4 Best Sights in Sapa, The Northwest

Sapa is part of this mountainous 7,400-acre landscape covered by temperate and subtemperate forests. The reserve provides a habitat for 66 species of mammals—tigers, leopards, monkeys, and bears among them—16 of which, including the Asiatic black bear, are considered endangered. An impressive 347 species of birds, including the red-vented barbet and the collared finchbill, can be found only in these mountains. Among the area's geological resources are minerals from sediments deposited in the Mesozoic and Paleozoic periods. From the Muong Hoa River to the peak of Mt. Fansipan, the eastern boundary of the reserve is formed by a ridge of marble and calcium carbonate. Also found in this region is kaolinite, or China clay, used in the making of porcelain.

Guided walking tours of the nature reserve are recommended and are easily arranged through hotels, guesthouses, and tour agencies in town. Motorbike drivers will be happy to take you down the road from Sapa for a full day of hiking, swimming in waterfall pools, and visiting H'mong and Thai villages. Hoteliers and tour companies can also make arrangements for you.

Now housed in a less-than-pleasant building near the bus station, the Sapa market is still the best place in Vietnam to purchase textiles. H'mong and Red Dao women are the primary sellers, and you can rest assured their products are handmade. Most sellers walk in from surrounding villages, while a few catch rides on the backs of motorcycles. They are often dressed in their finest traditional garb: richly embroidered vests and dresses, aqua-and-black cotton shirts, finely detailed silver necklaces and bracelets, and elaborate headdresses that tinkle with every movement. Many of these women have picked up a few French and English words or phrases. The real selling goes on upstairs, so skip the ground floor.

Part of the fun is bargaining, but don't express too much interest up front. Hold out for as long as you can, and then ask to see the good stuff. You'll likely be shown fabric of quality superior to what was offered only moments before.

The market is at its peak on Saturday, when tourists from Hanoi flood into Sapa; you may actually find it quieter and more fun on weekdays.

The first floor of this small museum is called the Sapa Minorities Handicraft Shop, and you can indeed purchase beautiful gifts here. For the information, head up the large wooden staircase and peruse the slightly dusty exhibits. You can get a useful crash course in the ethnology of the area and view photos and artifacts used in traditional celebrations.

The highlight of this mountainside compound of attractions is a cable car system, which is 6,292.5 meters (20,645 feet) long and a stunning 1,410 meters (4,626 feet) high. It is the longest nonstop three-rope cable car in the world and allows anyone to get to the top of Mt. Fansipan in just a few short minutes. Designed by Doppelmayr, a German-Swiss-Austrian group, this cable car takes you through the mountain mist over beautiful rice terraces and valleys, and delivers you to the Sapa Station where you can take a funicular or walk 300 steps to the top. Many visitors have complained that the restaurants and shops at the top are an eyesore, but the construction shows true ingenuity.