Hill Tribes of Vietnam

Vietnam is notorious for charging tourists outrageous prices compared to what the locals pay.  So when I was leaving for the train station on my way to Sapa in northern Vietnam, the overly friendly and very helpful hotel receptionist offered to have one of her staff flag down a taxi for me, arrange a “local” taxi price, and then follow on his scooter and check me in at the train station.  I almost thought about declining the offer to have him check me into the train (I mean how hard could that be) but in the end decided to let him.  And after seeing all the chaos at the train station I was so happy to have him there, guiding me. 

Alley to Gecko Hanoi Hotel

The train was surprisingly nice and each compartment had 4 beds (2 bunks).  Not at all like the night train I was on in Thailand.  These trains are designed for sleeping only and when the passengers get on at 9pm and leave the train at 6am there is no need for anything more (like seats).

I shared a compartment with an Australian mother and daughter and a local Vietnamese teen.  As soon as the train took off everyone pretty much hit the sack except for the Vietnamese teen.  He continued to talk on his phone for what seemed like hours.  As soon as he would hang up another call would come in.  Teenagers!

On the night train in Thailand I slept like a baby and thought it would be the same on this train.  Not quite.  They had turned the air conditioning up really high and it was freezing.  Then in the middle of the night they must have turned it off since I woke up sweating.  It was so hot and humid in the compartment that the sides of the walls were wet with dew (or whatever you call it).  It did not make for a good night’s sleep.  I guess when it comes to trains, looks can be deceiving.

We arrived to the train station at Lao Cai (which is right at the border with China) around 6am and from there transferred to a minibus for an hour long ride up into the mountains.  As soon as we began our ascent you could feel the temperature change.  In Hanoi the temperature was an unbearable and extremely humid 95 degrees and in Sapa the temperature dropped to a very refreshing 65 degrees.  Talk about a relief!

Cat Cat Village in Sapa

Around eight ethnic groups live in the Lao Cai province.  Most people come to Sapa for several days to trek the stunning mountains and visit the ethnic minority hill tribes but I only had time to spend one day in Sapa before I had to head back to Hanoi on the night train leaving that same night.  I ended up hiring a local guy to take me on a scooter tour of the local villages for a few hours for a cost of $5.00.  Not hard to do since every 2 seconds you are asked if you want a motorbike ride. 

 Local girl carrying her brother in Cat Cat Village, Sapa

The local people in Sapa are relentless.  Most of them in town are from the ethnic tribe the Black Hmong.  You learn quickly not to look them in the eye and to try your hardest to ignore them (as wrong as that seems).  They are out there trying to sell you handicrafts they have made or postcards and no matter how many times you say no they just keep on pressing.  They find you when you are eating in restaurants, walking down the street, typing away in an internet café.  You start to avoid them like the black plague.  If you do happen to make the mistake of glancing their way, they will be your new best friend for the entire time you are in Sapa and refuse to leave your side.  You can easily spot the tourists who have made this mistake as they have a following of about 5-10 Black Hmong.

Black Hmong in Sapa

The scooter driver took me to a few spots but the most notable was the village of Ta Phin.   He dropped me off and I was immediately surrounded by the women and children of the Red Dao Tribe.  

Red Dao hill tribe, Ta Phin village near Sapa

The women offered to show me around their little village and one woman who spoke surprisingly good English invited me in for some tea at her house.  

Kitchen in Red Dao hill tribe house

In exchange for them giving me insight into their daily lives I was more or less expected to look at their handicrafts and buy something.  How could I not!