Sapa, Vietnam - Part I Nestled in a valley in the Tonkinese Mountains of Vietnam close to the Chinese border, Sapa was originally built by the French in 1922 as a hill station retreat from the oppressive summer heat of Hanoi.  Situated at an elevation of 1,650 meters and overlooking Fansipan (Vietnam's highest mountain at 3,143 meters), Sapa is now more known for its varied hill tribe population and spectacular scenery.  One of the most striking features in the area are the terraced rice paddies that cascade down the mountainsides in curvilinear patterns reminiscent of rice paddies found in Bali, Indonesia but on a much grander scale.

The beautiful mountainous landscpae of Sapa.

The terraced rice paddies that are such a defining feature of Sapa.

Terraced rice paddies along the mountainsides.

The presence of Black Hmong in Sapa give the town a more ethnic feel than other parts of Vietnam.

Originally, in our rush to return to idyllic Laos, we had planned to skip Sapa and go directly to Vientiane, the capital of Laos, from Hanoi.  However, one night as we were drinking at our Bia Hoi Corner in Hanoi, we were convinced (pretty much kidnapped) by our friends, Kate and Mostyn, to spend four days in Sapa.  Our brief four day visit turned into an eight day adventure and we found it extremely difficult to leave this place we had not even planned on visiting.

The view of the valley below Sapa on our way to Cat Cat Village and waterfall, about 4km from Sapa.

Another view of the valley below Sapa.

A Black Hmong girl resting at the base of Cat Cat Waterfall.  Notice her hands are stained from the indigo dye that the Hmong use to color their clothing.

The river winding its way through the mountains eventually becoming Cat Cat Waterfall.

The path and bridge that lead to the Black Hmong village of Cat Cat.

A beautiful pond surrounded by rice paddies in the valley below Sapa.

Sapa is said to have all four seasons in one single day.  The weather changes rapidly; in the morning it is bright and sunny and within minutes, clouds appear and the rains begin to fall.  You must always be prepared for any kind of weather.  One morning we awoke to continous rain and decided to relax with our friends at the our guesthouse.  We rented some DVDs and, while watching Full Metal Jacket and The Shining, we watched the clouds invade Kate and Mostyn's room providing a truly eerie atmosphere.  By the way, when you visit Sapa, definately stay at the Mountain View Guesthouse, roon 402, the best view in Sapa.

An example of a traditional Hmong textile pattern.  This particular item is a large blanket.

Cat Cat Waterfall.

The view of mountains from our room at the Mountain View Guesthouse.  This was one of the rare days that we were able to see the peaks of the mountains.

Sapa, Vietnam - Part II

Sapa, Vietnam - Part III

Related Articles:

Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Bokor Hill Station, Kampot, Cambodia

The Hill Country, Sri Lanka - Part I

Munnar, India

Kodaikanal, India