Sunday, November 23, 2008

Ta Phin village, Sapa

A picturesque thirty minute drive North of Sapa will bring you to the village of Taphin. Set within a valley with a touring peaking mountain at one end, this village is alive with the daily life of the Kinh, Red Dao and Black Hmong people.The valley floor is layered with rice paddies and dotted with 20 small home communes. Above them are some smaller communes and a patchwork of corn and vegetable fields.All around Taphin there is an energy generated by the daily life of the locals here. The Red Dao, distinguished by their impressive headdress, and the Black H’mong, in their shiny indigo-dyed clothes have lived here for almost 400 hundred years.more information: http://taphin-sapa.info/

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Sapa tour: BacHa & Cocly - special markets & boat trip

Night 1 ( Saturday ) : Hanoi -Laocai ( Overnight on the train )8h30pm Sapatours 's taxi take you from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train at at 9:30 PM to get to Laocai Station. Sleep on the train.(4 people/cabin or 2 people/cabin on request).Day 2 (Sunday): Sapa - Bacha market -SapaPicked up at Laocai Railway Station by jeep for BacHa market. the beginning of the day on which you visit a big market filled with many different hill-tribe peoples. This is the most colourful market in North Vietnam. At the market, you have chance to enjoy BacHa people's simple but unique kinds of food with special wines made from rice, cassavas, corn and different sorts of fruits such as plumps, apples, peaches... talking to the minorities through the guide's interpretation. Leave the market for the H'mong King's house (King Hoang A Tuong) built by the French colonists and the Chinese in 1920. Return the town for lunch. In the afternoon, spend time visiting another village (BanPho village) Say good bye to BacHa and get back to Sapa. On the way back, drop in to see the Vietnamese and Chinese Harbour Mouth in LaoCai. Reach Sapa late in the afternoon. Check in hotel.Day 3 (Monday) Sapa - Banho village - SapaJeep to Supan village and a short walk to BanHo village to visit the Tay ethnic people who have houses on stilts. Lunch at a local family. Back to SapaDay 4(Tuesday) Sapa - Cocly marketLeave from Sapa early at 7:00 AM for CocLy market, which is situated far from Sapa. Enjoy the peaceful life of 6 different minority peoples (Flower H'mong, Black Dzao, Tay, Dzay, HaNhi and Nung). The market is the chance for the minorities to meet and share joy and sorrows after the crops, to exchange one another's experience. Say goodbye to the market and get down onto a boat along Chay river. You are bound to feel great and find yourselves smaller among high rock mountains and to be surprised at white and breathtakingly waterfalls. The Fairy Cave is located deeply in the rocks. Get off the boat to visit a village of the Tay Minority (TrungDo village) by the river. After the boat trip, visit a small town - BaoNhai and then take jeep back to Laocai Station for the night train to Hanoi. Have dinner before getting on the train.Arrive in Hanoi roughly 5:30 AM. The end of tour.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Sapa - Catcat - Laochai - Tavan -Giang TaChai Village

3 days - 4 nights.Private tour Visit 5 villages of 3 different minorities.( go and come back by jeep)Trekking is a healthy, adventurous and eco-friendly way to explore, our goal is to offer you a wide variety of destinations with itineraries to suit all fitness levelsNight 1 : Hanoi -Laocai ( Overnight on the train )8h30pm Sapatours 's taxi take you from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train at at 9:30 PM to get to Laocai Station. Sleep on the train.(4 people/cabin or 2 people/cabin on request).Day 2 : Laocai -Sapa - Laochai - Tavan Village5 hours trekking 14 km, 2 villages. ( Overnight at Tavan village )Picked up at Laocai Station early in the morning by our bus. Arrive at Sapa round 8:00 AM; Breakfast start at 10h30am to get to Laochai village. Enjoy the overall pictures of the villages among terraces. Visit the H'mong living in wooden and bamboo houses. Continue going to Tavan village to visit the Dzay minority. Stay the night in Tavan village at a Dzay family. Picnic lunch on the way and dinner at the home-stay.Day 3 : TaVan -GiangTaChai ( 5 hours trekking, 14 km, 2 villages.)Get up early in the morning to enjoy the daily life of the ethnic minorities in the village. Breakfast; take the road to GiangTaChai village of the Red Dzao minority via the paths between terraces and through bamboo forests. Visit silver waterfall and suspension Rattan Bridge, visit the people in the village and then cross MuongHoa River up to the mountain to visit the last village of the trek - Supan village of the H'mong. Get back to Sapa by jeep. On the way back, enjoy visiting the ancient stone circle where stones are decorated with ancient carvings. Check in hotel.Day 4 : Catcat - Laocai - Hanoi. ( Overnight on the train )Breakfast, visit village of the black H'mong (Catcat), walk around visiting people in the village and the hydroelectric power station built by the French in the old days. Back town have lunch and check out hotel, free to explore the town until take bus to get to Laocai Station for the night train back toHanoi. Arrive in Hanoi around 5.00 AM. The end of the tour.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Hotels in Sapa

