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Sapa, Bac Ha or Ha Giang
Sapa is very well-known place, it is true that this place has changed considerably and has become a victim of its own success and popularity.
To avoid crowds and easy access, alternatives places to Sapa like Bac Ha and Ha Giang would be your better choice.
Transports:
Nowadays, a journey from Hanoi to Sapa, Bac Ha, Hoang Su Phi or Ha Giang are very convenient because the length of travel shortens and passengers have many transport options to get there such as shuttle bus, train and car or some travelers looking for some more fun with by motorbike exploration.
The distance from Hanoi to Bac Ha, Ha Giang or Sapa are the same, which is around 318 km and takes you about 8 hours riding with amazing moutain view on its way. The stunning landscape, steep mountains and deep valleys as well as local activities.which have similar landscape and/or hilltribes or cool villages?
Hanoi - Bac Ha
There are direct night buses from Hanoi to Bac Ha and back or sleeper train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, then take a bus to Bac Ha.
Bus route: Hanoi Old Quarter – My Dinh bus staion – Vinh phuc province – Phu Tho province – Lao Cai city – Bac Ha town (last stop).
Hanoi - Sapa
There is expressway connecting Hanoi to Lao Cai. You can choose to go to Sapa by bus from Hanoi or take a train to Lao Cai and from there catch a bus to Sapa town.
Hanoi - Ha Giang
There are bus services from Hanoi to Ha Giang or if you are a biker, you can follow the bus route below
Hanoi Old Quarter – My Dinh bus station – Noi Bai airport – Vinh Phuc province – Viet Tri city – Doan Hung district – Tuyen Quang province - Ha Giang bus station (last stop).
Note: January and February may be the worst month for motorbike experience as it is cold and fog could be so thick, be prepared 1 or 2 litres if there is any problem with gas station.
What to see in each place?
If you have a litmited time to visit, you should better book a package tour with everything includes so that you can save time of walking around, asking different agencies for ideas of visiting. Preparing a short package schedule is always better in this case.
Bac Ha
Most people know Bac Ha only for the Saturday Morning Market in Can Cau and the big one in Bac Ha on Sunday Morning.
Getting to Bac Ha, you can also do a lot of interesting activities at: Coc Ly Tueday Market, Hoang A Tuong Place and Fairy Cave Cave which are attractive all travellers on the world.
Sapa
Here are some highlights, must-see points once you reach Sapa:
Ham Rong Mountain; Villages of Cat Cat, Ta Van, Lao Chai, Giang Ta Chai, Su Pan and Ban Ho; Conquer Fansipan Moutain by cable car.
Ha Giang
An amazing place in the North - East of Vietnam with wonderful mountain on site, the terraces view as well as rich culture of Ethnic people (Tay, H'Mong, Dzao...).
This is the place for adventure travellers, those like to be in an un-touristic place. Discovery the majestic of Quan Ba Heave Gate; The legendary Ma Pi Leng Pass; Dong Van Culture Market; Green Karst; Vuong Palace; Lung Cam Cultural Tourist; Lung Cu Village and Hoang Su Phi.
Where is best for trekking?
Comparing to Ha Giang and Bac Ha, Sapa is growing like crazy but unless you don’t stay in town, there are still plenty of possibilities of trekking all day with few tourists or and stay in mountain homestays, some of them with few tourists, but Bac Ha is definitely a solution: excellent trekking and very few tourists on most trails.
If not, places like Dong Van, Meo Vac, Quan Ba, Yen Minh in Ha Giang is certainly not the best choice, very limited trekking but offer best motorbike riding experience.
Hoang Su Phi, a district of Ha Giang province – a new trekking place to be found with non-tourist and so much to see in the region. Hoang Su Phi is very beautiful, but not very easy access unlesss you have time. The must-visit places belong to Hoang Su Phi are Ban Phung village, Ban Luoc Village, Nam Khoa village where you can enjoy breathtaking views of streams, terraced rice fields and picturesque villages of La Chi, the Tay tribe. Coming to the villages, you may be strange to the villagers as there are less tourist, but the local people are still very friendly and you will be welcomed there. Hoang Su Phi offers many trekking destinations with rural trails through ethnic villages, pine and bamboo forests, ancient tea hills, Tay Con Linh and Chieu Lau Thi Mount.
Excellent trekking organized by Vietnam Original Travel company, visit their website: https://vietnamoriginal-travel.com/
