Summer In Sapa, Vietnam
Going to Sapa involves catching a train from Hanoi.
Be aware that even though there is only one train station in Hanoi; they have fairly recently opened another platform around the corner from the old platform to ease congestion.
Be careful if you are booking things yourself.
Make sure that you leave enough time to walk to the other entrance if necessary.
The other entrance is about a 10 minute walk.
If you get given a map then you will know where to walk.
Don't expect customer service or English speakers.
We found the staff to be quite rude to Westerners, yet a different way to Vietnamese.
There are two types of tickets- One is seat only (wooden seats), and the other is a sleeper where you get a bed (as part of a four bed room).
If you can, try to travel with 3 other people so you don't have to sleep in a four bed room with 3 other strangers...
or with Vietnamese people who seem to be able to get away with sneaking their friends into the sleeping rooms (3 in each bed, 4 or the floor type of thing).
Once you are in the sleeping rooms be prepared to do some gymnastics if you are sleeping on the top bunk.
Older people or people with physical problems need to keep this in mind when booking and ask for bottom bunk beds.
Remember when you are sleeping to LOCK YOUR DOOR.
You don't want to wake up and have your belongings tampered with or stolen because no one will support you.
Even if you report it to the police, it will be a waste of time.
Once you arrive in Lao Cai you will need to either catch a taxi or I STRONGLY recommend that you arrange with your hotel for transfers, even if you have to pay five bucks or something.
The trip up the mountain will be spectacular and give you amazing views (particularly for people that aren't mountain climbers like me).
Just say a little prayer or something because the drivers are often pushed for time and are pretty dangerous.
Once you arrive at your hotel you will be greeted by some friendly tribal women.
These women will follow you around for the rest of your stay, and try to befriend you to get you to buy things from them.
I'm a sucker and bought many things without bargaining much- but other tourists really got annoyed at the constant harassment.
I also found that once I bought from one person, that person followed me around the whole time.
So, if you are impatient, then buy things in Sapa from proper shops not the tribal ladies.
There are lots of mountain climbing things you can do.
I did a walk to the waterfalls and it almost killed me as I am not a fit person.
My legs were aching for days.
Also the pathways were dangerous.
But more adventurous and fit people like my brother and his fiance didn't mind the walk, but still admitted that it was a bit difficult (more difficult than the hotel staff explained).
I saw a lot of people struggling to finish the walk and deal with uneven and at times dangerous pathways.
After the waterfalls, you can see a little show of Vietnamese dancers etc.
if you arrange to be there at the right time (ask you hotel staff).
But remember, you've gotta climb up the other side of the freakin' mountain! I was beside myself when I was told I couldn't walk back the same way I came (a route that I knew was less steep).
Luckily there were motorbike taxi's ready to rip me off to take me back to my hotel.
I agreed.
I was finished.
The rest of the trip I enjoyed the mountain views from my hotel, got massages for my aching body and ate at all the delicious restaurants that line the streets of quaint Sapa Town.
I enjoyed talking to the tribal women who have pretty good English.
Bring all paperwork with you at all times.
When the train had arrived back in Hanoi I left our tickets on the train because we had just woken up, it was dark, I had the receipt and we were departing in a train station which we knew had no electronic ticketing requirements.
Other people didn't have to show their tickets, but unfortunately we were singled out (possibly because we were foreigners).
I showed them the receipt and they wanted a bribe (instead I sent my brother back to get the tickets from the train).
The lady even surprisingly got physically aggressive when we just simply tried to walk through to talk to someone else.
In general in Vietnam I found the Vietnamese very bureaucratic and even if documentation is there, they will find a fault or identify a loop hole to try and receive a bribe.
It is unfortunate because there are many beautiful Vietnamese people.
However, as tourism grows and regulations are scarcely made or enforced, tourists visiting Vietnam need to be prepared to have people try to rip off and scam them.
Don't let this ruin your holiday.
Stay calm, stay resolute and if things escalate try to remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.
If that's not possible ask to see their identification, speak to their boss or take pictures of them with your camera only if it won't provoke physical violence.
