Sa Pa

Sa_Pa - View of Saturday Pa Terraced fields Saturday Pa Vietnam - |Terraced fields in Saturday Pa

Sa Pa (formerly Chapa) is based in a beautiful, mountainous region of northern Vietnam on the border with China.

Sa Pa Halal Travel Guide

At 1,650 m above sea level in Vietnam's remote northwest mountains, Saturday Pa is known for both its fine, rugged scenery and its cultural diversity. Saturday Pa is a picturesque town in the Hoang Lien Son mountain range near the Chinese border in northwestern Vietnam, known as "the Tonkinese Alps". Saturday Pa and its surrounding region is host to many hill tribes, as well as Rice terraces, lush vegetation, and Phan Si Păng (Fansipan) and the highest peak in Indochina (Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam). Other great mountains like Aurora & J, where Saturday Pa sees the first rays of sun, make up a very steep valley. As a result of a recent surge in popularity, Saturday Pa has become a tourist hotspot where money is the new drug of choice. Throngs of vendors can be found in the streets, aggressively selling their wares. Don't be put off by the rush, your explorations of the surrounding countryside will be worth the trouble.

Although the new cable vehicle and the host of large hotels being built with apparent disregard for the mountain environment have perhaps reduced the charm of Sapa, a short walk or drive will still reward the visitor with unspoiled views.

Ethnic minorities

Many ethnic minorities live in and around Saturday Pa. Excluding the ethnic Vietnamese Kinh people, eight different ethnic minority groups are found in Saturday Pa: H'mong (pronounced mong), Dao (pronounced yao), Tay, Giay (pronounced zai), Muong, (Thai), Hoa (ethnic Chinese), and Xa Pho (a sub-set of the Phu La minority group). However and the last four groups comprise fewer than 500 people in total. The population of the neighborhood was estimated at 31,652 (1993) of which 52% were H'mong, 25% were Dao, 15% were Kinh, 5% were Tay, and 2% were Giay. Around 3,300 people live in Saturday Pa town, while the remainder are farmers distributed unevenly throughout the neighborhood.

Many older women in particular make items such as ethnic clothing and blankets to sell to tourists. Striking up a conversation with them can be very rewarding and their spoken English is impressive. Doing this in Saturday Pa town will sometimes lead to a scrum if other vendors smell a potential sale.

Children from these ethnic minorities often help support their families financially through selling trinkets to tourists. They peddle small metal or silver trinkets, embroidered pillow cases and friendship bands in the main town, and often walk for several hours from their villages to reach town, perhaps skipping school. At the end of the day, some take a motorbike ride back to their village, some walk home and some sleep in the market. Do not encourage this by buying from children. Buy from adults.

Girls and boys marry young (around 15–18) and often have two children by the time they are 20 years old. Poverty has led to a lot of girls leaving their villages each day to go selling in Saturday Pa town, and depending on their luck, may only have one meal per day.

Weather

In winter (the four months from November to February) and the weather in Saturday Pa is invariably cold, wet and foggy (temperatures can drop to freezing and there was snow in 2011). Travellers have rolled into town on a gloriously clear day and then spent a week trapped in impenetrable fog. When it is like this there really isn't very much to do. Also the Rice paddies are brown and empty (they are planted in spring) and the paths very muddy and slippery and the glorious vistas of summer are completely hidden in the mist. If you choose to visit in winter, take along warm clothes or prepare to be cold and miserable as many hotels do not have efficient heating in their rooms. During that time and the more upmarket hotels that do have heating fill up quickly, so make advance reservations if you can afford not to freeze.

It rains often in August, especially in the mornings.

However, if you visit in summer, say in May and then be prepared to sweat. Hostels may not have air-conditioning so check them out first before making your booking. If you have come to see the Rice terraces, you will be disappointed as you would not be seeing beautiful, green Rice terraces as the local farmers would have just started to work on the field.

Travel to Sa Pa

Muslim Friendly Rail Holidays in Sa Pa

Sa Pa is reached by a nine-hour train journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai|Lào Cai (pronounced lao kai), followed by a separate #Transfer between Lào Cai and Saturday Pa|transfer to Saturday Pa.

