How
to get there…
By train:
Sapa is about 400 km North West of Hanoi. It is about 9-hour train journey to
Lao Cai, a town on the Chinese border, and than the 37km to Sapa will take 45
- 60 minutes car ride of beautiful views more than 1000 meters up into the mountains.
A seat on the minibus will cost about $ 2.00, a taxi ride about $15-20.
Prices for the train ride vary according to both the type of seat purchased
and the season during which you are traveling. The times around Vietnamese holidays
are particularly expensive and tickets cannot be assumed available for same
day travel, so book ahead if possible. Travelers are highly recommended to purchase
a berth in a soft or hard sleeper car, though the trip in soft seat class is
not intolerable. For a bed, expect to pay in the area of 150,000-300,000 dong
(one-way). It's best to travel with several of the night trains that leave Hanoi
from 8:30 - 9:30 PM, arriving in Lao Cai from 5:30 - 7:00 am. Avoid taking the
day trains and save yourself a lot of hustle.
By car or motorcycle:
Sapa can also be reached by driving from Hanoi by a variety of routes. The most
direct route takes at least ten hours for first time riders.
