SaPa and surrounds (Travel Dream!)

Seven years ago I first heard about SaPa from a fellow traveller in Hanoi. I researched the place and was sad to conclude I could not do it justice with the remaining time I had left in Vietnam. Since then I had hoped to come back to visit the rice terraces and people of SaPa. In fact, it was one of my main travel dreams for our big 2015 trip. We decided to spend 5 days hiking and relaxing in the area.

A view from the top

The views in and around SaPa were spectacular and it was fantastic to be outside hiking in fresh air again, even in the extremes of weather we experienced. Our first day hiking along and up rice terraces was extremely hot. Then at one point on the second day you could not see more than 5 metres in front of you due to the fog. After that, the weather was decidedly chilly but our time was still enjoyable.

Rice terraces filled with water

We decided to hike what is a fairly typical route to the south-east of SaPa. Hoping to avoid some of the crowds we often opted for the “hard way” over the “easy way.” It really wasn’t so busy, however, and I think even in peak season the crowds would not spoil the view.

Living the dream!

Rob balancing along

Slippery slope

Though the scenery is what draws many people to SaPa, for us, the best part was finding out about our guide, Chai, SaPa Sisters and the H’mong people. Only slightly before we arrived in SaPa I had found out about a trekking company called SaPa Sisters. They were linked with the hostel we stayed at and turned out to be an excellent organisation. It became very clear to us that becoming a trekking guide with SaPa Sisters is a great means for a woman to find independence. Though many H’mong women act as guides for treks around SaPa they often see little of the tourist dollar, with it instead going to tour companies in Hanoi. SaPa Sisters is run out of SaPa and the guides are paid directly by the customers and are entitled to maternity and sick leave and generally see more of the profits than they would at another organisation. Chai had worked with the company for five years, learning English from tourists and was very independent.

Our wonderful guide Chai

In SaPa we visited a museum which told us a bit about H’mong culture. If a man wants to marry a woman he will “kidnap” her. During this process she stays with him and his family and both parties decide if the marriage will go ahead. Chai told us about her views on the process. In addition to the fact that she was trekking on a day when women traditionally get “kidnapped”, she said she didn’t like the method and if a man had tried, she would not have considered marrying him. She said her husband was a good man and together they had a young toddler. I found it incredible she was 7 months pregnant with her second child during our trek! She said with her first child she had wanted to stop at 8 months but her Mum told her it was good for the pregnancy to walk. Perhaps the proof was in the pudding, so to speak, as her labour period was very short.

On the first night of our trek our homestay host was Ms Thanh in Lao Chai. Also there was a Newfoundland guest, Aimee, and her guide, May. It was great to talk to them and hear May’s perspectives on life. May actually worked for another company were the pay was not as good but she filled in with Sapa Sisters when they needed her. H’mong women are expected to marry and start a family young. May was about 19 years old. She and Chai told us that at 21 a woman is considered to be getting to old to marry. Chai originally did not want to marry and was 21 herself when she eventually did.

Ms Thanh, May, Chai and Kat

During our hike Chai pointed our some plants that were unique to the area. I was very excited when she showed us a plant whose leaves closed up when you touched it. It was an interesting defence mechanism and we couldn’t stop trialling it! In fact, I think it is so great that I have started to use the leaves folding in as a way to indicate when I feel sad or defeated. We also tried some berries and grass that Chai gave us. She warned us against a particular plant’s poisonous leaves because if you eat it you would need your stomach pumped or it will kill you.

You can eat these berries

On our second night we stayed at a larger family-run homestay in Ban Ho. A group of Americans and a couple of French were also guests that night. The duck I said hello to on the way into the house turned out to be dinner. I chose not to watch it being killed. As with the first night, we tried some of the local rice wine. This time it came paired with a confusing card game that no one really had a good handle on. (It was no UNO special rules!)

The family we stayed with in Ban Ho were Tay people and the village was made up with H’Mong and Dao people as well. There are seven minority groups in the surrounding areas of SaPa. I find it incredible that they so many groups living so close to each other that have each kept there culture so strong. It is hard to know exactly which ways the Vietnamese government and the Vietnamese influences their lives but Chai gave us a few indications. For one thing, generally the H’mong do not consider themselves Vietnamese.

A Red Dao woman at work

Little person at our Ban Ho homestay

Chai told us many more things about the lifestyles and traditions of the people in and around SaPa. When a woman marries they must move to live with their husband and his family, leaving their own community behind. This means many changes for the woman, especially if they are marrying into a different minority group and have to give up their culture.

This travel dream certainly turned into a memorable experience. It made me reflect on how lucky I am to have such opportunity in my life. I find the stories of Chai and the SaPa sisters inspiring and in a world where there is still much inequity between men and women (see recent UN Women report), they provide me with hope for the future.

Kat and Chai

Tips for visiting SaPa and surrounds:

*TREKKING: SapaSisters: we cannot recommend them enough. Chai was an excellent, knowledgeable guide and we liked their business model! 