Vietnam Rail operates some of the carriages in the train, but others are operated by private companies (Fanxipan Express, Friendly, Ratraco, Tulico, Victoria Hotels, and many others). Whilst in the past some of these cars were significantly nicer than the standard carriages and they are now almost exclusively Vietnam Railways carriages, just more expensive and easier to reserve in advance. You're not even guaranteed to share your carriage with other tourists if that's a concern, as any spare tickets are sold as Vietnam Railways tickets. You may need to arrange with a travel agency to get tickets on these tourist carriages, but anybody can purchase tickets for the Vietnam Rail carriages at the Hanoi train station.

Prices vary according to both the type of seat purchased and the season during which you are travelling. Dates around Vietnamese holidays are particularly expensive and tickets cannot be assumed available for same day travel, so book ahead if feasible. Travellers are strongly recommended to purchase a berth in a soft or hard sleeper carriages, though the trip in soft-seat class is not intolerable.

Cheaper travel. Cheaper tickets, especially in hard sleeper class, can be difficult to come by at times, as tour companies and travel agents will snap up these to foist on their own clients (too frequently a promised soft sleeper berth will turn into a hard sleeper when it comes time to board). To avoid ripoffs, it is better to go to the train station yourself and get the ticket from the ticket office. This is the only way to make sure that you will get what you have paid for. Although one cannot be assured of finding a place, it is often feasible to arrive at the station a short while before boarding time, as there are usually young men hanging around trying to hawk unfilled berths at the last minute. The price of these tickets will fall dramatically as departure time draws near.
More expensive travel. For a bed in a hard or soft sleeper carriage, expect to pay in the area of 430,000–525,000 dong one way. For a soft seat, expect to pay 220,000 dong one way (May 2012). Tickets can be booked online from a travel agent such as Vietnam Impressive]. You will be emailed a voucher which must be printed out and presented to a train company representative at the station about 30–60 minutes before the departure time to obtain the actual tickets.

The Victoria Hotel train has a dining carriage serving good, surprisingly affordable Noodles (10,000 dong) and Rice porridge (10,000 dong), but other trains such as Fanxipan do not. On the latter train a packet of biscuits, a banana and a bottle of water are provided as part of the cost of the ticket (October 2013), and it is feasible to purchase pot Noodles and Snacks on board. However, you may prefer to purchase your own hot food, Snacks and none-alcoholic drinks from vendors in the grounds of the train station. There are toilets on the train but no showers.

It is recommended that you book a return ticket when you buy your outward journey, as picking up tickets in Lào Cai is harder than in Hanoi. The staff do not speak as much English, and they possibly only sell tickets for travel on the same day, so sleepers may already be sold out unless you go first thing in the morning. Pay attention to the time of your return train. Trains leaving Lào Cai around 20:00 will arrive in Hanoi at around 05:00. If you are planning to stay in a hotel or hostel that does not have a 24-hour reception and do not make prior arrangements when you return to Hanoi at an early hour, you may find yourself sitting outside your hotel waiting a few hours for the reception desk to open.

Transfer between Lào Cai and Saturday Pa

The train terminates at Lào Cai. The hotel where you are planning to stay will often be able to arrange shuttle van transportation between Lào Cai and Saturday Pa for you for about 50,000 dong (February 2012). If you're looking to pay less, you'll have to walk to the urban oasis area in Lào Cai in front of the train station where shuttle vanes and vans cruise for passengers and are willing to bargain to as low as 35,000 dong (off-season, May 2017). Getting on an empty or half-empty bus will mean waiting for more passengers, regardless of whatever departure time is promised by the driver and his ever-present crew of buddies who are hanging around.

The cheapest option is to use the public bus to Sapa, which runs regularly starting from 07:00 and costs no more than 30,000 dong. Just cross the parking lot to the street and you will see the bus stop there. The ride is OK, but beware of motion sickness due to the curvy roads.

The ride is about an hour of stunning vistas if the weather is good, otherwise it may be an hour of fog, more than 1,000 m up into the mountains.

If you are planning to visit the Bac Ha|Bắc Hà Sunday market, it is worth planning your travel so that you arrive in or leave from Lào Cai on a Sunday, as Bắc Hà is nearer to Lào Cai than Saturday Pa. The Bắc Hà Sunday market (much larger than the market in Saturday Pa) is a big, colorful bazaar overflowing with everything under the sun, including handicrafts by minority tribes, apparel and accessories, Meat and vegetables, and household goods. Your hotel in Saturday Pa may be able to arrange for someone to meet you at the Lào Cai train station and put you on a tour (USD15 in October 2013) that will take you to the Bắc Hà Sunday market; a village inhabited by the Flower H'mong; and the border between Lào Cai and Hekou, a small town in Yunnan, China; and then bring you to Saturday Pa (or the reverse if you are leaving Saturday Pa and catching the train from Lào Cai).

