Travel to Sapa "Town in the clouds" of Vietnam

Vietnam also boats a varied mountainous landscape. Each of its three geographical zones - North, Center, and South - has abundant and unique flora and fauna, streams and waterfalls. Many of Vietnam's mountainous regions have become popular resort for tourists. Among, when travel to Vietnam you should not miss is Sa pa (Sapa).

Located some 380 kilometers northwest of Ha Noi, the town of Sa Pa perches at 1,560 meters above sea level at the foot of Mount Fan Si Pan, the highest mountain in Vietnam. And so, it is no surprise that Sa Pa has earned its reputation as the “Town in the Clouds”.

Sapa - Town in the clouds

Early in the twentieth century, SaPa became a popular tourist resort for those seeking a cooler climate. The town is renowned for this quality, just as it is for changeable weather. In the morning, thick mist shrouds the town, but by noon SaPa can be as clear and sunny as a summer afternoon. However, by afternoon, the crispness of autumn creeps in and, by nightfall, cold air from the mountaintop sweeps in to town, possibly even bringing a light shower of snow. Sa Pa's average annual temperature ranges from between 15 to 18⁰C although in winter temperatures can drop as low as zero degrees. The town experiences heavy rainfall from May to August.

Sa Pa is attractively positioned, with the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range to its west and sights such as the Ham Rongg (Dragon’s Jaw) Mountain, May (Rattan) Bridge, Heaven's Gate Stone Formation, and the Silver Waterfall within easy reach. The French built the town as a convalescent site. Its center is reminiscent of a quaint European village with over 200 French villas, lush green vegetation, and peach blossoms. To day, some of its Villas bear name such as ''Rose”, “Carnation'', and ''Pearl''.

Travel to Vietnam Sapa appear to be a tropical fruits and flowers discovery. Fruits and flowers here are abundant almost all year round in Sa Pa. Spring brings pear and peach blossoms, and by summer the peaches and plums are abundant along with pansies, sunflowers, and gladioli in full bloom. Residents harvest apples and pears in the cooler months. 

A Sa Pa highlight is its local market, where people from different ethnic- minority groups gather to display their wares. Sa Pa district has a population of 30,000, of which the H'Mong ethnic group accounts for 53% and the Dao for 30%, followed by the Kinh (ethnic Vietnamese) Giay, Tay, Kho Mu, and Phu La groups. Every Sunday, the Sa Pa Market becomes a colorful place for cultural and economic exchange. People travel from hamlets as far as fifty kilometers away to buy and exchange products. The market is a cornucopia of grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, salt, sugar, candy, medicinal herbs, fabric, brocades, embroideries, and bracelets.

Market day is a festival of colors because ethnic-minority people wear their best clothes when they come to town. The Dao people are particularly noted for their colorful dress, and the Red Dao often wear large-brimmed hats with detailed embroidery and tintinnabula. On festive occasions, the Phù Lá people wear clothes with intricate, embroidered patterns and dance their own swing-style. The sometimes play con, where they toss about a ball made of cloth with decorative fringes in the hopes of finding a suitable marriage partner.

A Tourist trading at Cho Tinh - Love Market

Every Saturday evening, local residents organize a long-held tradition, the ''love market.'' Young people from different ethnic groups - particularly the H'Mong, Dao, Tay, and Kho Mu - gather to exchange gestures of love through song and music. By twilight, youth crowd the market, sitting, chatting, and singing as they look for a partner. Often the Dao youth exchange souvenirs, usually a handkerchief, to display their mutual affection as they make promises to meet again at the next Saturday market.

Thác Bạc - Silver Waterfall

A popular trip when travel to Sapa Vietnam is the day trip to the Silver Waterfall, which is just twelve kilometers from Sa Pa. As its name indicates, a constant silver mist shrouds the waterfall, which is a hundred meters high. The waterfall is particularly plentiful following a heavy rain. Further, it is conveniently near the road to Lai Chau. Worth visiting is Muong Hoa Village, which is only five hundred meters from the waterfall. Here, visitors can cross a traditional suspension bridge (Cau May, literally, ''Cloudy  Bridge) made of rattan rope and supported by a huge tree. The experience is unique for visitors since clouds often cover the bridge as the make their way across the winding Mường Hoa River. The mountain on the other end of the bridge has a rock formation said to resemble a tiger ready to jump its prey. On the far side of the mountain is an abundance of wild orchids. Five to six kilometers southeast of Sa Pa is Heaven's Gate, an area with over to hundred engraved stones. Archaeologists first noticed this area in l925; UNESCO is considering it for recognition an a World heritage site house. The stones have motifs and figures, including a stilt house and bear such names as ''Father Stone'', “ Mother Stone'', ''Saddle Stone'', and “ Mill Stone''. The farther Stone'' is fifteen meters long and six meter high.

- Forest in Vietnam -