16 Must Do Things in Sapa
(Ultimate 2026 Guide)
Sapa is famous for its breath-taking views over cascading rice terraces and mountain scenery. From here, you can start several incredible treks through the Vietnamese countryside and visit local villages of ethnic minorities like the H’mong. Read on to find out what else to do in Sapa, from the touristy to the hidden gem.
This hub in the north wasn’t on my travel list until I actually arrived in Vietnam (admittedly, I had done very little research prior to this trip). Once in Vietnam, everyone told me to head there from either Hanoi or the Ha Giang Loop.
Sapa has started to split travel opinions on whether it is worth visiting. While it is touristy in places (including some of the negative sides of this like families making their children work to make money), I do still think it is 100% worth visiting if done correctly.
Check out this guide for things I recommend doing in Vietnam, with a focus on supporting the local people, especially those from ethnic minorities.
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Planning your trip last minute?
How to get to Sapa?
Bus:
There are several buses going from anywhere in Vietnam to Sapa. I took the HK buslines one from Hanoi and it was ok (don’t expect luxury), the only issue was the chaotic early arrival. Night buses in Vietnam have had some safety concerns over the years, though I had no issues while there.
Travel Time from Hanoi: 6-7 hours
Cost: ~$16
Train:
The train from Hanoi goes to Lao Cai, from which you can take a 1 hour bus or taxi to Sapa. It goes overnight and you will likely be in a 4-bed sleeper bunk room.
Travel Time from Hanoi : around 8 hours
Cost: $17+
Private Shuttle:
There are many companies offering private shuttles and limousine buses all over Vietnam to Sapa. These are the most comfortable way to travel, but often a little pricier.
Travel Time from Hanoi: 5+ hours
Cost: from around $30
Where to stay in Sapa?
Sapa is a pretty walkable city with many incredible restaurants, activities and accommodation options. I’d recommend staying close to the city centre which is located around Sapa Square.
Beware that many streets going from the square lead uphill and can be a bit challenging to hike, so research your hotel location before booking.
Check out my full accommodation guide for Sapa here.
Best hostels and hotels in Sapa:
🛏️ Minh Hưng Hostel (budget-friendly, nice staff)
🏬Quiet Sapa Hotel(gorgeous rooms, amazing location)
🏩Sapa Relax Hotel & Spa (luxurious rooms, amazing views and a Spa on site)
Tours to check out:
- Sapa 2 Day Trekking Tour with Homestay (I did this one and would highly recommend)
Cat Cat Village, Moana, Fansipan Cable Car, Alpine Coaster (Best of Sapa Day Tour)
- Sapa Motorbike Tour (for those not wanting to hike)
- Paragliding over rice terraces
Top things to do in Sapa
1. Explore Sapa town and surrounds
One of my favourite things to do in Sapa was actually just exploring the town. It is full off colourful buildings, tiny streets where you’ll find local hidden gems, a big lake as well as the breathtakingly beautiful views over the rice terraces and nearby villages.
Make sure to check out the distinct Sun Plaza building that houses Sapa station.
A word of warning: Most of the city’s ATMs are in this area. TAKE OUT CASH BEFORE COMING TO SAPA! The ATMs here all have super high fees and often run out of cash or won’t give you the full sum.
Cash is still king in Sapa so bring plenty (often you’ll also need enough to cover the Ha Giang Loop after so be prepared – Hanoi has some free ATMs).
2. Go trekking with locals
Sapa is known for its beautiful hikes through rice fields and bamboo forests, as well as visits to the local villages of ethnic minorities like the Hmong. We did a 2 Day 1 Night hike and it was one of the highlights of my trip.
The woman who founded the company we went with (Dinh) is from a tiny village in the area and married very young, but uses the proceeds from her company to help out young girls and boys from that village so that they get an education and more opportunities. You can check them out here.
There are several treks you can take, like up Fansipan or through the rice fields or Doi Bo. I’d recommend doing your research on what interests you most and choosing a company and route based on that. Just make sure the company is locally owned and supports its community!
