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We did a combo of DIY trekking and one hike with a local Hmong guide in Sapa. There is an easy hike to Cat Cat that you can do just from walking out of Sapa town. We posted a video from our trek on our blog here: Hiking to Cat Cat in Sapa All the hotels know about it and they will usually give you a free map. It's about $1 USD to enter the hiking area, if I remember correctly. We also took a guided trek that came out to be about $17 per person, which we organized through our hotel. We did however ask for prices at a couple of travel agencies and they were all around that price range. In my experience, the best strategy to avoid getting overcharged for any tour, hike, etc. in Vietnam is to ask for prices at at least two travel offices.

Also another tip is there is a tourism office right off the main square in Sapa that books tours and day trips, etc. and they have good prices. We took a minibus trip to Bac Ha Market for $15 per person.

We booked all of our hotels in Vietnam on Agoda.com and have had no problems. Traveler reviews are very helpful. In Sapa we stayed at Thai Binh Sapa Hotel which was a little more flashy than some of the other options at around $30 a night, but it was a terrific place run by a great guy who speaks excellent English, and the breakfast and heated beds are wonderful.

Enjoy Sapa! We absolutely loved it. And make sure you bring some warm clothes. It's much colder there than in the rest of the country!

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I was last there in 2008, not sure what changed, but money was never a factor.

I arrived on the night train from Hanoi, arranged tickets at Handspan and transfer from Lao Cai to Sapa in a shuttle. Once in Sapa at 6am, I went for breakfast and got a lay of the land, found a hotel I liked after looking at a few, heat is important in winter months. From there my hotel arranged a guide for the ethnic villages, it was a young lady and her little sister, I guess maybe 22 and 15 years old, they were a delight. I hiked on my own one afternoon, and also hired a moto and driver on another moto and went up to Fanispan and down the otherside to the valley below. I was there 2 nights and 3 full days. Taking the night train back to Hanoi.

Its is cold at night, so be prepared.

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With the guide y clarify in detail all costs and duties BEFORE you start otherwise there will be a big argument at the end.

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Hi people, I'm in Hanoi right now and planning to go up to sapa in a couple a days, but I don't know which form of transportation should I take. I'm on a budget and I was told that the sleeper train costs more than 700,000d to get up there. Anybody got experiences with the bus to sapa? How much and all that. Cheers

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Wow, thanks for the replies guys! Excellent stuff.

@ zorgggr, it's odd. It looks like the local trains are only 325,000d, which is pretty good to me, and basically in line with what I pay here in China (maybe a little less). But I can't get an idea about non tourist carriages, people keep wanting to stick me in a tourist one for $70 return, which is a bit much.

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Let us know how you get on!

And @Fugitives - I just saw your video. Got some great stuff in there! Nice to see someone who had been there when the rice wasn't in full 'bloom', just because we'll be there when it's not ready as well (I think).

Edited by: RichardNova

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Hihe safest way and fastest is going by train. It is more expensive than taking the bus but it is much more confortable. I tried both of these transpotation and i see that it is not a good idea to take the sleeping bus going up to the mountain in the night time. I'd like take the hard seat train to Sapa more than the sleeping bus.

The train ticket is from 450.000d to 600.000d /way depend on the class. The 6 people cabin is 450.000d and the sleeping 4 people cabin is 550.000d. In the weekend the price is a bit higher.

When you arrive to Lao cai station you go out of station. there are many buses here to transfer you to sapa which is 38kms away. The ticket is 40.000d-50.000d/person

When you arrive in SAPA, find a local Hmong or Red Dao then she migh help you to guide you around or find her friend to take you in the tour. If you want to safe money, then you can stay at her family.
Here is the cost list for sapa:
Tour guide: 10-15$/day
breakfast: 30.000d 40.000d with coffee.
Lunch, Dinner: 100.000d/meal
Homestay: 80.000d - 100.000d/night
Entrance fees: if just visit some villages like cat cat, lao chai.. it is 20.000d/village.
Hotel in Town: from 250.000- 400.000d/1-2 stars like Hoa Dao Hotel, Hoang Ha, Summit , Global
500.000-700.000d for 3 star: Boutige hotel, royal, queen, bamboo
Most expensive one are: Chau Long, Victoria, Topas
Motorbike and bicycles in Sapa are very expensive. I am very surprise that is 2times than Hanoi.

There is a place similar to Sapa and it is much cheaper and more nature , quiet is Mai Chau. So if you dont have time, your budget is low and you look for a real Vietnamese countryside for trekking, talking with the local people and less tourist then you should have look at this recommendation !

Have a good trip !

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Thanks a lot for your help! That's really excellent :)

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:)