The document provides information about Sapa, a town in northern Vietnam known for its scenic beauty and cultural diversity. It discusses Sapa's history as a former French hill station and current tourism destination. The summary highlights things to see and do in Sapa, including visiting ethnic minority markets and villages, trekking, and trying local foods. Transportation options like taking the scenic overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and then a bus to Sapa are also mentioned.

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VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Group 3
Teacher: Ms. Thu Cúc
Major: English for tourism
Class: CK17.01 – TQ17.02
SAPA, THE FANCIFUL TOWN IN FOG

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Member list
Together we achieve more!

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Contents
1. Introduction·······························································································4
1.1. Other view ······················································································4
1.2. History···························································································4
1.3. Geography & Weather········································································4
2. Things to do and see in Sapa ··········································································5
2.1. Ethnic minority markets ·····································································5
2.2. Sapa - fairy home of ethnic minorities ····················································5
2.3. Specialties& Food·············································································6
3. How to get there? ························································································7
4. Suggest Sapa tour························································································8
4.1. Sapa home stays tour ·········································································8
4.2. Trekking tours ·················································································8
4.3. Market Tours···················································································8
4.4. Biking tour······················································································8
4.5. Fansipan climbing tours ·····································································9
5. Advantage and disadvantage in Sapa ······························································10
5.1. Advantage ····················································································10
5.2. Disadvantage·················································································11
6. Conclusion································································································12

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1. Introduction:
1.1. Overview
Sa Pa District is located in Lao Cai Province, north-west Vietnam, and 350 km from Hanoi, close
to the border with China. Sapa is famous both for its fine, rugged scenery and for its rich cultural
diversity. French used to consider Sapa as Summer Capital of Northern Vietnam in the early
decades of the 20th century. Its naturally gifted beauty keeps attracting more and more people to
spend their vacation there since then. Particularly, the place is the foremost choice for
honeymoon couples.
1.2. History
Being unknown until 1880s when the French arrived, Sapa town was quickly became well-
known for its natural beauty, fresh and cool climate. As a result, in early decades of 20th
Century, It was built into a summer resort by the French with some hundred villas to
accommodate their colonials to escape away from summer heat of cities in lower regions.
The resistant war against the French (1945-1955), caused a lot of damages and Sapa was almost
isolated and forgotten until 1990s when tourism started again in Vietnam. Sapa woke up to
welcome the first tourists in early 1990s and be developing into a large town to serve the
booming tourism. Going through many ups and downs, nowadays, Sapa is the prominent holiday
destination, favoured by both locals and foreign tourists.
1.3. Geography & Weather
 Geographically:
Sapa is exactly a mountainous area of Northwest Vietnam. The whole Sapa District is
dominated by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range which is at the Eastern extremity of the
Himalayas, being famous with the Vietnam’s highest mountain of Fasipan at a height of 3,142
m above sea level. The town of Sa Pa lies at an altitude of about 1,600 m, bringing in a cool and
foggy site of Sa Pa.
 Come to the weather:
Sapa takes its pride in its unique climate in Vietnam. It is highly seasonal, with a subtropical
climate in the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. Mean annual temperature for
Sa Pa town is 15.4°C, with a maximum of 29.4°C and a minimum of 1°C. The warmest months
are July and August, and the coldest months are December and January. Snow falls in some
years on the highest peaks. In the morning and afternoon, it is as cool as in spring and autumn.
Yet, at noon, it is as sunny and cloudless as in summer. In the evening, it drastically changes into
coldness just as in winter. This is actually a unique advantage, making Sapa different from
anywhere else in the nation. However, travelers should be noticed that there might be sudden
thunderstorm and heavy rains at noon in summer. Yet, subsequently, a rainbow appears turning
Sapa into a beautifully magic land with seven colors! So, remember to bring your best camera so
as not to miss this magnificent view!
*April and May are the best time for tourists to watch the most scenic beauties of Sapa, or else it
might be cold and foggy before that and rainy after that. During these two peak months, the town

