After everyone has seen the novelty of taking a bus to Vietnam with the Crown Prince, actually my Vietnam bus tour isn’t over yet. Because after waking up from the first sleep in Hanoi, the next itinerary was to depart at seven in the morning and take a six-hour bus ride to Sa Pa.
Apart from the 70% Kinh ethnic group, Vietnam also has many ethnic minorities such as the Hmong, Yao, and Pula... mainly distributed in the northern regions bordering China, including one of the tourist hotspots—Sa Pa. It is known for its terraced fields and ethnic minority cultures, so we went on a five-hour trekking hike and stayed overnight at a local homestay.
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Standing in the vast wilderness, suddenlyI felt very small
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This young man has such a detached-from-the-world demeanor, really quite handsome
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Along the way, there were kids selling little trinkets, mostly girls. We set a bad example by talking to the girl too much. Actually, you really have to be firm, otherwise they’ll cling to you for a long time. Look at her bare feet—clinging to us must’ve been pretty uncomfortable.
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There were only three or four kids at first, but when I started handing out some of the chrysanthemums I had (bought from the flower market the day before, haha) to them, suddenly seven or eight more showed up. Haha, kids are easily satisfied—one chrysanthemum each and they were all so happy.
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Water buffaloes and rice planting—I saw both for the first time with my own eyes. In an instant, it felt like stepping into an ancient myth. Isn’t this where the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl met? It felt like some girl silently tilling the fields might one day encounter a dramatic twist in her life.
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Of course, that’s just the fanciful imagination of an idle traveler. In reality, the labor and simplicity of life for Sa Pa residents is something a city dweller like me can hardly grasp in just a day and a night.
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Off-topic, how come all the boys in Sa Pa are so handsome XD
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But for travelers passing through, you can still get a glimpse into the locals’ lives through the homestays. For example, apparently in Sa Pa, it’s popular todrainthe blood of poultry after slaughtering them for banquets, and then serve it to guests as a drink to share—this custom proves the chicken or duck on the table is fresh.
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Also, it turns out bathing is still in the wooden barrel soaking era—the homestay owner will prepare a secret herbal bath for you.
Although there’s no hot shower, you have to wash up quickly and then jump into the hot wooden barrel.
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So buses, hiking, and homestays—a two-day, one-night trip to Sa Pa seems like a lot of hassle, right? Travolor offers a customized two-day, one-night local tour especially for Sa Pa, which saves a lot of trouble. And the partner for this package is a social enterprise called Sapa O'Chau, which uses the travel fees to support Sa Pa children’s education and enhance the skills and competitiveness of the residents. Why not do good while having fun?
Details:http://www.travolor.com/activities/4
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Thoughts: Sa Pa is beautiful, but if you’re short on time, you have to prioritize. I’d recommend going to Ha Long Bay near Hanoi instead.
*Disclaimer: I haven’t been to Ha Long Bay yet XD
#updated
Wowww!! When Travolor saw how happy little me was after this trip, they immediately decided to give readers of my travelogue a 10% discount code for the Sa Pa package, encouraging everyone to act on their wanderlust.
I think this conscientious company is really quite awesome, think about it, okay?
1. The discount is limited to the first five registrants, and each registrant can bring up to nine participants.
2. Besides Sa Pa, Travolor also has other Southeast Asia activity packages, and the 10% discount code applies to all activity packages.(Including the Vietnam Ha Long Bay shown above)
3. The discount does not apply to hot deals, flights, or hotels.
4. Starting April 5, registration ends April 19.
5. Discount code: SAILOR (remember to use uppercase)
Registration instructions are as follows:
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