Travel on a Bus in Sa Pa

A toll expressway was opened between Hanoi and Lao Cai in 2014, reducing the time for the trip from over 10 hours to about 5 hours by vehicle (even 3.5 hours with private car); buses using that expressway are now the quickest way to get from Hanoi to Sapa.

Daytime buses: the Sapa Express (with 2+1 seating) and Good Morning Sapa buses fairly reliably take around 6 hours including one or two 30-minutes stops. They leave Hanoi around 07:00 and Sapa around 13:30-15:30, charging around 13-17 USD one way.

Sleeper buses run direct from Hanoi to Sapa both day and night for around USD13–20. Ask at the local tourist office, a reputable tour agency, or your hotel or hostel regarding tickets. These buses are reasonably modern and the beds are very small and recline back, typically in three single or two double rows. The bus will make stops for bathroom breaks and Snacks, and once in Lào Cai city. If you are a light sleeper the journey could be uncomfortable with many sharp twists and turns, and some claim that the mountain roads are dangerous, although there is no evidence of accidents on the route. The bus stop is near the lake area.

Travellers have reported that when journeying back to Hanoi from Saturday Pa, bus drivers sometimes drop passengers in the western outskirts of Hanoi,despite assurances that they will be transported to the airport or the Hanoi train station. Should you find yourself in this situation and there is a bus station around the block called Xe Ben Khach My Dien, where you can get on Bus 34 towards the Hanoi downtown for 3,000 dong. Alternatively, taxis will quote you 200,000 dong to take you to the Old Town.

Tickets can also be purchased at / Hanoi Sapa tickets online and paid for using Paypal or card.

By motorcycle

Sa Pa can also be reached by motorcycle from Hanoi by a variety of routes. The most direct route takes at least 10 hours for first-time riders, though local expats often brag about making it in less. Bikes can be rented in Hanoi for unguided passage, or local guides can lead the way. Along the way be sure to top up with fuel regularly, as petrol stations sometimes prove few and far between. Fuel vendors in small towns often mix their petrol with other liquids such as soft drinks or bio-fuels, and such fuel should be bought and used only when there are no alternatives.

How to get around in Sa Pa

Anywhere in the main village of Saturday Pa can be visited on foot, and the town is small enough that you're not likely to get lost. A basic map will be good enough for most visitors.

Mopeds can be rented in the tourist parts of town, as well as near the gas station on the road leading to Lào Cai, for USD7–6 depending on the amount of time you wish to rent for and your bargaining skills (i.e., determination). Day trips into the surrounding countryside can be very rewarding, although a good up-to-date map and a healthy dose of caution are required as roads are winding and populated with all manner of conveyance, and road signs can be misleading as the north undergoes some odd town-relocation schemes.

Tourists intending to trek to the various villages through the paddy fields should be prepared with good trekking shoes or rubber boots, a walking stick and extra clothing kept in a waterproof bag. Hotels often have gumboots and ponchos to lend to their guests, and such equipment can also be rented or purchased from shops in the town. Depending on the season and the Rice fields, which are built in terraces, can be slightly steep, and very muddy and slippery. Not wearing shoes with good grips risks slipping, and even sliding down the slopes. As the paths are also taken by water buffalo, excrement can be found everywhere. Walking sticks can be purchased from children from the ethnic minority groups for about 5,000 dong. These enterprising children cut sturdy bamboo and sharpen one end to turn them into sturdy sticks.

For the less adventurous, some of the villages such as Lao Chai and Tavan are accessible via 4WD, motorcycle or van.

The easiest way to travel in Saturday Pa without your own vehicle is by taxi or motor taxi. The local government publicized the price for every company's service, though it is subject to change over time. Taxi in Fanxipan-Sapa: 0203.626262. Taxi Xanh-Sapa: 0203.636363.

What to see in Sa Pa

SapaPanorama - Panoramic view of Saturday Pa

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary - Nhà Thờ Đức Mẹ Mân Côi; Église Notre-Dame du Rosaire | Next to the central square; when no services are being held and the interior of the church can be visited from a door on the right side of the building ☎ +84 20 387 3014 - Free; donations welcome A Roman Catholic church established by the French and constructed between 1926 and 1935. Mass is held on weekdays at 19:00 and on Sunday at 09:00, and the adoration of the sacrament is held at 18:30.

