Sapa

Where to stay

Most budget travelers base themselves along Cau May Street and the blocks immediately around Sapa Lake, where the guesthouses are cheapest and trekking agencies, food stalls, and the Saturday night market are all on foot. A few cheaper spots sit one street back from the lake on the slopes above town, quieter but still a short walk to everything.

Getting around

• Take the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Lao Cai station, then the 45-minute shared minibus up to Sapa. It costs significantly less than direct tourist transfers and drops you in town at dawn with a full day free.
• Get to the Sunday market at Bac Ha, about 2.5 to 3 hours from Sapa by minibus. It is a genuine weekly trading market for local hill tribe communities, not a tourist attraction, so prices on produce and textiles are accordingly lower.
• Book the Sun World cable car to Fansipan on a clear morning, not the afternoon. Cloud cover rolls in most days by midday and you will pay the same price either way.

When to go

May and early June are the cheapest months, warm with green terraces and thin crowds. September and October fill hostels fast as trekkers time trips around the rice harvest.