Saturday 17th October

We were greeted with a beautiful sunny morning and the view from the Sunny Mountains Hotel lived up to expectations. The rugged limestone mountains were bathed in sunshine and I would have to say that this was the best day climatically in Sapa that I have experienced over 3 visits. Breakfast on the 9th floor of the hotel took great advantage of this scenic view.

In past years, the trek has been a fairly laid back stroll down a mountain track to the village of Tavan, with an entourage of Red Zao and Black Hmong  women selling their embroidery. Many people in the past didn't like this crowding of personal space so a new adventure has emerged. Tinh paid a $5 entry fee per person and we descended a well made stone path with steps to the village of Cat Cat. Along the way there was the opportunity to buy local craft and to watch it being made. We also walked off the beaten path to visit a woman threshing sticky rice and a couple of the group had a turn at it. I think they had a great deal of respect for the strength of the Hmong woman who did it hours on end. The descent into the river valley was terrific with large stands of mature bamboo shading the walking path. Indigo plants were also in abundance and were used to dye the material for the local handicrafts. A series of streams fed into this river, one being a picturesque waterfall that added to the character of the village. We were treated to a traditional dance show in the village before the ascent to the bus. 

We checked out of the hotel at 12.45pm and lunched in a nearby restaurant before departing for Bac Ha via Lao Cai. Lao Cai is a well laid out city by Vietnamese standards as it was completely destroyed by the Chinese in 1979 and then rebuilt. It is right on the border with China so we were able to stand on one side of the Chay River and look across the border. Relations are much better here with the Chinese but they are still the traditional enemy and one of the reasons the Vietnamese are welcoming to westerners despite the horrors of previous conflicts.

We arrived in Bac Ha around 6.30pm after a slow climb in the bus, although there were less bends than the drive to Sapa. At 1500m a.s.l. It is a little lower than Sapa and a lot less developed. This is about as remote as we will be in Vietnam and tomorrow we will be bright and early at the traditional markets.

This man was manually turn in is pig to roast street side in Sapa

A traditional rice pounding apparatus using water to make rice flour

 Hmong babies always look contented riding around on their mother's back

The waterfall in Cat Cat village

Rice terraces on the road from Sapa