Hàm Rồng Resort - A short walk south from the central square and then up some stairs - 70,000 dong 2012-08-01A hillside attraction with great views and various gardens such as an orchid garden and a European garden, ethnic minority dance performances, and restaurants.

Saturday Pa Culture Museum behind the Tourist Office Opening Hours: Daily 07:30–11:30, 13:30–17:00 Free; donations welcome If you have time and the museum is worth visiting to learn about the history of Saturday Pa, and the costumes and traditions of the ethnic minorities of the region.

Saturday Pa Plaza City centre, near the church - The square is hard to miss. It is a centre of local activity. Often in the evenings, you may see the local residents gather for shopping and selling, or playing a game of foot-badminton in groups. You may see dances in the square.|tollfree=|

Best things to do in Sa Pa

If you do not intend to hike in the nationside around Saturday Pa on your own, you can join a tour or arrange a private guide who will take you to visit the sights. Your hotel should be able to assist. If you do not feel up to hiking all the way, arrange to hike out of Saturday Pa and return by Jeep, shuttle van or motorcycle, or pick a tour that provides transportation all the way.

Admission fees are required to visit most of the villages. As of 2023 there is appears to be a single entrance fee of 75,000 dong covering all villages. However, some may still charge an extra/separate fee. By far the most popular and tourist tour visits two villages near Saturday Pa, Lao Chải and Tả Van, including a lunch stop (admission fee: 40,000 dong in August 2022). Tả Giàng Phình and Bản Khoang are less tourist but much further away from Saturday Pa. Other villages worth visiting include Sín Chải (20,000 dong in August 2022), and Má Tra and Ta Phìn (30,000 dong in August 2022 for both). On these treks, you can get a taste of the local residents' way of life. You can spot their farms for Rice, corn, beans, cabbage, spinach and sweet potato, and farm animals including buffaloes, ducks and pigs. There are also breathtaking views of the farm terraces along these treks.

As Sapa grows, overnight tours staying outside the town are becoming increasingly popular. The popular trek to Ta Van forms the first day of many of these tours, with an overnight at a homestay in the village. Indeed and the business is such that it now supports three bars in the village of Ta Van. Tours can be booked through travel agents in Hanoi,directly through operators such as Sapa Sisters or HmongSapa, and no doubt through many hotels in Sapa.

Cát Cát village - H'mong ethnic village A few kilometers' walk from Saturday Pa. You're not likely to get lost. Just walk down the road out of Saturday Pa, which should be marked on maps, and after a while, you'll find a path which descends the hill to your left. This path runs through the village before climbing another hill back to the road - Hours: Admission: 70,000 dong, 30,000 dong for children under 10 year-old . This walk provides a good chance to observe Vietnamese farming and farm animals, and there are excellent views. The walk back up can be difficult (it is steep in parts), but once you get back onto the road there are plenty of enterprising local residents ready to take you back to Saturday Pa on motorbikes (40,000 dongs per person per bike). Alternatively, you could hire a cab at Sapa (for about 150-200,000 dong) to take you down to Cat cat and wait for you at the vehicle park 1 near the Cat cat bridge, so that you don't have to take the tiring walk upwards.
Walking down you will see a few cottage industries like weaving, carving, and art shops. You will walk by some mud-walled houses and the local shaman's house. In the middle of the trek, you come to a rest stop, with a so-so waterfall, and a supposedly minority village which is a block of dwellings with no sign of any activity. You will also spot water-mills and bridges made out of bamboo, as well as some swings. At the end, you will cross the 'Cat cat' bridge.
Overall, it makes for a nice stroll if you have a morning or afternoon free. Persons of limited mobility should skip this hike due to the large step-climbing involved.

