Top Sapa Hiking Tours - page 9

If you are looking for a serious physical challenge, this excursion is for you. It is not for the faint of heart! I consider myself to be a physically fit person (regularly train for marathons, strength train at the gym), but I struggled with this one (although I did make it to the summit!). It really is best for someone who has some basic experience mountain hiking. Although you are trekking, not climbing, up the mountain, there are a lot of points where you are scaling rocks and boulders and need to use your hands as well as your feet to keep moving. If you do it in the summer like I did, be prepared to get wet. It rains most days on the mountain even if it’s sunny in Sapa, and so you will trek through a lot of water, and the rocks and boulders you scale will be very slippery. I wore trail runners, and the grip was good enough, so I would say trail runners at minimum for footwear. Hiking shoes or boots might be even better, especially if they are waterproof. Also, bring hiking poles — I regretted not having them. In the summer, there’s no view at the summit due to clouds and fog, but it’s still incredible to get there. Lastly, be aware that once you reach the Fansipan site, there still are hundreds of steps you have to climb to get to the summit. None of this is meant to turn anyone off to this excursion, but it’s helpful to know what you’re actually getting into. My guide, Chai, was absolutely amazing — he was patient and kind, never rushed me, and he made a tasty lunch (banh mi sandwich, fruit, veggies, coffee) for us which I greatly appreciated. I would be happy to have him again for any trek or tour in Sapa!

I had a great time on this trip, the walks were beautiful! May was a great tour guide with a lot of knowledge about the local area, she kept us informed with the plan and buses etc. and kept a good pace on the treks so we were not getting tired. The homestay was comfortable and the food was good, be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks.

This was a very fun motorbike tour. I was the only one on the tour with the guide. We began with ride from Sapa Stone Church down to Cat Cat Village. Afterward, it was followed by several other villages nearby and down in the valley. Along the way, the scenery was amazing, the weather was good for riding and sightseeing, and the guide did a great job in introducing the villages, including her own. Overall, a must do in Sapa. Some of the roads are quite challenging with rough unpaved surfaces, narrow paths, and steep hills. But without the expert guide leading the way, it was something I would’ve never dare to do on my own.