Hanoi - Sapa

The train is rather small and narrow.
It was our first train ride in Vietnam.
Safe and comfortable as we had a
whole cabin to ourselves!

This was an overdue blog about my trip to Hanoi and Sapa in 2012. Sapa is always a destination which I reminisce about, always telling my friends that I will be back again to chill in Sapa.

We booked our package with http://www.vietnamculturetravel.com and left the planning to them.

Day 1 : We arrived at Hanoi airport in the afternoon and had to take a train from Hanoi Railway station B to Lao Cai as Sapa is at the north of Vietnam. As there was a delay in baggage collection that day due to the Chinese New Year peak season, the timing was just back to back. The train ride was an overnight one that I could remember was about 8 - 10 hours long. We reached Lao Cai train station in the wee hours of the morning. 

This was the restaurant which we had our breakfast,
it was very near the Lao Cai train station and
many tourists like us stop there for breakfast, lunch, etc.

Headed straight for breakfast when we met our guide there. He had spent his night waiting for us at the train station... tough job...

After breakfast, we headed to the Bac Ha market where it was bustling with activities among the locals. It was a Sunday and many were heading there to open their business to sell local produce.

After a walk around this market and simple lunch with tea, we headed direct to the guest house which is the Royal View Sapa Hotel to rest. The guesthouse provides sufficient amenities such as heated shower, bottled water, etc.

Day 2: We woke up early for breakfast. It's rather cold in Sapa but we were quite prepared with our jackets. Our guide fetched us and brought us to walk around the rice paddy fields and to interact with the Hmong tribes. We were asked to buy some of their handicrafts. We obliged as they said that their harvest for the year was poor so they needed money from the sale of their handicrafts to support their families.

The Hmong lady who was with me throughout the trek. She took care
 of us by making sure we walk safely.

Our guide at Sapa. Very funny guy.

The Hmong lady made this for me with a plant. So sweet of her!

The ladies waiting for us while we were busy taking pictures.

The breathtaking view of the rice paddy fields.

We finished the trek by lunch and headed back to the guesthouse and was ready to leave Sapa. Lunch was simple pho with some snacks and a drink. There were many fellow trekkers there as well.

It was a very short trip and we wished it was longer. That is why I always say I will return to Sapa again and maybe to stay for a longer time to get to know the small town better. It has such good weather, scenery and people.

Day 3: After that we took the same train back to Hanoi and spent one day at Hanoi.
We headed to the Kangaroo Cafe for breakfast. http://www.kangaroocafe.com

We walked around the streets in Hanoi and discovered a delicious dessert.

Hanoi has a very rustic feel and it's very relaxing just strolling on the streets and enjoying the food. Aside from the dessert, I had the beef pho as well.

We left for home the following day after spending a day in Hanoi.