Hoàng Liên National Park, Love Waterfall and Silver Waterfall - Thác Tình Yêu; Thác Bạc - 30-min drive from Saturday Pa - Hoàng Liên National Park: 70,000 dong; Silver Waterfall: 20,000 dong Love Waterfall (Thác Tình Yêu), which lies within Hoàng Liên National Park|Hoàng Liên National Park (Vườn quốc gia Hoàng Liên; declared an ASEAN Heritage Park|ASEAN Heritage Park). It takes 30 minutes to walk from the entrance of the park to the waterfall. The path is paved with flat but slightly uneven stones and has many steps going up and down. there are many shaded areas for rest along the way. Silver Waterfall (Thác Bạc), regarded by some travellers as less picturesque than Love Waterfall, is alongside the road between Saturday Pa and the entrance to Hoàng Liên National Park. You have to take a few hundred steps up to see the waterfall.

Massage Price Numerous shops along Cầu Mây Street and the town's main street, provide foot and body massages. Many hotels also offer in-room massages.

Phan Si Păng - Fansipan | 22.303333, 103.775 - 150,000 dong - At 3,143m (10,312 ft), Phan Si Păng or Fansipan is the highest mountain in French Indochina|Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam), and lies within the Hoàng Liên National Park (Vườn quốc gia Hoàng Liên). Hikes to the summit lasting from 1-3 days can be arranged from tour companies in Saturday Pa. Most of them recommend taking the 2- or 3-day options; few guides will take tourists on the round trip in a single day. A very small village offering accommodation and food is around 1,500m (4,920 ft), and there is an overnight camp at 2,800m (9,190 ft). Most booked trips will include the use of these facilities in their price should they be required. You should be fairly fit to attempt the ascent.

Fansipan Legend - Fansipan Cable Car - 600,000 dong - The cable vehicle up Fansipan opened in 2016 to a mixture of delight and dismay, offering a rather less strenuous route up the tallest mountain in Indochina.

Saturday Pa Lake - 5 min walk from the church ☎ |fax= - The lake is within walking distance of the downtown. At the lake you can rent a pedal boat for 40,000 dong for 30 minutes, or 80,000 dong for an hour. Pedal boats are available only on weekends and when the weather is good.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Sa Pa

Simacai Market - Of all Saturday Pa markets, Simacai Market may well best demonstrate traditional customs and habits which have not been affected by tourist commercialization.
Handicrafts and other tourist trinkets. The usual endless supply of nearly identical tourist trinkets is available at every turn. Saturday Pa is famous for its embroidery. Clothes, blankets, wall hangings and other fabric handicrafts with colourful embroidered designs traditional to the various ethnic minorities in Saturday Pa can be purchased from markets and from ethnic-minority hawkers at villages visited by tourists. The indigo dye used to give a deep blue color stains the fingers, which is why many of the women who make them have darkened fingertips. When you wash these clothes the colour will run. To avoid this, soak them in cold salty water, and pack them carefully in your bag to take home.

There are two types of handicrafts: handmade and machine-made. It is easy to tell the difference. If you wish to buy handmade items, it is preferable to buy directly from their makers in the villages. Prices are highly elastic. When bargaining, try to find out how long it took to make the piece. If you do not mind machine-made products, you are better off buying them in the shops in town. It pays to shop around for the right pair of reproduction Montagnard earrings or machine-made fabric items.

Do buy some items, whether handmade or not, direct from ethnic minority sellers, especially if you have enjoyed a good conversation or received help from them. Though they do charge slightly more than shops, bear in mind that the majority of them are very poor and depend on tourist money to survive. However, it is suggested that you avoid buying items from children (see "[[#Ethnic minorities|Ethnic minorities" above).

Sports and winter wear. A number of shops in town sell sports and winter wear such as waterproof jackets and hiking boots. Although they bear the logos of well-known international brands, given their low cost it is unlikely that they are original products.
Batteries. Be careful when buying batteries as some people will sell dead ones. If you're really worried about this, just drop them on a hard surface. If they bounce they are empty or partially empty.

What to buy

Souvenir shops sell brocade, golden handicrafts, silver handicrafts, wooden handicrafts.

All products are made by local residents. That would be more exciting as walking into villages outside town and buying souvenir by local ethnics. The local government recommends tourists do not buy products from children as it discourages them from attending school.

