Going hiking to Sapa without a guide has recently become popular to tourists who want to discover this cloudy land on their own. Have you ever had an intention like that? If not, let’s consult some information below and make your decision!
1/ When to go?
Located at the altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level, Sapa has the cool atmosphere all year round. With such weather, you can go hiking to Sapa without a guide at any time in the year. However, the best time to visit Sapa is from September to November. This is the golden rice season so the scene in terraced rice fields is extremely romantic to hike and admire. In addition, from March to May is the other best time to take Sapa tours. At that period of time, Mong, Dao and Giay people in Sapa begin to cultivate rice so all terraced rice fields are full of water. This is the reason why that time is usually called “the pouring water season”, giving you a chance to contemplate terraced rice fields in a distinctive way.
2/ Where to stay?
Being a famous tourist city, Sapa does not lack tourist spots to stay overnight. In Sapa, most hotels and motels are mainly located on Xuan Vien Street and Fansipan Street. The price of accommodation here fluctuates from 400,000 VND to 500,000 VND per night. Nevertheless, to get a fresh experience, it is advised to stay at homestays in Sapa. Some reputable ones are VietTrekking Homestay, Gem Valley Sapa, Phơri’s House, H’Mong Mountain Retreat, Nam Cang Riverside Lodge, Eco Palms House and Homestay H’Mong. Staying at these places will cost you about 200,000 VND to 300,000 per night.
3/ Where to visit?
Thanks to its mountainous terrain, Sapa owns a wide range of terraced fields, high hills and imposing mountains, thus becoming an ideal place to go hiking without a guide. To be specific, the Sapa terraced field has been voted to be one of the 30 most beautiful destinations in the world by Mother Nature. Its wonderful beauty is created by the diligent hands of Dao, H’Mong and Ha Nhi ethnic groups in Sapa. To admire the most beautiful terraced fields, you should visit Ta Van, Hao Thao and Lao Chai Village in Muong Hoa Valley. Besides, there are a lot of other great destinations to go hiking such as Fansipan Mountain, Ham Rong Mountain, Heaven Gate and so on. In particular, hiking to some ethnic villages like Cat Cat Village, Ta Phin Village, Ta Van Village and some others will help you understand ethnic culture and customs in Vietnam better.
4/ What to eat?
As a temperate land, the most outstanding specialty of Sapa is hardy vegetables including asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, rhubarb, spinach and so on. In addition, Sapa has a lot of unique specialties such as pork theft armpit, thang co, lam rice, spring fish, buffalo meat, salmon hotpot, five-color sticky rice or sturgeon salad. Each of them has a typical flavor characterizing the northwestern cuisine of Vietnam. Going hiking in your Sapa tours, you should try tasting these dishes once. Certainly, it will give you an unforgettable experience in your lifetime.