Name Rating Address NotesVictoria Hotel Hotels in Sapa > Victoria Hotel Hoang Dieu, Sapa Town, Lao Cai DetailsChau Long hotels Hotels in Sapa > Chau Long hotels Address: 024 Dong Loi Sapa Lao Cai S. R. Vietnam DetailsSapa hotel Hotels in Sapa > Sapa hotel Ngu Chi Son Street, Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam DetailsGoldsea hotels Hotels in Sapa > Goldsea hotels 58 Fan-xi-pan sapa Town Lao Cai Province Vietnam DetailsAuberge Dang Trung hotels Hotels in Sapa > Auberge Dang Trung hotels 7, Muong Hoa, Sapa town Details

Friday, October 10, 2008

On wheels to Red Dao village of Ta Phin - 1/2 day - Sapa tour

This trip will take you into the countryside of Northern Vietnam, where is very little traffic. From the winding roads on the hillside there some excellent views over the rice paddy field below. You will have time to explore daily life among the villages and communities of the Red Dao and Black Hmong minority groups.Data:Total distance: 20 KmUp / straight / down: 7 km / 6 km / 7 kmNote: To make the trip shorter and more easy, we can arrange transfer back to Sapa by jeep.PriceGroup size 1 person 2-4 person 5-8 person 9-16 personPrice per person 29 USD 20 USD 18 USD 17 USDInclusive · English or French speaking guide · Good mountain bikes (European standard) · All indicated meals, plus snack · Day backpack · Water and fruit · All entrance fees · Supply car / motorbike · Overnight in local house or tent Exclusive · Personal pocket-money · Drinks (beer, Coca Cola etc.)

Sapa - TaVan - BanHo Tours( 4 days - 5 nights )

Night 1 : Hanoi -Laocai ( Overnight on the train )8h30pm Sapatours 's taxi take you from your hotel in Hanoi to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train at at 9:30 PM to get to Laocai Station. Sleep on the train.(4 people/cabin or 2 people/cabin on request).Day 2 : Laocai -Sapa - TaVan: 5 hours trekking, 14 km, 2 villages.Picked up at Laocai Railway station early in the morning by bus. Arrive at Sapa round 8:00 AM. Breakfast and relax. Depart Sapa at 10:30 AM. go down hill to the valley. Cross MuongHoa River to get to the other mountainside for 2 villages of the H'mong and the Dzay. Stay the night at a local family in Tavan village. Picnic lunch on the way and dinner at the home-stay.Day 3 : TaVan -BanHo 7 hours trekking, 18 km, 2 villages.Breakfast and leave the family for the next village. Visit the Red Dzao in GiangTaChai village by way of terraced paddy fields and bamboo forests. Enjoy the natural beauty of Silver Waterfall and Rattan Bridge. Cross the river and continue going to BanHo village where the Tay people settle down. On the way to BanHo, there is more chance to see the Red Dzao and the Black H'mong in Supan village. Spend the night in BanHo village at a Tay Family. Picnic lunch on the way and dinner at the home-stay.Day 4 : BanHo -Sapa 3 hours trekking of 7 km and 23 km by jeep.Breakfast with the family and leave the village for a waterfall discovered by French people. Enjoy the view, swimming and return to BanHo to visit the people in the village. Say goodbye to the family and get up to the main road where to take a jeep back to Sapa. Lunch on the way and dinner in Sapa. Overnight in hotel.Day 5 : Sapa - Laocai Station - Hanoi.Breakfast, free to explore the town in the morning. Check out hotel. Lunch and leave Sapa in the afternoon for Laocai by bus. Take the night train toHanoi and have dinner on the train.Arrive in Hanoi round 5:00 AM. The end of tour.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Conquer the top of Mt. Fansipan 4 days