Souvenir shops

Lan Rừng: Souvenir. Cầu Mây Street
Lương Thủy: Souvenir. no 25 Cầu Mây Street
Phố Núi shop: Souvenir. no 13, Cầu Mây Street
Khánh Huyền: Souvenir. no 17, Xuân Viên Street
Sa Pa Shop: Souvenir. no 48, Cầu Mây Street
Hue Silk: Souvenir. no 24 Cầu Mây
Sapa minorities’ handicraft: Handicrafts. Cầu Mây Street
Mường Hoa shop: Handicrafts. no 25, Mường Hoa Street
Thiện Việt shop: Handicrafts. no 22b, Fansipan Street
Nguyễn Tiến Sỹ shop: Handicrafts. Cầu Mây Street
Wild Orchid: Handicraft. no 29 Cầu Mây Street
SaPa silver: Silver handicrafts. no 19, Mường Hoa Street
Vũ Đức: Traditional silver handicrafts. no 26, Mường Hoa Street
Viet Silver: Golden and silver handicrafts. no 34, Fansipan Street
Cửa hàng đá mỹ nghệ: Stone sculpting. no 17 Mường Hoa Street
Cửa hàng cô Nguyễn Lăng Vân: Tailor and Brocade. Cầu Mây Street
Woodcarving shop: Wooden handicrafts. no 14, Mường Hoa Street

Grocery store

Xuân Trường Super Market: No 46 Ngũ Chỉ Sơn Street (nearby Mường Thanh hotel. Open: 08:00, Close: 21:00)

Halal Restaurants in Sa Pa

Bombay Indian | 036 Cầu Mây Street on the main street ☎ +84 20 871 799 USD7–10 . North Indian food, with many options for Vegetarian.

The Hill Station Signature - Fansipan /Phan Xi Păng Road - Refined local (mostly Hmong) food in small dishes - the speciality, if they have found fresh fish that day, is their raw trout. Perched on the edge of the valley, some tables have views right across it. A few decent options for Vegetarian.

The Hill Station Deli - 007 Muong Hoa Street ☎ +84 20 388 7111 (landline), +84 982 267 518 (mobile) +84 20 388 7112 Fine fruit cocktail, Cheese and cold cuts of Meat along with a few western style hot and cold dishes. Home-made hams and pâté. Punto Italia Coffee.

Little View Restaurant - 042 Ngõ Cầu Mây Street on the main street, down a flight of stairs near Royal Sapa Hotel ☎ +84988787711 - A popular, low-priced restaurant. Serves outstanding local and decent Western dishes to a mixed local and foreign clientele. Features some unique dishes in addition to the fixtures available at any other Saturday Pa restaurant. Try the hot pot with salmon.

Marketplace food stalls - Food stalls selling good Noodles soup for 10,000 dong, fried Rice for 15,000 dong and the other usual Vietnamese fare for around 30,000 dong. It's a great experience to dine with the local residents.

Rose Garden Saturday Pa 054 Phan Xi Păng Road on the way to Cát Cát village ☎ +84 20 387 1734 Opening Hours: 10:00–22:00A mid-range restaurant. They have freshly baked baguettes and hamburgers from their own bakery. The y-halal-food/desserts/ desserts, ice cream, cakes, and cookies, are sweet delicacies at an affordable price.

Hmong Sisters Bar 031 Muong Hoa Street close to the Saturday Pa Bamboo Hotel ☎ +84 983 379 862 Has a swimming swimmingpool table, darts and a computer with free Internet.

Mountain Bar & Pub 002 Muong Hoa Street near Royal Hotel ☎ +84 98 388 9798 Good bar in Saturday Pa with many flavours of shisha. Good place to drink.

Cong Caphe - 37 Xuan Vien 22.3361, 103.8424 ☎ +84 9 11 81 11 54 | Opening Hours: 07:00-12 midnight - Coffee place that also serves some food. Lots of soft-drinks available: Coffee, tea, coconut milk (the one with Coffee being their signature drink), y- Yoghurt & soft drinks. Food includes Pizzas, cocooned sweet potato & bamboo-cooked Rice. Nice chilling atmosphere (thanks to the music & quite big space available). Staff speak decent English. While drinks & food are modern, entering the place you feel like you've travelled back in time thanks to the outfits worn by the staff, and the old newspapers & books. Live music on Friday, Saturday & Sunday nights (19:00-23:00). Happy hour everyday from 17:00 to 20:00 (buy 2, get 1 extra free). Terrace overlooking Sapa's main street on the 2nd floor.

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Muslim Friendly Hotels

There is a near oversupply of affordable rooms in the tourist area down the hill from the town centre, and generally a flock of young men and women will leap on you the moment you arrive with offers from USD7 and up for a double room.

In addition to the places listed below, homestays in some of the villages surrounding Saturday Pa are available.

