Faces of Sapa

[hoppinghippo]

Thanks Ecclesiasm. Is the motorbike those automatic gear scooter kind? I tried that in Krabi once and it was easy to ride, but if its manual gear, I doubt I can handle it in 15 mins learning! Are there proper roads which are safe to travese or is it somewhat risky biking there?

I'm planning to stay at Mountain View, partly cuz its cheap and partly cuz I read they have good local guides available there so might be easier to just stay there and get a guide there too.

My tentative programme is as follows, would appreciate your advice:

Thurs:
reach hanoi at about 8pm
(I doubt I"m able to get tickets and get on a train straight to Lao Cai in time, but do you think its possible?)
stay one night at hanoi
Fri:
Evening leave for lao cai and sapa
Sat:
Experience Sapa market, self walk around the town, and maybe outskirts if possible to do so w/o getting lost
Sun:
Early morning, get bus to Hac Ba, see sun market, walk around.
Mon:
Extra day at Sa Pa, either DIY or get guide for one day's trek.
Evening leave for lao cai and then hanoi

Thanks!

 

[Sonicboom]

Wow, very nice shots indeed! Love the one with the boy digging his nose, makes me laugh :bsmilie:

 

[ceecookie]

Ah..Sapa..pity it was damn far away from Saigon if not i could have made a day trip there.:bsmilie:
Anyway,from what i saw in tour phamplets,does Sapa now have misty could enveloping the place?

 

[Ecclesiasm]

Yes, automatic gear. Roads are relatively safe north of Sapa town. Going south may get tricky so better engage one driver at least to help you through more tricky terrain.

Thanks Ecclesiasm. Is the motorbike those automatic gear scooter kind? I tried that in Krabi once and it was easy to ride, but if its manual gear, I doubt I can handle it in 15 mins learning! Are there proper roads which are safe to travese or is it somewhat risky biking there?

I'm planning to stay at Mountain View, partly cuz its cheap and partly cuz I read they have good local guides available there so might be easier to just stay there and get a guide there too.

My tentative programme is as follows, would appreciate your advice:

Thurs:
reach hanoi at about 8pm
(I doubt I"m able to get tickets and get on a train straight to Lao Cai in time, but do you think its possible?)
stay one night at hanoi
Fri:
Evening leave for lao cai and sapa
Sat:
Experience Sapa market, self walk around the town, and maybe outskirts if possible to do so w/o getting lost
Sun:
Early morning, get bus to Hac Ba, see sun market, walk around.
Mon:
Extra day at Sa Pa, either DIY or get guide for one day's trek.
Evening leave for lao cai and then hanoi

Thanks!

Definitely can get the tickets. No worries, unless super-super peak season. your programme looks good, just let the MV hotel staff know and they'll customise for you accordingly. =)

 

[Ecclesiasm]

Ah..Sapa..pity it was damn far away from Saigon if not i could have made a day trip there.:bsmilie:
Anyway,from what i saw in tour phamplets,does Sapa now have misty could enveloping the place?

Rather misty. But still ok. =)

 

[dslang]

Good series but a lot of filler. If you had cut it down to just the strongest ones (like the bw roof, the one of the kid above it) the portfolio would have far more impact.

 

[Pauche]

i just came back from sapa too!!!! it was dammmmmmm cold..... 7deg in the day and 3deg at night!!!
cold, wet, misty most of the time!

it was a good experience though.

 

[laokayu]

Are these are Red Dao tribe?

 

[Ecclesiasm]

i just came back from sapa too!!!! it was dammmmmmm cold..... 7deg in the day and 3deg at night!!!
cold, wet, misty most of the time!

it was a good experience though.

you got lucky! haha... I'd rather it be cold... =)

 

[Ecclesiasm]

Are these are Red Dao tribe?

Yes, they are. The more hardorking ones will travel out from their towns to meet tourists. They wil extend their help (guide you, help you through slippery paths, and accompany you all the way to their vilage) and hope that (some will pressure) you will buy the handmade crafts from them and not the others at the village. This usually works quite well, because they really walk with you for an hour at a stretch.

Their husbands stay at home...:sweat:

 

[Pauche]

you got lucky! haha... I'd rather it be cold... =)

i was on a motorbike, coming from tam tron pass, and the last 15km into Sapa was hell of a ride. the visibility is about 1 car length, weather is terribly foggy and misty, and I cant see a single thing on the muddy tracks. Was going on 1st gear at 10kmh and trying to keep traction on my rear wheel to prevent fishtailing. And the cold mist is hitting on my bare face and my mesh gloves. By the time I arrived in Sapa, my hands and kneecaps were all frozenly numbed!! :sweat:

Had lots of apple rice wine that nite in Sapa during the New Year Eve party with the locals. me and my friend had went into a restaurant for dinner, when the locals from the next table invited us to join them. And during dinner, as we are guests, we had to bottoms up countless glasses of Sapa apple wine!!!

 

[Ecclesiasm]

i was on a motorbike, coming from tam tron pass, and the last 15km into Sapa was hell of a ride. the visibility is about 1 car length, weather is terribly foggy and misty, and I cant see a single thing on the muddy tracks. Was going on 1st gear at 10kmh and trying to keep traction on my rear wheel to prevent fishtailing. And the cold mist is hitting on my bare face and my mesh gloves. By the time I arrived in Sapa, my hands and kneecaps were all frozenly numbed!! :sweat:

Had lots of apple rice wine that nite in Sapa during the New Year Eve party with the locals. me and my friend had went into a restaurant for dinner, when the locals from the next table invited us to join them. And during dinner, as we are guests, we had to bottoms up countless glasses of Sapa apple wine!!!

:bsmilie: I think I got lucky then....

That sounds like good fun with the locals. Friendliest ppl around and not out to shark your every dollar... in Sapa town, I managed to befriend the owner of an internet cafe (his name is Cuong) and he allowed me to use the internet for free and even offered me lots of freshly brewed Sapa Green Tea. If I had the chance again, I'd like to stay there for a longer period of time...

Have you unfrozen yet?

 

[SolBadGuy]

Great series Marvin! Loved the expressions on many of the shots. :thumbsup:

 

[Bcool]

These are my faves.
Thanks for sharing.

This one kinda under leh

 

[Pauche]

:bsmilie: I think I got lucky then....

That sounds like good fun with the locals. Friendliest ppl around and not out to shark your every dollar... in Sapa town, I managed to befriend the owner of an internet cafe (his name is Cuong) and he allowed me to use the internet for free and even offered me lots of freshly brewed Sapa Green Tea. If I had the chance again, I'd like to stay there for a longer period of time...

Have you unfrozen yet?

i stayed at catcat hotel, for US$8 per room per nite, with heater in the room, and the hotel offers free internet. the guy even washed our bikes for us for free when we went out to trek in the villages. :bsmilie:

 

[Ecclesiasm]

These are my faves.
This one kinda under leh

Haha...using this one as my wallpaper on my Ipod Touch.... Just can't have it any other way...

 

[Ecclesiasm]

i stayed at catcat hotel, for US$8 per room per nite, with heater in the room, and the hotel offers free internet. the guy even washed our bikes for us for free when we went out to trek in the villages. :bsmilie:

It's one of the recommended hotels on a guide book. May check it out the next time... Send me a PM where I can view your pics...

To everyone:

Please view the rest here!

 

[Pauche]

It's one of the recommended hotels on a guide book. May check it out the next time... Send me a PM where I can view your pics...

To everyone:

Please view the rest here!

my photos are not ready yet... i just got back last sunday nite.
will try to get them ready before i post some of them up!

thanks for sharing anyway!