Cloudy Sapa, Paradise For Photographers

By Author: careca mongolana
Total Articles: 15
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Wintertime in Vietnam is very cold and humid, especially the northern mountain areas of which Sapa is a popular destination, however winter is the best time to discover the beauty of this high land.

Sapa always stands on the top list of winter destinations in Vietnam. "City in the fog" has the specific of northwest mountains with blue skies, white clouds and colourful flower blooming all year round and many travelers come to Sapa in the winter . Winter is very cold in Sa Pa, sometime weather drops to below zero degree, tree branches and grass are covered with ice. Sa Pa on icy days always attracts many tourists and photographers and strangely all the most beautiful pictures about Sapa are taken in wintertime. Sapa has many walking paths into the village with beautiful scenes of nature, flower forest. The hamlets on the hillsides, along streams, brocade gown spread on huge rocks, pieces of newly dyed linen flying in the thin haze makes Sapa becomes more beautiful and romantic . While is beach tourist spots are empty in winter Sapa is still bustling with tourists, mostly foreigners, they come to find out the natural and ...
... cultural beauty of the land over 100 years old.

Sapa is known as a city in the fog, however in winter, fog in Sa Pa is denser, causing blurry landscape, full of mystery. Fog spread everywhere, perching on the pine branches along the way, in the rice terraces causing blurred shadows of indigo skirts appears and disappears every now and then. Sa Pa town with homes looming in the fog . The ancient castles and modern villas built with Western architecture, follow the winding roads or protruding on the slopes, hillsides. The roads in town is as beautiful as a picturesque. Despite the cold and fog, the ancient Samu trees along roadsides are still green. The forests of bamboo, pines are immense. Along the red tiled road, looming in the fog, the women wearing bamboo baskets on their back are walking quickly, their heads are covered with colourful scarves.

Located in Muong Hoa valley, less than 10 km from Sapa, the Cat Cat village is a vivid picture of the Hmong culture. The houses are roofed by Po Mu wood, with the pillars placed on round or square rock. The outer room is full with brocade clothes for sale, souvenirs, bronze and silver jewelry and ethnic instruments such as Dan Moi, pan leaf, bamboo flute...

Close to Sapa, Y Ty (in Bat Xat district) is inspiring tourists to return after their first visit. There are still large number of tourists coming to Y Ty on cold winter days, this place is reckoned as paradise for young backpackers. The wonderful thing in Y Ty is the natural landscape, there is here jungle, cardamom, Son Tra flower and little houses plastered with earth. Coming to Y Ty, homestay in the village is the most interesting, travelers stay and have dinner with the hosts, enjoy herbal bath served by local ethnic people. Y Ty in wintertime is still very attractive captivating adventurous tourists to experience life in a distant land.

In recent years, homestay has become a favourite experience especially for the young people doing Sapa tours thanks to reasonable prices, culture and closeness to the nature. In response to the increasing demand, many families have renovated their houses in order to receive tourists, visitors can stay the night with family, learn about cultural characteristics, enjoy local cuisine of the area.

In the famous places such as Sapa, Bac Ha, Bat Xat homestay is developing very fast with more and more professional services of the hosts, In addition to accommodation and food, homeowners can also become tour guides taking visitors to experience life in the village.