Hi All,
Travelling by sleeper bus, which was actually much more comfortable than expected, we headed northwest to Sa Pa. If you google Sa Pa you will see lush green rice paddies and blue skies. Not if you come in December it seems! Instead we were greeted with thick mist, drizzle and cold temperatures that came with it. Our guesthouse was located in the tiny village of Tavan, 8km out of the tourist town we arrived in. Unfortunately, the incredible views we had seen when booking were obscured by the clouds but we still went to bed looking forward our two day trek starting the following morning.
Our guide, called Zu Zu, was a member of the H’mong tribe (one of 6 tribes in the Sa Pa region) and made both of us look like giants despite being the same age. She explained how she had learned English by walking alongside tourists while they were trekking; talking to them and selling them handicrafts until her English was clear enough to begin guided treks herself. She took us through bamboo forests and past countless rice paddies, meeting some rare white water buffalo along the way. It was amazing to learn about the process of growing rice. She explained how one harvest feeds a whole family all year round (3 meals a day) and is stored in the rafters above their houses after it has been dried and had the husks removed.
As the rain got heavier, we passed a small house and were beckoned inside by the lady at the door; who we later found out was a cousin of our guide’s husband. Once inside, we were invited to join three generations of ladies and children all seated on small plastic stalls around a tiny table. We were invited to share their food and drink. It was a crazy but wonderful experience; laughing and giggling all round as we drunk tea cup after tea cup of ‘happy water’ (home brewed rice wine that also gives a ‘happy headache’). We got stuck in and enjoyed chewy buffalo broth, rice and potatoes with all the family. This unplanned, spontaneous stop was a highlight of a rainy day.
Mid afternoon we arrived at our homestay for the evening; a traditional house belonging to a H’mong tribe family. We were shown to our very cute but very cold room made of bamboo. When you can see through the gaps in a wall to the outside, you know you’re in for a chilly night. With the aid of Spotify and Mariah Carey we felt Christmasy as we ate our advent calendar sweet huddled round the fire. Back to Vietnamese traditions, we spent the rest of the evening with the family we were staying with. We enjoyed a home cooked meal together and sat chatting round the embers of the fire in the centre of the main living room (no chimney, just an open fire pit).
The sun had begun to break through the clouds by the time we awoke the following morning. With the mist clearing, we had a good view of the rice fields from our balcony. After breakfast we said goodbye to the family and began another day trekking with Zu Zu. As the weather was clearer, we were able to see more of the interesting landscape around us. The rice terraces carved out of the mountain side spanned the height and width of the entire valley. We navigated through these, up and down slippery paths - thankful for the wellies Zu Zu has recommended we rented! As we walked, it was wonderful to chat to Zu Zu about life in the mountains, hearing about the traditional customs as well as the way of life for the tribe people today.
Overall we had a fantastic experience in Sa Pa and are really pleased we made the effort to go despite the weather. We would love to return one day in the summer though and see the incredible landscape with a blue sky and rice ready for harvesting.
Next we are off to Cat Ba island - fingers crossed for better weather!
Love R and D xxx
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