Sapa is known as the ‘city in the fog’. The best times to visit are in spring and autumn, when the weather is slightly clearer. — Photos: RICHA BHATNAGAR
Vietnam has always been intriguing and mystical to me as it offers a diversity of landscapes ranging from pristine sea beaches and wonderful hills, to lush green rice fields.
I was compelled by my curiosity to explore this wonderful South-East Asian gem for a short family vacation during the recent holidays. Since it offers an array of diverse escapades it was difficult to choose where in the country we should go. In the end, we decided on Sapa (or Sa Pa), said to be the “city in the fog”.
Nestled in the lap of mighty peaks, Sapa is a good retreat for anyone looking to experience cooler climate, lush green fields, and gurgling streams. The place is home to the Hmong mountain folks, one of Vietnam’s ethnic groups. Here, you can learn more about the Hmong people and their culture.
Sapa is accessible from Hanoi by bus, car or train. We chose a luxury bus service as we had heard a lot about the breathtaking landscapes that one would come across along the way.
After six hours on the road, we reached Sapa town in the evening. The first glimpse of the place made me happy because it really looked like what I had imagined.
A hill station covered in misty fog was hosting a crowd of tourists. The downtown area, with an old cathedral standing right in the middle, was pretty busy while a big amphitheatre was filled with local artists performing.
There were also shops displaying traditional handmade crafts, plentiful massage parlours and eateries boasting authentic Vietnamese food. Although language was a bit of an issue for us at first, we soon discovered that online translators helped a lot. Even the local traders used it for basic communication.
This platform at Fansipan is very popular with tourists who wish to take pictures.
The next day we made our way to Fansipan, one of the highest peaks in South-East Asia. You need to take the cable car to the first base, and then choose to ride the funicular train all the way up, or climb up a few hundred steps to get to the peak. Either way will leave you with an experience of a lifetime.
The view of the mountains, waterfalls and valleys displaying seasonal blooms in a blanket of clouds as we made our way up left us awestruck. We also saw some perfectly manicured gardens, pagodas, Buddha statues and even an ethnic Maya village. The strong gust of wind had us struggling to stand still for a bit but we kind of expected that.
Once at the peak, we saw a panoramic view of Sapa, though it was very foggy. At the viewing platform there was a small pyramid in the middle with “Fansipan 3.143m” engraved on it. This is where most people take their pictures so you can imagine how crowded the place was.
At the Cat Cat Village, visitors can learn more about the lifestyle and culture of the Hmong people.
The visit to Fansipan may take a few hours, or even the entire day. There are a few activities you can do here, but since the place is more than 3,000m above sea level the altitude may be a problem for some folks.
After Fansipan we went to Cat Cat village, a commune where the Hmong people endeavour to preserve their culture and heritage. We arrived just in time to catch a splendid musical performance by the villagers.
We also saw some handmade traditional crafts and jewellery (which you can buy) and a bunch of herbs and spices that the Hmongs still use today.
We then made our way to the terraced rice fields located just a few kilometres from the village. This place, to me, looked like a painter’s masterpiece. It was incredibly beautiful, like a green carpet spread out on the mountain steps, waiting to embrace visitors. The surrounding peaks and homes with thatched roofs added to the natural charm.
Colourful staircase going up to the Dragon Glass Bridge.
Another wonderful place we visited was the Rong May Glass Bridge or Dragon Cloud Glass Bridge, located about 2,000m above sea level. This is truly an architectural marvel and it overlooks stunning mountains and meandering roads.
Being on this 60m-long bridge made us feel like we were floating in the clouds!
There are some extreme adventure activities you can try here like bungee jumping and ziplining.
The last spot in our itinerary was the Silver waterfall. This cascading waterfall is actually visible from the road but if you want to get an even better view of it, you would need to climb up about 250 steps to a platform.
The tranquillity of this place made me forget about my busy city life. Surrounded by forests I found it the perfect place to relax and catch up with my inner self.
The views expressed are entirely the writer’s own.