3. Enjoy the amazing local restaurants
I recently saw a video of someone complaining about the food in Sapa, and I felt like we must have visited different places. Personally, the food here was some of the most delicious of my entire Vietnam trip! Especially as a non-meat eater, the options were amazing.
Some of my favourites were Thong Dong Vegan Kitchen & Cafe (the atmosphere is incredible too), YEN Vegan restaurant & bar, PRINCE COFFE and Mam Restaurant & Coffee.
4. Visit Fansipan Mountain
Visiting the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3147 is well worth it, however I’d recommend planning your journey well. Make sure the day you choose is a clear day, as otherwise you won’t see much of the journey to the top or the views when there (happened to most of the travellers I met there in November, I therefore chose not to do it).
If you do get a clear day, head to Sapa station to get the Muong Hoa funicular from Sapa Town to the Hoang Lien cable car station. From there, a 15-minute cable car ride will take you up an elevation of 1,410 meters. At the top of Fansipan station, you can either hike the 20minutes to the summit or get a funicular up the last little bit.
I’d recommend buying tickets at the station or the Sunworld website. A round-trip starts at 850,000 VND ($33). You could also hike up the peak with a local guide, which is also well worth it!
5. Relax in a Spa
After a long hike through potentially VERY muddy rice fields, you will want nothing more than visit one of the incredible (and affordable) spas in Sapa. Or maybe you are coming straight from the Ha Giang Loop with an incredibly sore lower body 😉
Either way, the spas in Sapa are lovely and a great way to spend a foggy day. I have heard good things about Eden Central Massage & Spa and the Silk Path Grand Sapa Resort.
6. Stay at a homestay and learn more about local culture
If you are doing a 2 (or more) day hike through Sapa’s rice fields and local villages, you will likely already be staying in a homestay. We did the hike with Dinh and her family and spent the night in the house of her family, which was lovely.
If you aren’t keen on hiking, booking a homestay in one of the nearby local villages is an amazing way to still see the stunning rice field views and learn more about local culture and traditions. Some offer transfers to their home, otherwise you can get a Taxi or Grab there.
Check out some of the highest rated homestays here.
7. Shop for cheap souvenirs and delicious food at Sapa Market
Sapa Market is located just outside the city centre and offers a huge collection of food, souvenirs, local handicraft and anything else you could think of. Come prepared with cash and the will to haggle, otherwise you’ll find it pretty exhausting. Some say they have been scammed here, so best to be careful.
The same area also hosts the weekly Night Market ( from 4:00 PM until late every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) which is known for amazing streetfood and beautiful homemade crafts.
8. Wander Sapa at night
Walking through Sapa at night was probably my favourite way to experience the city. It lights up in the most extravagant and colourful way, making even the smallest streets feel magical.
Travel Tip: Locals and what seems like organised groups force their very young children to dance in ethnic outfits at night to make money from tourists. Or you will see young children carrying babies and crying, asking for money. It’s one of the awful sides of tourism in Sapa and you should NOT support it in any way. As previously discussed, buy from local businesses and vendors instead.
9. Enjoy Vietnamese Coffee with a view
Vietnamese coffee is the best thing in the world (source: me) and Sapa is a great place to make the most of it. There are so many beautiful cafes with views over rice terraces or Fansipan where you can get delicious coffee.
My favourite drink is the Ice-Blended Coconut Coffee and some of my favourite cafes in Sapa were Mam Restaurant & Coffee and Cộng Cà Phê.
10. Shop for affordable outdoor and trekking clothes
We actually found Sapa to be one of the cheapest places for the famous outdoor and trekking clothes. The shop shown above can be found near this shop (which was also good), and while the owner refuses to haggle, I did find the prices very fair.
Sapa is a good place to layer-up too, or get a rain coat and some hiking stuff for the Ha Giang Loop.
11. Explore local ethnic villages
Sapa is surrounded by villages of ethnic minorities like the H’mong, the red Dao, Giay, Tay, and Xa Pho. There are about 24 different groups in the Sapa area, all unique to their villages. They have their own language, traditions, traditional dress and more, so visiting the villages is a way to connect and get an insight into their unique lifestyles.
