SA PA and its rice fields

As soon as we arrived in Sapa, we were overwhelmed by the locals like never before. They barely let you arrive and already want to offer you a taxi or homestay. The women carry their babies and the older children walk beside them with handmade bracelets and scarves, all traditionally dressed. But it's too much for us and not a comfortable start to the otherwise amazing area. The overlapping is unfortunately out of place and only scares away tourists. There are even posters in the center with the inscription that you should not buy anything from them. It's actually a pity that they ruin it this way.

After this rather drastic start, we arrive at our wonderful room overlooking the rice fields. We can hardly believe that we are right in the middle of it.

We discover a similar resort here as at Ba Na Hill in Danang. It is even from the same provider. This time the three-wire cable car is the longest in its expanse. Again, we fly over forests and valleys, but much higher up. When we reach the top, a path stretches past pagodas, towers, a Buddha statue, all the way up to the summit with the flag. We have climbed the highest peak in Indochina, Southeast Asia. Of course, with the help of the cable car. Fansipan is at an altitude of 3,143 meters.

The next day, we naturally go down to the rice fields. We don't take a guided tour like most people here, but hike on our own. It's quite easy because there are paths between the terraces practically everywhere for the locals. We enjoy our lunch by a cool river, where Justin immediately tests his drone.

The rice fields are enormous. Unfortunately, we are here slightly off-season. Because some of the fields are still brown and not planted. Nevertheless, the view is great and we stroll past fields, water buffaloes, geese, cows, chickens, and terraces. We would love to come back again and watch the rice grow.

Next, we will return to Hanoi and continue to Halong Bay from there.