Sapa in Lao Cai Province is a must-visit destination for those keen to discover the unique beauty of Vietnam’s ethnic mountainous life as it combines spectacular landscapes with an exotic lifestyle.
Sapa District has added Ma Tra Hamlet into its growing list of stunning destinations in the area.
Located five kilometers from southeast Sapa Town, the hamlet is home to Mong ethnic people and only boasts around 50 homes. The villagers survive using their craft such as weaving brocade, silk, forging farming tools and carving silver.
The whole of Sapa District is dominated by the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range which boasts Vietnam’s highest mountain of Fansipan at a height of 3,142 meters above sea level. The town of Sapa lies at an altitude of about 1,600 meters, bringing in a cool and foggy look to the area.
Destinations suggested for tourists to visit are Ham Rong Mountain, Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo Forest and Ta Phin Cave. Tourists can indulge in the fascinating views of steeply terraced rice fields, towering verdant ridgelines, primitive mud-thatched villages, raging rivers and astounding waterfalls.
Sapa takes pride in its unique climate in Vietnam. It is highly seasonal, with a subtropical climate in the summer and a temperate climate during the winter. So people often say you can experience four seasons in one day. Of which, in the morning and afternoon, it is as cool as in spring and autumn. Yet, at noon, it is as sunny and cloudless as in summer. In the evening, it drastically changes into a cold winter evening. This is actually a unique advantage, making Sapa different from anywhere else in the nation.
However, travelers should also beware of the sudden thunderstorms and heavy rain at noon in summer. Yet, subsequently, a rainbow appears turning Sapa into a beautiful, magic land with seven colors. Therefore, travelers have to remember to bring their best camera so as not to miss this magnificent view.