Sapa
Sapa and surrounding area has long been northern Vietnam’s premier trekking destination, and with good reason. The area is home to the country’s highest mountains, iconic rice terraces, and an unusually diverse patchwork of cultures and ethnolinguistic groups.
Sadly, Sapa has fallen foul of modern tourism’s biggest failing: promoting already popular places and pushing them to breaking point. Badly-planned tourism in Sapa town and the immediate surroundings has led to gross overdevelopment – a reality you won’t see in most tourism marketing. To get the most from this region it’s essential you employ the services of a guide and find an itinerary that gets you well into the countryside.
Hiking in Vietnam
An expert guide to the best treks & hikes in Vietnam
I’ve been living in Vietnam on and off for 15 years, and I’ve spent most of that time writing travel stories, authoring guidebooks and working as a fixer for other visitors. So vast are the outdoors here that it seems I’m always writing about adventure travel in some form or another. Vietnam’s dramatic landscapes make hiking a worthwhile activity on its own, but unlike mainstream trekking destinations, it’s rarely the sole focus...read more