Luxury Travel Testimonial - Part 7:
Sapa and North West Vietnam.
When you work out your itinerary with Luxury Travel, you will be confronted with the decision as to whether or not to visit Sapa and the surrounding area northwest of Vietnam, requiring a minimum of four or five days. If you have the time, then of course you should do it, it is one of the highlights of any trip to the country. However, if your time is limited, we would suggest that in exchange for the tour of the Central Highlands and Dalat in the south, go to Sapa. This area is far superior in terms of visiting and getting to know the national minorities, while the mountain scenery is also superior to that of the central Highlands.
 How to get to Sapa from Hanoi? The only real alternative is by overnight train, seeing as there is no airport in Sapa and the road trip is far too long and in poor condition. Make sure that you get the Victoria Express train, a wagon operated by the Victoria Hotel chain. You have to reserve through Luxury Travel well in advance in order to book a Victoria cabin. Any other wagon on that train has relatively poor standards and you will not be very comfortable. The train leaves Hanoi at 10 P.M. and arrives about 6 A.M. The cabins are very comfortable, modern and clean (Picture 31). Our guide, the same one we had in Hanoi and Halong Bay accompanies us on the train from Hanoi.
Once we arrive at the train station near Sapa on the Vietnamese/Chinese border, another driver and a van specialized in mountain roads are awating us. (Picture 32) and the “team” is formed once again. 
We stayed at the Sapa Victoria Hotel, the only four star hotel in the town. There are no five star hotels, but this hotel is brand new, has beautiful rooms and excellent service, location and view (Picture 33). After a day of walking or trekking in the mountains, nothings beats a swim in the hotel's heated pool and a massage.
Sapa is a delightful town, boats colourful national minority markets, a great setting surrounded by mountains. An excellent place to hang out during the day and/or evening.
Within walking distance of the Hotel, there are several places to do some light walking, (4-5 ks) on trails built by the local authorities (Picture 34).
Sapa is also an ideal place for trying local food as we are sharing here with our guide .
Within walking distance of the Hotel, (but be prepared to hike up quite a steep hill, …just take your time, there is no hurry) is an ideal place for a view of Sapa and the surrounding mountain range. It is worthwhile timing this as our guide suggested in order to enjoy a sunset view over Mount Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam, 3143 meters. The mountain range was dubbed by the French as the Vietnamese Alps.
The next day we did some more light walking, about 10 km near Sapa. This was some of the most beautiful landscape we have ever seen, especially combined with the friendly presence of National Minorities. (Picture 35). Of course they are anxious to sell their handicrafts, but you can buy a few souvenirs which weigh virtually nothing for a very small amount of money. Our guide always helps us in these delicate situation. No problem. 
We personally were interested in visiting the north west of Vietnam, taking our time in the countryside. And so we set off as planned on a three day tour of the whole north western region, staying in different hotels each of the three nights (Bac Ha, Lai Chau and Dien Bien Phu), The hotels, being in the main really off the beaten track, were mini hotels, very simple but adequate. In each of these towns aside from Dien Bien Phu, there is only one hotel. However the advantage with this type of tour is that you have time to see all the main sights, especially the mountain scenery with plenty of time to make unscheduled stops as well delve into as the most colourful markets in Vietnam, aide from the floating markers in the Mekong delta.
Travelling by van in this area, we noticed a school and asked the guide and driver to stop. We are very interested in schools, because we see the development of the education system in a country as an indication of how things are advancing for the people. Our guide facilitated our visit right into the class rooms so that we can see how it looks. We were really impressed to see such a school, friendly disciplined young students and their teachers making the best of very little in order to provide and education for all . But then again, it is a question of interest, everyone has their own priorities and curiosities.
Visiting markets is sort of an art. You have to coincide the visits with Luxury Travel so that you are at the right time at the right place. In general the markets take place once a week on specific days. Here we are at one market .
This is one of the mini hotels we stayed at which also offered free of charge a cultural show by national minorities in the evening.
The next morning we visited another market, the biggest one on the area .
Travelling on the roads in that part of the country is an unforgettable experience. The roads are very sinuous, but in very good shape and well maintained. Once again, forgive us for repeating, but with a good driver and van, there is no problem, you will feel secure. Anytime you want to stop to admire the view, just say so. In fact both the guide and the driver know where the best stops are to be found to contemplate the view. We go through the highest pass in Vietnam, Tram Ton (1900 meters). What a breathtaking view! In the photos you see us with the guide and driver, and the road which we had taken. (Picture 36).
Rice paddies being laboured and five year old kids riding buffalos are scenes that we had never scene and so a stop was necessary (Picture 37). 
On this tour we were already off the beaten track. However, our guide knows about this National Minority village that is not frequented at all by tourists. We went even further off the beaten track. And so he brought us right in to the village and the homes of the villagers. We were able to find out more about their daily life and how the Vietnamese government is really making an effort to bring education to the national minorities in order to raise their economic, social and cultural standard of living.
Even the driver takes a big interest that we do not miss anything and stops to have it explained to us how people earn their living by fishing in a nearby river.
We also visited Dien Bien Phu. This is worthwhile for those who are interested in history, specifically the defeat of the French by the Vietnamese in 1954. There is an excellent museum dedicated to this portion of history.
From there we flew back to Hanoi, our guide still with us, this time in the plane. We were picked at the airport in Hanoi by the same driver and van that were dedicated to us during our stay in Hanoi.
If you do not have time to take on such an extensive tour in that part of the country as we did, nor are game to spend nights at mini hotels, and if your interest in history does not inspire you to the extent of travelling all the way to Dien Bien Phu, then we propose the following: ask Luxury Travel to customize a trip for you in which you can spend all your nights in the Victoria Hotel in Sapa. From there, you can take full day excursions in order to visit the same places and markets and scenery as we had done, but coming back late in the day to Sapa and your four star hotel. While the disadvantage is that you spend more time on the road and doubling back over the same route, the advantage is better accommodations. It is up to you. If you take this option, than you can take the pleasant day Victoria train from Sapa back to Hanoi.
On the other hand, if you are really interested in the mountain region and real trekking, then Luxury can also organize for you a tour which takes you to the most remote areas and where you sleep in the National Minority villages special guest homes adjacent to the village homes themselves. In this case you are living with the population. From all accounts this is very safe and secure. The Luxury guides have done this often and they know the area and the local people inside out.
Arnold August
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