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is blossoming with pink and white flowers, and green pastures in valleys. The clouds that settle
in the valley in early morning would quickly disappear*
2. Things to do and see in Sapa
2.1. Sapa - fairy home of ethnic minorities
There is nowhere in Vietnam can tourists easily meet the local ethnic minorities like in Sapa. The
district is the home of a great diversity of ethnic people, including five main groups of Hmong,
Yao, Tay, Zay and Xa Pho. They do not live in center area but in hamlets scattering on the
valleys throughout Sapa District. Actually, not until the 20th century did a majority of the ethnic
people changed to sedentary lifestyle with intensive farming method on sloping terraces, instead
of slash-and-burn culture like in the past. Town of Sapa is where ethnic minority people gather,
trade or sell their farming products such as rice, corn, fruits, as well as handicrafts and souvenirs
to tourists. There is one interesting fact about ethnic minority people in Sapa that besides their
dialects, many of them, especially small children, can speak English pretty well with clear
pronunciation.
Spending time visiting ethnic minorities’ villages, observing their daily’s activities or even
living home stay, in order to understand more about their culture is now the top priority of
visitors, especially international ones. A trip to Sapa would definitely more meaningful with
participatory activities, such as learning to make handicrafts or helping the local with farm work!
In case time does not allow, you can always hire a local guide for your trekking routes. Chances
are these boys and girls will tell you lovely stories about their traditions, their lives or even ask
you to join their family activities.
2.2. Ethnic minority markets
The Sapa markets are attractive places for
visitors who are keen on exploring traditional
cultures. This cultural activity has a long history
and is still significant in the modern life of the
minority people. This market of the minorities
takes place every Saturday night. The market is
a place for trading and exchanging local goods
and products, as well as a meeting place for
young people who seek partners by singing love
songs and playing pan-pipes and mouth organs.
When the sun goes down, the H’Mong and Red Dao boys and girls cluster together in groups of
five to ten. Looking and smiling at each other, they sit side by side in the dim yellow light and
sing and talk through the night. When they have met their soul mate, they exchange gifts and
make plans to see each other again the following week.
 There are a lot of markets you can visit: Can Cau Market (Saturday morning), Muong
Hum Market (Sunday), Sapa market (everyday), Bac Ha Market (Sunday) , Lung Khau Nhin
Market (Thursday) – , Cao Son Market (Wednesday), Coc Ly Market(Tuesday)...However,
there are some really famous markets below you shouldn’t miss:
 Sapa love market (Saturday evenings)

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Sapa love market Sapa is also famous for its love market, which takes place on Saturday
evenings. The love market of Sapa used to be the place to find a partner to get married.
Do not miss it any way if you are staying here a Saturday night. Young Red Dzao hill tribe used
to come to Sapa to sing songs to the opposite sex. Girls sang the songs hidden in the dark, when
a boy found them, and if they matched together, they disappeared into the forest for three days.
Some of them got married after that.
While Dao women are indeed highly industrious, the men,
it seems, prefer to spend most of their time drinking,
smoking opium or sleeping.
The Sapa love markets are attractive places for visitors
who are keen on exploring traditional cultures. This
cultural activity has a long history and is still significant in
the modern life of the minority people. This market of the
Hmong and Red Dao minorities takes place every Saturday night. The market is a place for
trading and exchanging local goods and products, as well as a meeting place for young people
who seek partners by singing love songs and playing pan-pipes and mouth organs.
When the sun goes down, the H’Mong and Red Dao boys and girls cluster together in groups of
five to ten. Looking and smiling at each other, they sit side by side in the dim yellow light and
sing and talk through the night. When they have met their soul mate, they exchange gifts and
make plans to see each other again the following week.
 Bac Ha Market: Opened every Sunday at the centre of Bac Ha township, this is the
biggest ethnic market in Lao Cai Province and probably among some most interesting ones in
the northern mountains
 Muong Hum Market on Sunday: Muong Hum is a large and important market in the
northwest region of Lao Cai Province. Very different from Bac Ha and Sapa market which lye
inside the district townships, Muong Hum Market is set on open flat land at the bottom of a large
and scenic valley by a small river and surrounded by terraced rice paddies. It is often empty and
quiet on the other weekday, waken up and busy on Sunday.
2.3. Specialties& Food
Sapa’s specialties are another reason attracting more and
more tourists travelling to this town. A wide range of sub-
tropical vegetables such as white cauliflower, red beet, or
chayote are planted here. There are dishes that will be a
must to enjoy for every visitor - boiled chayote consumed
with sesame or “lon cap nach”- pig carried under armpit,
which are home pigs but are raised in the field or forest.
The cool weather of the region makes barbecued meat and
fish with mushroom and vegetables the most preferred
street foods in Sapa. People grill corn, sweet potatoes, dumpling, bamboo-tube rice, or even eggs
as well. Nevertheless, tourists can try many other local foods like purple sticky rice or “thắng
Bamboo-tube rice

