I always had a fascination for Asia’s hill tribes. The northern regions of India, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, bordering with China’s Yunnan province have seen for thousands of years a movement of minority tribes for whom official borders held very little meaning. From mountains to valleys to jungles, these nomadic tribes moved about with their own language and culture. In many countries, the northern regions are difficult to reach, requiring long transfers in very dusty and bumpy roads. 

 But here in Vietnam, the most common way to get to the mountains up north is from Hanoi, by train or via a new highway. Either way will take 5-6 hours all the way to Sa Pa, the capital of the northwestern district of the same name. The town is 1600m up in the Hoang Lien mountains and was a popular retreat during the 1920s and 30s becoming a “station d’altitude” for the French colonists, offering a cool respite from hot Hanoi and Haiphong during the summer months. 

 Over the last decade, I have seen huge changes as access to Sa Pa through a twisty road has improved and the building of two new luxury hotels catering to the Hanoi high end domestic market has made the town a real touristic centre. It is quite a mix of selfie stick holders, backpackers and Hanoi tourists walking amongst local tribe minorities, each wearing their traditional costumes, on their way to markets. 85% of the district population is split between Hmong, Dao, Tay, Giay and Xa Pho tribes, each wearing distinctive clothing and head dress colours.

 After several trips of research in the area , I found abetter place to stay than in downtown Sa Pa, in this wonderful remote lodge sitting on top of a hill, overlooking terraced rice paddies and close to several tribal villages. Since most of our travellers are not really into karaoke bars and shopping but more into hikes and photography, the lodge is the perfect placed and along with lodge trekking guides, I helped re-design some of their hikes where I felt it needed a bit of “tweeking”. There is something magical having a vietnamese coffee in the morning on the terrace listening to farmers tilling their fields down in the valley. From the lodge, we can manage several hikes visiting remote villages and markets. 

 When borders re-open, I will be going back to see how much has changed during the last year and continue exploring, staying away for the villages where most of the tourists are taken and continue photographing a changing way of life for these tribes.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT:

Local young single people come together with the intent of finding a mate at “love markets” in Sa Pa due to remoteness of hill tribe villages. They invented “speed dating”.

BEST MONTH TO VISIT:

Late September when rice terraces are ready for harvest, but it’s also the busiest month for tourism.

Longitude 80 offers a North Vietnam experience focusing on Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and the hill tribes, probably one of our best photography expeditions. Please contact us if you would like to start planning a Vietnam amazing itinerary in 2022/2023.