Conquer the top of Mt. Fansipan 4 days***Code: SF04Routes: Hanoi night train to Lao Cai – Sapa – Fansipan – Hanoi (Northwest)Duration: 4 daysFeature: Sapa is a beautiful former French hill-station. At an altitude of 1,650 m Sapa boasts warm days and cool evenings and all day fresh air. Nowadays, Sapa has become a favorite destination due to its inspiring scenery of mounatin ranges and terraced valley floors dotted with small ethnic villages. Sapa is home to several of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups, each with their own distinctive dress, customs and dialects making it a colorful mosaic of culture.Sapa is also renowned for its trekking. With South East Asia's highest peak, Mt. Fansipan (3,143 m) providing the perfect backdrop for some great trekking routes. This 3 day trek with outdoor camping offers all of the challenges and rewards of any hike. And, at the summit you be one of the few to have reached up and touched the clouds marking the roof of Indochina.Difficulty: (5/5)Itinerary in Detail:Day 1: Lao Cai – Sapa, hike up to an elevation of 2700madventure tours to Sa Pa Vietnam The Night Before: Transfer from your hotel to the Hanoi Train Station for boarding at 9:30 pm. You will be in shared AC soft sleeper cabins of 4 to travel North to Lao Cai town.The train arrives in Lao Cai at about 6:30 am where your Footprint guide will welcome you. Look for the “Footprint Travel” sign when you exit the train station. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (about 1.5 hours).Arrive in Sapa at 7:00 am, have breakfast, a short rest and some last preparation for the challenging hike. Transfer by jeep / van to the starting point at Tram Ton Pass which is 15 km from Sapa town. Start hiking through the jungle rain forest along wild mountain streams. Break for a picnic lunch in the middle of an evergreen forest. More hiking to an elevation of about 2700 meters where we will make base camp. Local Hmong porters will help us to set up camp, start a small fire and prepare dinner. Share stories of past journeys and cultural myths under the stars before retiring for the night.Included: Car / van, train ticket, entrance fee(s), tour guide, porter, camp, shower, permits, all mealsDay 2: Summit and conquer Mt. Fansipantours to Fansipan Sapa Vietnam Breakfast at the first sign of daylight then final preparations for today, the longest day of hiking to the summit of Mt. Fansipan. The first section is steep and very challenging as we weave our way through the bamboo forests. At some points we are even forced to use ropes and harnesses for safety. We are rewarded with all our hardships forgotten and with the impression of standing on the top of Indochina.After a picnic lunch and a rest at the summit, we begin our descent to base camp. Clean off and refresh at a mountain stream while our Hmong porters set up camp and prepare dinner. Overnight again under the stars with the satisfaction of the day's accomplishment.Included: Entrance fee(s), homestay, tour guide, porter, camp, permits, all mealsDay 3: Back down to Sapa. Overnight in HotelSapa trekking tours in Vietnam Upon leaving the base camp, we begin walking downhill back to Sapa town. The steep trail is somewhat arduous but we have great opportunities to get some fantastic views from our vantage point. See the surrounding mountains, terraced valleys and quiet hilltribe villages far in the distance. Picnic lunch on the way, then we will be picked up in Sin Chai village and transferred back to Sapa town.When we arrive back in Sapa we will check in to the hotel take a shower and a rest. Your full afternoon is free in town for relaxing, shopping or befriending some of the local children. Dinner is on your own, overnight in a hotel in Sapa town.Included: Transfer, hotel, entrance fee(s), tour guide, breakfast, lunch, porter, permitsDay 4: Visit the surroundings of Sapa. Night train back HanoiVisit Sapa, train Sapa to Hanoi Vietnam » more Sapa picturesWake up in Sapa town, breakfast at the hotel then enjoy the morning with some of your new friends that you may have met the afternoon before. Today your guide is available to you for the whole day, although, you have the entire day for free time and visiting the lively markets. Some suggestions include a visit to the orchid gardens of Dragon Mountain, or a cultural day trek to Taphin village.In late afternoon, depart from your hotel for the Lao Cai train station at 5:30 pm. The train leaves Lao Cai at 8:50 pm and arrives after a pleasant sleep in your first class, shared AC soft berth to Hanoi by 4:30 am. Please find your own way to your hotel, a taxi normally costs you a set of 50,000 VND.Included: Car / van, train ticket, tour guide, breakfast, lunchGroup size & Cost:Your group size (cost is per person) 2 3 - 4 5 - 6 7 - 8 S.S*First class Prices are being updated.Please send your price request on this tour NOWSuperiorDeluxe* S.S is used for Single Supplement, means the single using his/her own room.Prices do not include: Insurance, drinks, other personal expenses, tips are welcome!Trip Notes: * Hotel: o First class is Sapa Bamboo or Royal View hotel ** (sapatravel.com) o Superior is Chau Long hotel *** (chaulonghotel.com) o Deluxe is Victoria hotel **** (victoriahotels-asia.com) * Sleeper Train to Sapa: Please click here for more information. * Car / Van Quality: Using new AC car or van depending on your group size. * What to Bring: Passport, Change of clothes, Sun-glasses & hat, Towels, Toiletries, Sun-block, Insect repellent, Flashlight, Proper footwear, Sleeping bag, Camera, Raincoat or Umbrella, Cable locks for luggage, Personal first aid kit & medicines, small VND notes for buying drinks. * Please Travel Responsibly: The small things you do will make a big difference! * Booking Terms & Conditions: Tour itinerary and tour prices are subject to change without notice. Please click here for more information.For other tour options in Sapa: go on longer treks, visit Sunday markets, conquer the summit of of Mt. Fansipan, or to tailor-make your own tour, please contact us.