In Saturday Pa, as in many other provinces of Vietnam, it is the law that you must supply your passport to your hostel, hotel or guesthouse to register your personal information. However, a photocopy of the main page and visa should suffice, and if they refuse, simply tell them your passport is in Hanoi because you are applying for a visa extension.

As of January 2018 and there are what feel like a couple of dozen concrete hotels under construction in Saturday Pa, with attendant construction noise and dust. Most seem to be on southwest side of town (on the down-slope with view of Fansipan Mountain) but north edge of town can also be impacted. To avoid construction zones, if feasible, check on location before choosing your lodgings, or try to find very recent photo of hotel environments.

Chau Long Sapa Hotel | 24 Dồng Lợi ☎ +84 20 387 1245 +84 20 3871 844 USD80–160 A large hotel with clean, pleasant rooms that is popular with group tours. It has a restaurant, lounge and bar, an indoor heated swimming pool, a fitness centre, and a business centre. Rooms in the old wing are cheaper. No additional charge for Wi-Fi.

Fansipan View Hotel | Xuan Vien Street ☎ +84 20 387 3579 - A nice relaxing hotel with boutique interiors.

Green Bamboo Saturday Pa near the entrance to town - USD25 (USD 17 in the old wing) It serves a affordable and good breakfast at USD2.50. Rooms in the main and old wings of the hotel which are above the ground floors offer breathtaking views of the Fanxipan mountains.

Hoang Ha Saturday Pa Hotel | Thac Bac Street in the centre of Saturday Pa ☎ +84 20 387 2535 - Overlooks the beautiful Muong Hoa Valley. All rooms are equipped with a large balcony, fireplace, cable TV and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a meeting room and restaurant, and provides room service.

Khach San Hoang Ha | 10 Thac Bac Street - Single/double/triple/quad from 300,000/380,000/500,000/600,000 dong Checkout: 10:00 - Stands like a haunted Chinese elementary school overlooking Baguette & Chocolate. Free Internet in the lobby. Beds are a bit hard. Website in Vietnamese only.

Lotus Hotel a few metres from the Royal Hotel - USD8–7 Nice rooms, tea, TV, hot water, restaurant and for some rooms, a fireplace and a nice view. The staff are a little cold. Hotel closes each night at 23:00.
Pumpkin Hotel | 042 Cầu Mây Street ☎ +84 20 872 350 - USD18 Very friendly and helpful staff. Good-sized rooms with desks and computers. The hotel may try to charge extra for a space heater for 150,000 dong. If you are staying here as a part of an ET Pumpkin tour, make sure to get an assurance (in writing, if feasible) that your space heater will be included in the price. - The Royal Hotel Cầu Mây Street bottom of the main street - USD12–15 Some rooms provide a nice view over the valley or the town, and many open on to a small balcony. It has an attached café offering standard back-packer fare such as banana or Chocolates pancakes. Can help with travel arrangements.

Sapa Paradise View Hotel - 018 Phạm Xuân Huân Street when walking downhill along Cầu Mây Street and the main street, you can take a shortcut to the hotel by taking a flight of stairs on your left between a Hot Dogs stand and Fansipan Restaurant (023 Cầu Mây Street), and then turning left at the top of the stairs ☎ +84 203 872 683 +84 203 872 684 Price USD80–80 (check website for promotions) | checkin=13:00 / Check-out: 11:00A good value three-star hotel. The décor is nothing to scream about but the rooms are comfortable, clean and well-stocked. Some of them have an interesting aerial view of the village. Breakfast is usually included in the cost of the room, and the hotel provides a complimentary fruit basket, bottles of water, a daily afternoon smoothie and Snacks, Wi-Fi (including a desktop computer in the room), and boots for hiking. The staff are attentive and friendly. In-room massages can be arranged. Visitors who have difficulty with stairs should note that the four-storey hotel does not have any lifts, but the staff will help carry your luggage.

Saturday Pa Rooms | 018 Phan Xi Păng Road ☎ +84 20 650 5228 - Great boutique hotel with a ground floor restaurant that serves a wide range of good dishes and has free Wi-Fi. They can arrange tours with local guides and optional homestays, with a percentage of the profits going directly to support local community projects and schools. They also rent motorbikes, offer cooking classes, provide opportunities to volunteer in the community, and accept clothing donations.

