful and a place I've never before considered visiting.
I was interested in your note that locals in that area are adding second floors to their homes to rent to tourists. We saw the same thing happening in small towns around Cuba. It was a practice supported by the central government as a way to encourage more tourism outside of the major cities. Of course, some of the construction we saw was not exactly up to what we might consider "code". :-)
Thanks again for posting your photos and experiences.
Hi Tim,
Glad someone is reading. I write these little travelogues mostly to help ME remember the experience.
The Sapa area was much more developed (major city has 500 hotels - 3 which are 5 star) than I had envisioned. But now the smaller villages are getting in on the game. The area has been used as a relief from the heat since French colonial days, I understand.
Today in Halong Bay, I'll bet there were over 100 cruiseships in the bay! Quite the tourist area.
Off to Thailand day after tomorrow where I will write, read and relax for a couple weeks.
Take care and happy new year.
Doug
Thanks for writing the article; it gave me some great insight and details as I plan my own Sapa vacation next week.
Question: you mentioned leaving the ecolodge and getting right on the trails. I have other lodging. Is it worthwhile for me to motorbike or taxi to the lodge as a day visitor and use their trailheads?
Thanks,
Hi Mike,
Of the four days of hiking we did in Sapa, only one of the trails left from the Ecolodge itself. The other days, a driver to took us and a guide to other drop off points, sometimes 20-40 minutes away. Since I had booked this tour through a commercial service, I did not do much research on available options for hiking, What I think one could do with planning, is a homestay to homestay hike through the valley.
Have fun and good luck!
Doug