City Info: Sa Pa
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| The respite from harried city life and a view of the surrounding
mountains is what brings most people to Sa Pa, locals and tourists
alike. It's incredible, with enormous stands of bamboo, terraces of
rice paddies, people in richly decorated traditional clothing. It's
just lovely. But there is more to do than just walk around, though
I'd suggest you do a bit of that, as well. The town itself is easy
enough to get around in, nothing is very far from the town center, so
get out there and check it out.
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Sa Pa Market
Muong Hoa
Typical of open markets in Vietnam, The Sa Pa market runs down the
street and into a couple of large, cement buildings, each with
numerous shops (that usually consist of a table or two). You can buy
the same thing from most of the sellers which makes this the perfect
place for you to practice bargaining. Things here are priced for the
tourist, and then some, so don't feel bad about getting the price
down a bit.
You'll find lots of Chinese coins (supposedly ancient, but who
knows), which the kids love. Look for the little mouth harp; I'm not
sure how to spell the name, but it is pronounced like nyoo-zee
and the local guides sell them in small, covered cylinders. They
make a remarkably sweet sound and can never get too loud. They
aren't for the real little kids though, as there is a sharp point at
the end. Ouch!
For mothers who sew, this is the place to pick up some heavier
fabrics, dyed locally (perhaps woven locally, as well?). Expect to
pay about 30-50,000VND per metre.
And at the fresh market, look for the blue chickens. Honestly.
Strange little things.
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Cat Cat Village
3 km west of Sa Pa
Tucked into the valley below Sa Pa, Cat Cat village is a popular trek for the not-so-hardy lot of tourists.
There are several other treks that you can go on that last from 8-20km, but this (fairly) short walk is easy enough
for kids and you can get a ride back uphill on a xe om.
If you're bringing the little ones, take a baby backpack. Everyone else wear sturdy shoes, if possible. My son ended up
forgetting his Converse in Ha Noi and did the trek in sandals. Do-able, but not suggested. Also bring along sweaters and ponchos or umbrellas;
the weather is much cooler, and wetter, this far north.
The walk meanders out from Sa Pa and through the village where you literally get to peek into people's lives. Watch
for the indigo dye baths and keep the kids on the look-out for potbellied pigs. There's plenty to keep everyone's interest and
most tour guides are pretty good about explaining interesting bits along the way. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
We were accompanied by two Black Thai women who constantly asked us to make purchases, so after buying some snacks at the
rest point near the falls, we bought a few items from them. Their English was great and they'd really made the trip more fun with
their chit-chat and explanations.
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