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cố”- horse meat right in Sapa market. More surprisingly, Western restaurants, from Italian to
French ones, can also be found around the center of Sapa, at a very reasonable price.
3. How to get there?
Visitors can choose to go to Sapa by train
or car, but train is more advisable
because of the long and bumpy road.
The train from Hanoi to Lao Cai station
takes around 9 hours. After arriving into
Lao Cai station, you’ll need to hire a
shuttle bus or taxi to Sapa town.
Most tourists arrive in Lao Cai, the
province to which Sapa belongs, by train
and it is definitely an impressive ride.
The train leaves Hanoi train station in the
evening and arrives in Lao Cai train
station in early morning. From Lao Cai
train station to Sapa is another hour bus ride, which gives your eyes a massage with the endless
blue sky and colourful terraced paddy field. The road is curved around the mountain and you will
just go from one surprise to another. The further you go, the closer you are to the sky and to
nature.
Therefore, the best way for tourists to travel to Sapa - one of the most attractive destinations in
Vietnam - is to travel by train, thanks to its advantage of both time and money. To meet the
needs of tourists, service providers have upgraded the train with full amenities such as air-
conditioner, clean bathroom, and comfortable beds with different names for each type of cars.
When you hear Sapaly Express or Livitrans Express, they are not actual trains but just different
cars attached to the same train operated by national railways.
Generally, it can be divided into three types of cabins: 4-berth cabin, 6-berth cabin and soft-seat
cabin. Tourist trains also run VIP cabin where the upper berths are removed, allowing for more
space and privacy for just 2 people. The price per person in a 4-berth room ranges from $35 to
$45 and 6-berth cabin is between $20-$25. A return ticket can also be bought right from Hanoi.
Children less than five years old will not be charged any ticket fee and will share beds with their
parents.
Each ride takes approximately eight to nine hours per way. There are also two morning trains
that depart at 6:10 and 8:20 and arrive in the afternoon at 15:40 and 17:05 though it is not
recommended that you take these trains as they make many stops along the way.
Lao Cai station is about 38 kilometers from Sapa, which takes about one hour going by bus or by
car. The bus cost from Lao Cai – Sapa is $2-3 and ticket is available for purchase at the train
station gate. Normally the bus stop is right in front of Sapa church, but tourists can also ask the
bus driver to drop them off at their booked hotel.
How to book:

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Please email: info@vietnamonline.com for checking availability and making reservation of the
train tickets.
4. Suggest Sapatour
Sapa is the most popular spot to go in the Northwest of Vietnam for tourist with a budget
packages. You can find many Sapa tour packages for your selection on our website: www.sapa-
tour.net.
4.1. Sapa home stay tour: is one of the most interesting tours in Sapa, it takes us to discover
the life style as well as the custom of the hill tribe in Sapa. We will trek through many beautiful
sights in this area, enjoy the beauty of terraces fields, valley view and meet the local people
such as: H’mong, red dzao, Zay,Tay,Xa pho, Ha Nhi… At night, we also overnight at stilt house
of the local in here. This home stay they have hot water for shower, soft sleeper, blanket…etc.
We can join the local dancing and taste delicious local foods that made from them. It’s worth
for us to experience this trip.
4.2. Trekking tours: Hikers and adventure lovers will never be disappointed when choosing
one of our Sapa trekking tours. With all the best that Sapa offers, every of your trekking days is a
combination of your love to adventure with new culture discovery and nature wanders.
They have selected certain trekking routes from dozens of trails so that to bring the most
beautiful scenery into your lens with a lot chances to visit tribal villages and meet Sapa’s tribal
peoples at homes and at works. Home stay in remote tribal villages is another interesting
experience of local life. And after all, we promise that your trip will be knowledgeable,
educational, and full of fun.
4.3. Market Tours: Ethnic markets in Lao Cai is an special tours, here you can meet many
ethnic minorities such as Flower Hmong, Black Dao, Phu La, Tay, Nung …These markets gather
only one time per week and they offer its variety of local products, which could not be found in
others areas (Bac Ha market & Muong Hum market on Sundays, Coc Ly market on Tuesdays,
Lung Khau Nhin market on Thursdays & Can Cau markets on Saturdays only)
4.4. Biking tour: We arrange bicycle trips from 1 day up to 5 day trips. These are led by a
local English speaking guide. On all the trips, your luggage will be transported by our supply
vehicles or jeep. We provide high quality mountain bikes for all our trips. It is also possible to
combine bicycle trips with trekking, walking or market trips. All bicycle trips are carried out on a
one to one basis, of you and your guide.