Be aware that even though there is only one train station in Hanoi; they have fairly recently opened another platform around the corner from the old platform to ease congestion.
Be careful if you are booking things yourself.
Make sure that you leave enough time to walk to the other entrance if necessary.
The other entrance is about a 10 minute walk.
If you get given a map then you will know where to walk.
Don't expect customer service or English speakers.
We found the staff to be quite rude to Westerners, yet a different way to Vietnamese.
There are two types of tickets- One is seat only (wooden seats), and the other is a sleeper where you get a bed (as part of a four bed room).
If you can, try to travel with 3 other people so you don't have to sleep in a four bed room with 3 other strangers...
or with Vietnamese people who seem to be able to get away with sneaking their friends into the sleeping rooms (3 in each bed, 4 or the floor type of thing).
Once you are in the sleeping rooms be prepared to do some gymnastics if you are sleeping on the top bunk.
Older people or people with physical problems need to keep this in mind when booking and ask for bottom bunk beds.
Remember when you are sleeping to LOCK YOUR DOOR.
You don't want to wake up and have your belongings tampered with or stolen because no one will support you.
Even if you report it to the police, it will be a waste of time.
Once you arrive in Lao Cai you will need to either catch a taxi or I STRONGLY recommend that you arrange with your hotel for transfers, even if you have to pay five bucks or something.
The trip up the mountain will be spectacular and give you amazing views (particularly for people that aren't mountain climbers like me).
Just say a little prayer or something because the drivers are often pushed for time and are pretty dangerous.
Once you arrive at your hotel you will be greeted by some friendly tribal women.
These women will follow you around for the rest of your stay, and try to befriend you to get you to buy things from them.
I'm a sucker and bought many things without bargaining much- but other tourists really got annoyed at the constant harassment.
I also found that once I bought from one person, that person followed me around the whole time.
So, if you are impatient, then buy things in Sapa from proper shops not the tribal ladies.
There are lots of mountain climbing things you can do.
I did a walk to the waterfalls and it almost killed me as I am not a fit person.
My legs were aching for days.
Also the pathways were dangerous.
But more adventurous and fit people like my brother and his fiance didn't mind the walk, but still admitted that it was a bit difficult (more difficult than the hotel staff explained).
I saw a lot of people struggling to finish the walk and deal with uneven and at times dangerous pathways.
After the waterfalls, you can see a little show of Vietnamese dancers etc.
if you arrange to be there at the right time (ask you hotel staff).
But remember, you've gotta climb up the other side of the freakin' mountain! I was beside myself when I was told I couldn't walk back the same way I came (a route that I knew was less steep).
Luckily there were motorbike taxi's ready to rip me off to take me back to my hotel.
I agreed.
I was finished.
The rest of the trip I enjoyed the mountain views from my hotel, got massages for my aching body and ate at all the delicious restaurants that line the streets of quaint Sapa Town.
I enjoyed talking to the tribal women who have pretty good English.
Bring all paperwork with you at all times.
When the train had arrived back in Hanoi I left our tickets on the train because we had just woken up, it was dark, I had the receipt and we were departing in a train station which we knew had no electronic ticketing requirements.
Other people didn't have to show their tickets, but unfortunately we were singled out (possibly because we were foreigners).
I showed them the receipt and they wanted a bribe (instead I sent my brother back to get the tickets from the train).
The lady even surprisingly got physically aggressive when we just simply tried to walk through to talk to someone else.
In general in Vietnam I found the Vietnamese very bureaucratic and even if documentation is there, they will find a fault or identify a loop hole to try and receive a bribe.
It is unfortunate because there are many beautiful Vietnamese people.
However, as tourism grows and regulations are scarcely made or enforced, tourists visiting Vietnam need to be prepared to have people try to rip off and scam them.
Don't let this ruin your holiday.
Stay calm, stay resolute and if things escalate try to remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.
If that's not possible ask to see their identification, speak to their boss or take pictures of them with your camera only if it won't provoke physical violence.
