Best Sapa tour from Hanoi – From homestay villages and genuine Vietnamese hospitality to vibrant ethnic markets and mountain trekking, Sapa is a great destination for adventure travelers, hikers, couples, and young families alike. Let us introduce you to some of the best tours to visit Sapa from Hanoi with some transportation options.
Sapa has a way to capture your imagination with its rolling rice paddies and vibrant hill tribe communities. It’s still one of the most popular places to visit in Vietnam, despite being very touristy. The landscapes around Sapa, surrounded by dramatic gorges and stepped rice terraces, are some of the most striking in Northern Vietnam. Visit Sapa to hike scenic trails past tumbling waterfalls, shop in colorful traditional markets, and learn about the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Giay, and Yi minority groups’ cultural heritage in Vietnam.
Hanoi to Sapa: The basics
Sapa is a small town in the far northern border province of Lao Cai, Vietnam. Sapa is located directly to the north-west of Hanoi by road or rail. The nearest town to Sapa is the town of Lao Cai.
Sapa is located in the Hoàng Liên Son Mountains, overlooking the Muong Hoa Valley. The highest peak on the Indochinese Peninsula, Phan Xi Păng, is located west of Sapa.
The distance between Hanoi and Sapa is 319 kilometers. From Hanoi to Lao Cai, about 300km away, you can pick up transport, a car, a bus, a vehicle, a limousine, or a train.
Please note that there are no flights between Hanoi and Sapa. Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport is the closest airport to Sapa. The only way to travel between these two destinations is by road or rail.
By car, it takes between 5 and 5.5 hours to travel from Hanoi to Sapa via the CT05 motorway.
By bus, the journey from Hanoi to Sapa takes approximately 5.5 to 6 hours. Passenger bus tickets from Hanoi to Sapa are priced at VND 250,000 – VND 400,000 per person.
By train, the journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai (the nearest railway station 35 kilometers or 22 miles from Sapa) takes 8 hours and 5 minutes. It takes another 65 minutes from Lao Cai Train Station to reach the town of Sapa by road. Train tickets to Lao Cai range from 200,000 VND to 200,000 VND depending on the quality of the cabin that passengers choose. From Lao Cai, take a taxi or a shuttle bus (if the hotel has a service) to Sapa.
back to menu ↑Best Sapa tours from Hanoi
1. 2-Day Spectacular Sapa Trekking and Bus Tour
During this 2-day bus tour, find out more about Sapa. Take advantage of daily Sapa package tours, including fantastic Sapa hotel stays. Travel by limousine bus with ease. Enjoy the intimacy of small group tours, or pick a private tour option.
Highlights
- Discover the beauty of the mountainous north of Vietnam by bus from Hanoi to Sapa.
- Save time with a daily bus pick-up from your Hanoi hotel.
- See the most popular Sapa travel destinations: Cat Cat Cat, Lao Chai, Ta Van, and Giang Ta Chai.
- Visit the most famous ethnic groups in the region.
2. Sa Pa Homestay 2-Day Tour by Sleeper Bus
Discover the former hill station set up by the French on this amazing 2-day tour of Sa Pa from Hanoi. Spend the night at home to get a taste of the life of the ethnic minority people and walk through the valley to find unspoiled villages.
Highlights
- Explore the Sa Pa Valley with an English-speaking guide.
- Admire the traditional costumes of ethnic groups
- Walkthrough the lush green rice paddies and the terraces.
- Experience life in the mountains and spend the night at a homestay of the ethnic minority people.
3. 2-Day Fansipan Trekking of Sapa Tour
Fansipan is one of the highest mountains in South East Asia, more than 10,000 feet tall. Instead of sinking time and money to organize everything you need for a solo trek, join this small group tour with all the food and transportation provided. Spend two days hiking to the summit and enjoy the great views of Vietnam and even nearby China. There’s no risk of getting lost with your tour guide accompanying you to the top.
Learn about the environment and the mountain indigenous tribes No unexpected loads to carry: enjoy the comfort of a porter on this trip. Spend time exploring Sa Pa Town on your own before climbing. Transfers from Sa Pa train and bus stations are included.
4. Sapa 2 days adventure tour with sleeper bus from Hanoi
This sapa tour is designed for travelers who want to spend 2 days-1 night in Sapa to save time, visiting the most popular travel destinations in Sapa, staying overnight in a good hotel to be comfortable, a much lower cost than going by night train, especially if you can enjoy friendly services.
Highlights:
- Explore sapa with Hanoi English-speaking guides.
- Admire the town of Sapa with its colorful traditional costumes.
- Enjoy a long walk through the rice terraces.
- Visit the village of Cat Cat with a local guide.
5. Round – Trip 3-Night Sapa Easy Trek and Homestay from Hanoi
If you’re looking for a place of cultural authenticity and natural tranquility, you’ve found the right place. In North Vietnam, Sapa is a mountain town where you write poems, have your cameras on most of your time, cheer on a community wine pot, learn to enjoy native culture, or just escape Hanoi’s heat and city noise. Sapa is a precious gift to Vietnam from Mother Nature as one of the most attractive tourism destinations in the country.
After a night train journey from Hanoi, you will explore Sapa and its beautiful southern valley for two days with a night stay at home in the Ta Van village of the Zay people.
Highlights:
- Enjoy a fantastic view of the air
- Get inside tips from the locals
- Get close to native wildlife
- See native wildlife in their natural surroundings
6. 3-Night Sapa Trekking Tour from Hanoi
On this 3-night tour of Sapa from Hanoi, walk through the rugged rice paddies, the hill-tribe villages, and the sweeping mountain valleys of northwest Vietnam. Take a two-day hike, stop to explore the markets of Sapa, and enjoy views of Mt Fansipan, the Golden Stream Valley, and the Ta Phin Valley. Follow your guide through Black Hmong, Red Dao, and Dzay villages and get an insight into the ethnic minority culture and traditions. The tour includes accommodation for the night, meals and transport from Hanoï by train.
Highlights:
- Private Sapa trekking tour, round-trip by overnight train from Hanoi
- Two-day hike with a personal guide to mountain villages flanked by rice fields
- Visit Ma Tra, Ta Phin, Lao Chai and Ta Van Van Villages
- Interact and learn about their clothing and customs with local villagers who make up the ethnic minority tribes of Vietnam
- Search for local market souvenirs and colorful shops for the charming Sapa
- Enjoy five meals, including lunch in the village and a delicious breakfast buffet on arrival.
- 4-star accommodation, air-conditioned train cabin, and hotel transfers are included.
