5 Days Independent Trip to Sapa from Hanoi by Bus

You may take a train or bus to travel from Hanoi to Sapa. But if by train, you need to get off at Lao Cai and then change to a bus to Sapa, so the most convenient and economic way is by direct bus.

► Hanoi to Sapa Bus Schedule for Reference:
Depart at 07:00 - Arrive at 12:30
Depart at 13:30 - Arrive at 19:30
Depart at 22:30 - Arrive at 03:30 of the next day

► Departure Place: My Dinh Bus Station at 20 Phạm Hung, My Dinh, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi; about 30 minutes away from Hanio old city area by taxi
► Ticket Fare: USD12/pax for a sleeper

You are advised to take the one departing at 07:00. The bus will stop at Yen Bai and Lao Cai for a short rest on the way. On arrival, check in a hotel at first. The Sapa Vista Hotel is a good choice. From Sapa Bus Station, walk southwest along Sapa Lake for 5 minutes to the city center - Love Market and then continue to walk southwest for 5 minutes to find the hotel. It generally costs USD40 per room per night. After settling down, you may have lunch at a nearby restaurant. In the afternoon, you could walk to Cat Cat Village about 2km (1.2mi) with around 15 minutes walking. A peaceful small village welcomes you with lovely bridge, clear stream and many locals wearing traditional Vietnamese clothes.

After returning to the hotel, you could contact the front desk to rent a motorbike, so as to tour the surrounding areas the following a few days. The rental fee is usually USD5-20 per motorbike per day. As the road condition is not very good, it is only suitable for those good at riding motorbikes. In addition, for safety reasons, one motorbike for one person.

Recommended Hotel: Sapa Vista Hotel (3 stars)
Address: 70 Fansipan Street, Sapa

After breakfast, ride along the TL152 road for about 20km (12mi)/an hour to Lao Chai Village, a gathering place of Black Hmong minority. After parking the motorbike properly, take a stroll nearby. Walking among the rolling mountains and terraced fields, you will for sure get relaxed. If you come here in September, the golden terraced fields look like an oil painting. There are some manual workshops producing silk and cloth in the village, where you can learn about some traditional handmade skills.

Then, continue riding for 9km (5.6mi)/ 45 minutes to Ta Van Village, the dwelling for Hmong, Dao, Tay and Giay ethnic minorities. Although every minority has their own traditions, they get along well with each other. At noon, you may taste some authentic Vietnamese food at the Muong Hoa Homestay & Restaurant in the village.

After lunch, go back to the hotel. En route, pass by Sapa Ancient Stone Gallery, a rocky area preserving prehistorical relics. On some of the rocks, you can see some patterns. After thousands of years' weathering by wind and rain, they can still been seen.

After appreciating the scenery made by the nature and human beings together yesterday, you could explore some primitive natural scenery today.

Starting from the hotel, ride northwest along QL4D. There is only one main winding road leading to the mountainous area, so you do not need to worry about getting lost. After riding for about 40 minutes, you will firstly reach Ta Phin Cave, a unique Karst Cave. Then, keep forward and you will get to Thac Bac Waterfall (Silver Falls) and Love Waterfall one by one. At last, ride through O Quy Ho Mountain Pass to Heaven's Gate. At noon, you may enjoy lunch at O Quy Ho Restaurant on the mountain top and surrounded by clouds.

Today's total riding length is not very long, about 50km (30mi). But most parts of the roads are on hill slopes and may be surrounded by fog in late afternoon, you'd better go back to Sapa a little earlier.

After getting back, return the motorbike and reserve a bus ticket back to Hanoi the day after tomorrow from the hotel front desk. The bus leaving at 15:30 and arriving at Hanoi at 21:00 is recommended.

Today's recommended travel destination is Fansipan Mountain. The admission fee is VND700,000/pax, including the round-trip cable car rides. After breakfast, walk to Sun Plaza Sapa Station to take the cable car, which will send you up to the 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) high place in about 25 minutes. After getting off, climb over about 500 stairs, you will reach the Fansipan Peak. With an altitude of 3,143 meters (10,312 feet), it is the highest point of China-Indochina Peninsula. On the peak, there is a giant Buddha statue. Standing there, you can also overlook Sapa and the nearby areas.

After coming down from the mountain top, make a stop at Love Market. Young people gather here at night, wearing their traditional clothes, dancing and singing.

In the morning, you may go to Sapa Market to buy some local specialties, like handmade silk products, tea and herbal medicines. In the afternoon, take the bus back to Hanoi.