The most famous (and touristy) village is Cat Cat and it is about a 25 minute walk from Sapa. It is definitely a tourist destination now, so for more authentic villages you could head to Ta Phin village, Sin Chai, Ban Ho and Y Linh Ho.
Please remember to be respectful when visiting these villages and support the locals.
12. Speed down the rainbow slide
Sapa actually has 2 rainbow slides, which went semi-viral on TikTok last year. They are colourful, fun and a great way to spend an extra day in Sapa.
The first one is at Sapa Green Valley, which is a kind of amusement park with the slide, tubing, some photo spots and more. Entry is 100K VND ($3.85).
The other location is Swing Sapa, which has the slide, some rides and photo spots for 150K VND ($5.80). Both are a little out the city centre and best reached by Grab taxi/motorbike.
13. Visit the beautiful waterfalls of Sapa
Sapa is actually home to quite a few waterfalls. We saw 2 on our trek through the valleys, and while I wouldn’t call them a highlight, they were still pretty.
For slightly more impressive waterfalls, Sapa has 2: Silver Waterfall (easy access, 20,000 VND) and Love Waterfall (a little hike, 70,000 VND). They are actually located close to one another and about 20 minutes drive from Sapa.
I’d say if you have the extra time, both are well worth a visit.
14. View Sapa from a different angle at the Alpine Coaster
One of the most unique ways to experience Sapa and its views might just be the Alpine Coaster.
Rides are a little expensive (for Vietnam’s standards) at 200,000 VND for one ride or 300,000 VND for two, but once again it’s a fun way to spend any extra time in Sapa.
Writer’s note: I have heard that there is quite a lot of construction in the area which can affect the views.
15. Walk the Glass Bridge over Sapa Valley
My final touristy suggestion for Sapa is the impressive Rong May Glass Bridge. Located about 300 m above the valley and jutting out around 630 m, it makes for an adrenaline-fuelled walk over the stunning rice field views.
For 500k VND ($19), you get access to the glass bridge and elevator. There are also additional adventure activities like a swing bridge which you can do for around 150k VND more.
16. Join a Hmong Batik Workshop
The Batik made by the Hmong people is a traditional textile art, featuring the drawing of intricate patterns using beeswax onto fabric and then dying the fabrics using local ingredients, often an indigo colour.
On our hike through the rice fields, most villages featured local women selling their craft as well as showcasing how they make it. Many will also offer workshops for you to give it a go. I’d recommend speaking to your homestay family or trekking tour operator if they have any recommendations for these workshops.
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How many days do you need in Sapa?
I would recommend a minimum of 3 days, 2 of which as part of a trekking tour and one to explore Sapa and its surrounds. I personally could have easily spent 5-6 days there, I really enjoyed the town, food and homestays.
Is Sapa still worth visiting in 2026?
I visited in November 2025 and loved the town and trekking. I have heard a couple people calling it a tourist scam, and I don’t necessarily agree, if you know what to expect and things to avoid.
Many of the local villages are still authentic, the famous ones like Cat Cat may be more of a tourist trap now. Things like the rainbow slide and glass bridge are certainly tourist activities but can be fun. Only visit Fansipan mountain on good visibility days, otherwise its a little bit of a waste of money.
I will say that there is a lot of ongoing construction and some disturbing things aimed for tourists, like little children being forced to dance in their traditional clothing at night to make money for their families.
I would advice to not give money to not encourage this, but instead stay in local homestays and book tours with locals to make sure your money goes directly to the people and communities of Sapa.
I LOVED the restaurants in Sapa and found some insanely delicious vegetarian food at places like YEN Vegan restaurant and Thong Dong Vegan Kitchen & Cafe.
I also found a lot of the outdoor shops that were a little outside the centre much better quality and cheaper than in e.g. Hanoi.
So in my opinion, yes, Sapa is 100% still worth visiting.
Hi, I'm Bell
I’m a solo traveller, writer and designer. I created my blog to share the many different ways to travel the world. Learn more about me here!
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