Sapa Minority Trek and Market

Vietnam consists of 54 different ethnic groups and the areas around Sapa are exciting places to see the lives, culture and costumes of some of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. In these places, the minorities still dress in their traditional colorful clothing – especially the women. Each group has its own distinct color and style of dress.On this tour you will explore the beautiful nature in the minority villages, visit the friendly locals in their homestay and an impressive minority market where some of the different ethnic groups gather to sell their products.

Day 1: Night train Hanoi - Lao Cai
You will be picked up at 20:10 for transfer to the train station. Night train (soft sleeper, with A/C) to Lao Cai. The night trains leave at around 21:10. O/N on train.

Day 2: Lao Cai - Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van village. (L, D)
You arrive at Lao Cai train station early in the morning, from where you will be picked up and have a shared bus transfer to Sapa (35 km - about 1 hour drive). Check-in at Cat Cat Hotel. The guide will provide you with more information about the trek. At 10 am we leave the hotel and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village Lao Chai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. But they are proud of their culture and keep their traditions and way of living. They have their own language and wear traditional indigio blue clothing. After this you continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam. The development has meant that some of their old customs have been lost but many women still wear traditional shirts with a purple, blue or green color. The Zay houses are build in wood and bamboo with clay floor. We stay overnight with a local family in Ta Van and have our dinner here.
Trekking distance: 15km.

Day 3:Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Ban Ho. (B, L, D)
After breakfast we continue to visit Red Dao people at Giang Ta Chai where we also see a waterfall. The Red Dao women have very colorful red embroideries and coins on their clothing. On their head they wear a red scarf. Some of the women have shaved off their eyebrows because a hairless face is considered by the Red Dao to be very beautiful. We continue along small paths in the rice fields, cross the Muong Hoa River and arrive to the Tay village Ban Ho (900m). Tay is the most populous of the hill tribes. Because of the development and adaptation to the Vietnamese society some of them have started wearing Vietnamese clothing. But most women still wear the traditional checkered headscarf. We stay overnight in a wooden Tay stilt house. If we reach Ban Ho in the early afternoon you will have time to swim in a nearby river. In the evening we have dinner with the Tay family.
Trekking distance: 15km.

Day 4:Ban Ho - Sapa.(B)
After breakfast, you trek up to Ban Den place (3km). From here you will be picked up and transferred back to Sapa. In the afternoon you will have time to experience the colorful Sapa market where women from different ethnic minority groups come into town to sell their products. Stay overnight in Cat Cat hotel in Sapa.

Day 5: Sapa minority market. Night train to Hanoi.(B)
After breakfast, you will be picked up by Jeep with English speaking guide to Bac Ha area to visit those local ethnic markets.
Depending on your day of departure from Hanoi we will visit one of the following markets:
Bac Ha Sunday market: This is the largest market in the region, a place where many minority groups gather to buy, sell, eat and drink. There are 10 minority groups in the Bac Ha region. You can buy homemade handicraft and clothes. In the afternoon we will have a short trek to Ban Pho village (Flower H’Mong)
Can Cau Saturday market: This is a colourful market situated in a small village in the mountains. You will see several different minority groups here but mainly the Flower H’mong. The local people come here to buy and sell clothes, vegetables, meat and cattle. In the afternoon we will have a short trek to Ban Pho village (Flower H’Mong)
Coc Ly Tuesday market: This is a small but very colorful market in a mountainous area where mainly Flower H’Mong gather to exchange their homemade products. You do not see many other tourists here. After visiting the market we go on a boat trip down the river with beautiful mountains on both sides. On the way, we will have a short trek to Trung Do village (Tay). Transfer back to Lao Cai and take a night train back to Hanoi. Arriving Hanoi at 05:00 on day 06.
Trip ends at Hanoi train station.

(B: Breakfast, L: Lunch and D: Dinner)

What to bring:
Trekking shoes or boots; Rain-wear; Warm fleece jacket in the winter; Swim suit in the summer; Camera and film; Flash light; Medicine for personal use; Sun lotion; Earplugs

The tour itinerary might be changed according to the weather condition!
You have to carry your personal belongings yourself.
Depending on the departure date, in order to be able to visit a market, day 5 can be switched to day 2!

Gallery