*ACCOMMODATION: Graceful hotel was good value for a double (USD $16) and a nice home base.

*FOOD: BBQ on the street near the market for a tasty and cheap meal. We loved the deep-fried, pumpkin balls.

*GETTING THERE: In my opinion the relatively comfortable overnight train between Hanoi and Lao Cai is superior to the awkward day-time sleeper bus between SaPa to Hanoi. It doesn't waste your day time and the extra money can be considered your accommodation.

It is not too difficult to get in a mini-bus from Lao Cai to SaPa but make sure you have an idea of the costs before you get there as they will try to capitalise otherwise. 

Transport costs:
Train Hanoi to Lao Cai: ~ 600,000 dong per person
Mini-bus Lao Cai to Sapa: 100,000 dong per person
Bus SaPa to Hanoi: 294,000 dong per person

A coffee and coconut on the Mekong

Relaxing boat ride and we got hats!

We decided to visit Mekong Delta on our way from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh. A short minibus to Vinh Long, a ferry and motorbike to our homestay left us with an afternoon to explore An Binh island. Explore is probably not quite the right word here as we were too hot to get very far. In actuality we took a short stroll to the waters edge, accidentally trespassed on to an angry man’s land, had a Vietnamese coffee at a tiny café and committed ourselves to our hammocks. Our friends at the island café were amused by us and took great pride in explaining how we were to drink our tea and coffee.(Reminding me a little bit of our "THIS is your breakfast" lad from Chitwan.)

Getting the ferry across to An Binh island from Vinh Long

Our homestay (Ngoc Phuong) was peaceful and had possibly the best internet of our trip so far. (Not bad for a silt island in the middle of nowhere.) The kids that lived at the homestay were fun. The little girl decided I looked good with a sieve on my head and that someone else’s glasses were hers to play with. This was after the four year old had run into my room with a giant pair of scissors and threatened to cut my headphone cord! 

Reading "Watership Down" together on hammocks

  

Homes built on silt buildup at the mouth of the Mekong

Dinner was both impressive and tasty…as long as we all sat in the right places. I have found in Vietnam that great pride is taken in how the table is set and everything must be 'just so'. Trying to help create space on a table is often fruitless as you will inevitably just move something to the incorrect spot!

Nothing wrong with taking pride in appearance

On our second day at An Binh we took a boat trip to a floating market. It was rather small and not super busy. Perhaps it was a quiet day of the week. We jumped aboard a fruit boat where the enthusiastic vendor proceeded to cut up every fruit in sight for us to try. She didn’t really have to try hard to sell us her goods. Rob left the boat sipping on a coffee, we each had a coconut to drink from and then eat. For later we had some mango and dragon fruit.

FBI Agent in the fruit boat

Petrol station on the Mekong

Exploring

It was incredible seeing how they transported masses of rice and other items on large boats. They didn’t seem to mind if they lost some along the way. All the boats have the same design on them. Apparently it is of dragon eyes and there to scare of sea monsters. We spent a long time on the boat which was so peaceful that I kept nodding off. Eventually we made it to a few other stops which I believe are routine on such Mekong tours: candy, popcorn and rice wine factory and honey bee farm. At the factory I found a coconut candy that I had tasted before and fell in love with once more. It is a dangerous addiction as they are sold in large packets and I cannot stop!

Transportation, hammocks and clothesline all in one

 

Dragon eyes

Making coconut candy

After some more relaxing at An Binh we again found ourselves on the ferry to Vinh Long. Here, two ladies got great pleasure at the size of my bag. Then I pointed at Rob’s and how they chuckled! Before we knew it the lady was pretending to be backpack and Rob had her up in the air!

Rob's new backpack!

A bumpy bus ride from Vin Long took us to Chau Dac, a town on the border of Vietnam and Cambodia. A walk along the river led us to spontaneously organise a late afternoon boat ride around the fishing villages of the area.  It was interesting to see how they kept the fish and prepared them for sale, though definitely coming toward the end of the day.

We visited a Cham village that largely consisted of people whose ancestors had immigrated from Malaysia/Borneo some 800 years ago.  They have maintained their culture and religion despite being spread across Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand making up the bulk of Islamic people in these areas.  There wasn’t really much to see on our visit except the refurbishment of the local mosque. The highlight was children playing but I suppose it often is!

High jumper highlight

From Chau Dac we took a speedboat to Phnom Penh to begin our adventures in Cambodia.

A FEW TIPS FOR A DIY MEKONG TRIP:
* Many people take packaged trips from Ho Chi Minh. Though this is convenient, we found it simple enough to organise ourselves. If you value the flexibility then we'd recommend it.

* Going from Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh via the Mekong was a great way to break up the travel. Mixing boats and buses also helped.

* To organise a homestay you will need to call places directly as they often do not have websites or use email. If you can, have a Vietnamese speaker to help make arrangements.