Bro just to share a different perspective.
Firstly the new highway has been built and there are buses that run regularly from Hanoi-Lao Cai-Sapa direct. Takes around 6 to 8 hrs.
Trains are overnight so u just sleep, wake up next morning around 5-6am and u are at Lao Cai. Quite a romantic train experience if u travel 1st class. Weather is also very nice... fresh mountain air.
Lao Cai itself is worth exploring for those who are only interested in cheonging. U can get action in town itself or hop across the border to the Chinese side of Hekou. Its a bustling trading town.
In Sapa itself, some of the Hmong gals are very beautiful if you know where to look. They are of the same stock as the MEOW-zhu (when I type "M-I-A-O" it turns into $$$$ sign...is there a bug in the system?) ppl in China (found in Guizhou etc). U know the stories about "kong tau" etc all originated from the MEOW ppl. I had an ex gf who is MEOW and I can tell u, their charms & beauty are truly hypnoptic. But unfortunately, most Hmong gals in Sapa only speak their own language and very little tv (unless they go to school). Those who are exposed to foreigners speak good English.
Nearby Bac Ha is also worth exploring if u are into the Red Flower Hmong culture. These gals marry very young... around 14-16. By 20 they are considered "expired" stock....
But u have to be updated on the weather conditions, road closures due to landslides etc. If make yr travel arrangements in Hanoi, u are screwed...they just wanna take your money. Better to book yr travel plans with the companies based in Sapa itself as they would know local conditions better.
Nowhere in Vietnam is boring.... hehe.
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Originally Posted by Hurricane88
Yes, very long tiring trip and nothing much to see....told me dun bother to go because really nothing to see...  |