Sa Pa

Ham Rong, a Ta Van homestay and the Fansipan cable car

Three days in Sa Pa cover the town, a night in the Muong Hoa valley and the Fansipan cable car. Night trains and buses arrive early, so take the first morning gently: drop your bags, eat pho near the market and climb Ham Rong, the hill behind the church square, through its flower gardens to the lookouts.

After lunch, walk down to Cat Cat, a Black Hmong village below town, to see the waterwheel and the weaving, then take a xe om back up. In the evening, join the crowd at the charcoal grills around the church.

Day two is the valley. Start with a guide from Lao Chai and walk down through the terraces to Ta Van, crossing the Muong Hoa stream and stopping at farmhouses along the way. Stay the night in a Ta Van homestay and eat with the family.

On the third morning, look at the summit forecast before doing anything else. If the sky is clear, return to town and ride the funicular and cable car towards Fansipan, then climb the last steps to the 3,143-metre marker, the highest point in Indochina. If the peak is under cloud, swap it for a drive to O Quy Ho pass and the Silver Waterfall instead. Either way, aim to be at the pass for sunset before the evening bus back to Hanoi.

Muong Hoa valley trails from Lao Chai to Ta Van

The classic Sa Pa hike runs from Lao Chai to Ta Van in the Muong Hoa valley south-east of town, where terraces curve down to a rocky river past Hmong and Giay hamlets. Paths mix concrete lanes, terrace-edge dirt tracks and slippery stone steps that turn muddy after rain, so wear shoes with real grip.

A guide helps more than you might expect. Trails split constantly, much of the route crosses farmland owned by the families who work it, and a good guide explains what is growing and who lives where. Book through your homestay or an established local agency, and settle the route, distance and price before you set off. Women from the villages often walk alongside groups and hope to sell embroidery at the end; buy if you like it, and say no clearly if not.

For a tougher test, Fansipan can still be climbed on foot over one or two days with a licensed guide, starting from the Tram Ton side near O Quy Ho. It is a steep, muddy trek, best attempted in the drier spells of autumn or spring.

Salmon hotpot, thang co and night grills by the stone church

Cold nights shape Sa Pa's food. The splurge is lau ca hoi, salmon hotpot made with fish farmed in icy mountain streams and cooked at the table with herbs, tomatoes and greens; sturgeon, raised the same way, is on many menus too. Order it for a group and take your time over it.

The street grills are cheaper and more fun. After dark, stalls near the church and the market line up skewers of pork and chicken, stuffed mushrooms, eggs cooked in the shell, roasted corn and sweet potatoes over charcoal, and people stand around them for warmth as much as food. Com lam, sticky rice cooked inside a bamboo tube, is the usual side.

For something more local, look for thang co, the Hmong stew of horse meat and offal simmered with spices, sold in market halls and at weekly markets in the surrounding districts. It is strong and not for everyone. Milder upland dishes include stir-fried cai meo, the bitter Hmong mustard greens, and smoked pork hung over kitchen fires. Wash it all down with corn wine from a homestay, which is stronger than it tastes, and finish with a hot ginger tea before bed.