Sapa overview

Even though tourism has exploded in Sapa over the last 10 years it is still relatively unknown in the foreign community; although it has long been the secret of backpackers and trekkers going between China and Vietnam. Many people come to Sapa to trek in the Tonkinese Alps and to see the ancient hill tribes that still live in the area. Of course, the rapid increase in tourism has driven many of the hill tribes into town where they hawk their somewhat dubious "authentic" souvenirs. Sapa is known for its terraced rice fields and haunting, foggy environment. Most that come here do so for the hill trekking, where cultural tourists can see the hill tribes in their natural habitat, but remember, this is not a zoo so keep the staring and picture taking to a minimum and remember to be polite.