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4.5. Fansipan climbing tours: Fansipan itself is an attraction of Sapa area as well as
Northern Vietnam. The peak is a part of Hoang Lien mountain range, which is under the
protection of Hoang Lien National Park. The trip offers you an opportunity to explore the
beautiful nature and challenge yourself.
 Sapa & Ethnic Minorities Markets: 3-Day Weekend Tour (Cost 260 USD/person)
http://www.getyourguide.com
What You'll Do
Visit colorful ethnic minority markets
Enjoy a trek to H'Mong and Dzay villages
Overview
Spend a 3-day weekend exploring the ethnic minority markets and villages of the Lao Cai region
of northern Vietnam. This area is famous for its beautiful landscapes and cool climate as well as
its colorful markets.
What to Expect
This tour is offered weekly, on Saturdays. On Friday night you’ll travel by overnight train from
Hanoi to Lao Cai in soft sleeper accommodation.
The highlights of our 3-day excursion include visits to Coc Ly market and Ban Ho, Su Pan and
Trung Do villages. During the tour you’ll visit markets at Can Cau and Bac Ha and the villages
of Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van and Ban Pho, where 8 different minority groups live. These are
the Black H’Mong, Day, Red Dao, Flower H’mong, Black Dao, Tay, Day, Ha Nhi and Nung.
Night 1 (Friday): Hanoi – Lao Cai
On Friday evening at 20:00 we’ll pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi and take you to the Hanoi
Railway Station. You’ll board the night train to Lao Cai, with soft sleeper accommodation on the
train.
Day 1 (Saturday): Lao Cai – Can Cau – Bac Ha
You arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning. We’ll pick you up for the transfer to Can Cau
market, which is about a 2-hour drive. This is a small market set in a valley surrounded by
mountains. It’s within 7 kilometers of the Chinese border and reflects typical ethnic minority
culture in remote, mountainous areas of Vietnam.
After visiting the market we’ll continue on to Bac Ha. On the way, we’ll stop to visit a Flower
H’mong village. On arrival in Bac Ha, you’ll check in at your hotel and then you’re free to
explore the town. Lunch will be in Can Cau or in Bac Ha.
Dinner will be in Bac Ha and you’ll spend the night at your hotel there.
Day 2 (Sunday): Bac Ha – Sapa
After breakfast we begin the day with a visit to Bac Ha market. This is a very busy place that’s
popular with many different hill tribes. It is northern Vietnam’s most colorful market as well.
At the market, you have chance to try simple but unique foods and special wines made from rice,
cassava, corn and different sorts of fruits such as plums, apples and peaches. You’ll also be able
to speak with ethnic minority people with your guide acting as an interpreter.
After exploring the market we’ll head to the Hmong King’s house, which was built by the
French colonists and the Chinese in 1920. We’ll return to the town for lunch.

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In the afternoon, we’ll visit Ban Pho village and then leave Bac Ha to travel to Sapa. We’ll stop
at the Vietnam-China border in Lao Cai, reaching Sapa late in the afternoon.
After checking in to your hotel in Sapa you’ll have time to explore this busy hillside town.
You’ll have dinner and spend the night in Sapa.
Day 3 (Monday): Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa – Lao Cai
The day begins with breakfast at your hotel. After checking out, we’ll head downhill to the
valley to visit the villages of Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai and Ta Van. These are home to the Black
Hmong and the Day people. You’ll have lunch during this part of the day’s tour.
By mid-afternoon, we’ll head back to Sapa by car and at 17:00 board the bus to Lao Cai. When
we arrive in Lao Cai we’ll have dinner before boarding the night train back to Hanoi.
After the night in your soft sleeper on the train you’ll arrive in Hanoi early morning. We’ll pick
you up at the station and drop you off at your hotel.
What's Included?
- Transfer from Hanoi hotel to Hanoi Railway Station and return.
- English-speaking guide.
- Train ticket Hanoi to Lao Cai and return (soft sleeper in 4-bed air-conditioned wooden cabin).
- Bus from Lao Cai to Sapa and return.
- 3-star hotel in Sapa; Sao Mai hotel in Bac Ha.
- Entrance fees to the villages.
- All meals on tour.
- Pick-up from Ta Van.
What's Not Included?
- VAT, Insurance, Drinks and phones, Personal expenses.
5. Advantage & Disadvantage
5.1. Advantage
 Natural Resource.
 The weather is fresh and cool:
The climate is temperate and subtropical climate of Asia, so cool throughout the year , the
average air temperature is 18 degrees. If the peak heat wave up to 38 - 39 degrees in the Northern
provinces, Sapa visitors will feel the pleasant, cool as the temperature during the day ranges from
20-25 degrees, even it can fall below at night. So in summer, travelling to Sapa is the perfect way
to avoid the sun of the North.
 Landscape is plentiful and attractive:
Sapa's Natural scenery, which forest mountain terrain created various harmonious scenery. It is
known for winding terraced fields, shy with the love market. Besides, the beauty of Sapa is also
adorned by heavenly grandeur of the mountainous northwest area.
In the distance, the Mount Fansipan is considered the highest mountain in Vietnam and is "the
roof of Indochina ".
 Humanities Resources
 The ethnic minorities:

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The minorities is one of the key factors attract many tourists into Sapa. Sapa has over 5 ethnic
minorities, but in fact many foreign tourists interested primarily to the ethnic Hmong, Dao, Xa
Pho, which are the poorest population groups, especially the Hmong.
Moreover, travellers also attend the colourful vibrant market of highland villages.
 Other conditions:
National road from Lao Cai to Sapa 4D has improved, paved, upgrade and expand the narrow
passage, reducing crab and slope , smoothly throughout the year.
The important sightseeing route and inter-commune and district roads are done (such as Ta Phin
Sapa , Sapa - hookahs)
The investment in tourism, including the above-mentioned traffic, water supply, urban sanitation,
electricity for the town and postal communication, project ditch, build villages and ethnic
cultural centers…
5.2. Disadvantage
 Weather:
In winter (the 4 months November to February), the
weather in Sapa is invariably cold, wet and foggy
(temperatures can drop to freezing and there was
snow). Sapa also experiences a marked wet season
from May to September, with the heaviest rainfall
occurring in July and August
If you chose to visit in winter, bring along warm
clothes or prepare to be cold and miserable, as many
hotels do not have efficient heating in their rooms.
You should wear good shoes, if it rains the trekking road will be muddy and slippery, and
bring a rain coat because of the changing weather.
 Study up on safety precautions if hiking into an area known for poisonous snakes, or
other potentially dangerous wildlife.
 Drugs: Being located in the Golden Triangle where opium is being cultivated, raw drug is
easy to be obtaining here. In the evening, if you just walk around the town area, the
Hmong men would offer to sell you Marawana.
Don't even try, you may end up addicted and do something stupid which you going to
regret later.
 The street vendors:
“You buy” and “Buy from me”, you’ll
hear on the streets. The Black Hmong
women and children are everywhere,
stalking tourist hotels to doggedly selling
their wares. When dealing with touts,
especially village children, be warned
that if you buy something from one of
them, all of them will flock to you, it’s
mean you’ll tempt more children, who
want you to patron their products as well.
It’s a real problem- the kids come all the
way from their villages to sell souvenirs

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to help support their families and sometimes they sleep in the market or don’t attend school. So
never answer a tribe’s person with a “Maybe”, unless you mean it. They’ll follow you until you
purchase something.
 the taboo of ethnic minorities:
Tourists visiting the village should listen carefully to the
instructions of the guides to not commit the taboo of ethnic
minorities such as sleeping accommodation, lodging
drinking water, dining table, for furniture placement, how
to travel, using household objects ….Because every nation
has its own taboo.
 Do not touch the mascot; do not go into the
sacred area.
 Do not drink alcohol, do not yell or act, gesture,
rude gestures
 No kissing, couples show affection too openly in public places.
 Please ask for permission when photographing local people
 Permission before you wish to visit the locals.sometimes you can see a bunch of
green leaves hung on the top the high pillar inside villages such as Cat Cat, Ta Van,
and Ta Phin … That is the signal to recommend you not to go into the village. It
means that, the local is worshipping gods or dispelling evil spirits so they do not want
other people to come in.
 You are not permitted to play inside the place and littering trash is unacceptable.
Besides, whistling is tabooed there because the ethnic believe that whistle is the
sound calls evil spirits.
6. Conclusion
Sapa is not only one of the most spectacular places you will ever see, but it is so different to
other parts of Vietnam that you won’t have truly experienced all that the country has to offer
without going here. Go straight to the locals for a true village home stays experience and we
promise you won’t regret it.
If you want a place of cultural authenticity and natural tranquillity, you have found the right
place. Sapa is a mountainous town in Northern Vietnam where you write poem, have your
cameras on for most of your time, cheer over a community wine pot, learn to appreciate
indigenous culture or just to escape heat and noise city. Being one of the most attractive tourism
destinations of the country, Sapa is a precious gift that Mother Nature dedicates to Vietnam.
It likely seems to be too long if talking about Sapa, land with many wonders. Take a chance to
make a trip to discover this wonderful land that you have ever never known and then you will
find out how interesting Sapa is!
For all above, our group believes that Sapa Vietnam is a most attractive tourism destination of
country; it’s definitely a wonderful place for visitor to come and return as well!
Wish you have a meaningful journey to Sapa!

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