(Thai) Binh Saturday Pa Hotel - Hàm Rồng Street from market, walk straight up from the left of the church and then turn left at the end of the street ☎ +84 20 387 1212 - USD22–25 Checkout: 12:00 In a quiet part of Saturday Pa and within five minutes' walk of the market and restaurant street. Free Internet in the lobby and Wi-Fi in rooms. Electric heater and electric mattress available in the room. The hotel manager, a local teacher and education officer, and the female receptionist are very friendly and speak good English. They are able to book local tours, buy train tickets at Lào Cai train station for you, and transport you to and from the train station.

Topas Eco Lodge | 30-minutes drive south of Saturday Pa About USD99 per day for a detached bungalow Perched on beautiful grounds on a hill with stunning views of the surrounding valley. Spacious, detached bungalows, each with its own balcony, which can be a comfortable double or accommodate a small family. The "eco" part of the title comes partly through the lodge hiring local staff and using solar power and hot water in all the bungalows.

Little View Homestay - No 042 Cau May Alley, Sapa 22.3321402, 103.8427775 At the end of tourist street (Ngõ Cầu Mây), walk down stairs and follow signage ☎ +84988787711 Checkin - 1300 / Check-out: 1100 15$ - Good value home stay at $17 per day. New building has great views and balconies with shared area on the top floor. Very clean. Hard beds. Friendly owners who speak good English. You need to walk down a lot of stairs to reach the homestay. Follow the main tourist street (Ngõ Cầu Mây) to the end where the motorbike parking is, walk down the stairs and follow the signs.

Cope

Attire. Bring a poncho and/or an umbrella. You can also buy affordable ones in the many shops around. Rubber boots and trekking shoes can be rented from some shops or perhaps borrowed from your hotel. Sizes may be limited.
Cash. It is feasible to change money and travellers' cheques, and get cash advances on credit cards, at the bigger hotels in Saturday Pa. There are ATMs on the main street. There have been reports of shops taking clients' crisp notes, switching them with cut and taped-up ones, and insisting that were the ones the clients gave them.
Photography. Some of the minorities do not wish to be photographed. Ask permission beforehand.

Pharmacy

Civil Group 7B (+84)98 3724 078
No 18 Cầu Mây (+84)165 9561 475
No 22A Cầu Mây (+84)91 9663 778
No 22B Cầu Mây (+84)20 3871 697
No 27 Tuệ Tĩnh (+84)20 3871 840
No 074A Thạch Sơn (+84)97 7123 211
No 236 Thạch Sơn (+84)91 5696 546
No 258 Thạch Sơn (+84)20 3871 324
No 395 Điện Biên Phủ (+84)97 7850 086
No 326 Điện Biên Phủ (+84)20 3871 547
No 567 Điện Biên Phủ
No 004 Xuân Viên (+84)98 3520 668
No 01 Thạch Sơn
No 06A Thác Bạc (+84)168 9271 855

Clinic

No 186 Thạch Sơn, TT (+84)94 7008 609 or (+84)20 3871 735
No 25 Tuệ Tĩnh (+84)20 3871 589

Health Centre

Civil Group 7

Hospital

Sa Pa hospital - Civil Group 1, Điện Biên Phủ street (+84)96 7971 414

Bank

Sapa Saigonbank (Saigon Bank For Industry and Trade - Lao Cai Branch - Sapa Transaction): No 18 Ngũ Chỉ Sơn Street. Accept: Visa, Master, JCB, Cup, ATM/POS.
Sapa Agribank (Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development - Saturday Pa Transaction): No 01 Cầu Mây Street
Sapa BIDV (Bank For Investment And Development JSC - Lao Cai Branch - Sapa Transaction): No 20 Ngũ Chỉ Sơn Street

Telecommunications in Sa Pa

Saturday Pa's official Sa Pa Tourism Board Centre can help you organize your stay. The Sapa post office is opposite of garden and fountain in center Sapa ( - No 06, Thạch Sơn Street, Sapa)

News & References Sa Pa

Travel Next

Most people will head back to Hanoi and then on to other routes
For those looking to go farther afield and the road to Dien Bien Phu is simply stunning and makes for a fantastic four-to-five-day trip. Always give yourself plenty of daylight hours to return home, however, as highly changeable weather could strand you in dense fog without notice, especially during the winter months. There is also a bus to Dien Bien Phu which runs from the tourist office at 07:30 each day, and costs USD11.
Bac Ha|Bắc Hà