Among the must-see tourist sites in Vietnam, Sapa is undoubtedly one of the best places for your trekking in Vietnam.
Nature lovers, do not refrain from a trek in Vietnam and Sapa to contemplate the beautiful scenery of forests, mountains; meet ethnic groups or explore the grandiose beauty of rice terraces or waterfalls.
A trek here is often combined with homestay. Meeting local people is part of the charm of a trip to Vietnam, so don’t miss it. If you are visiting Sapa for the first time, here are some useful information, experience on trekking and visiting minority villages :
1. Preparation :
Knowledge: Trekking is an experience and exploration of the cultural space of local ethnic minorities. For a fun and impressive trekking, you should therefore look for information about the villages, customs, habits, things to do and prohibitions during your visit.
Itinerary: You should also study the map and terrain of the destination to prepare the trek properly. Calculate the distance of the route to avoid hazards and dangerous situations. Check the weather forecast to consider backup options.
Clothing: Trekking is mostly walking, so you should wear comfortable clothing, which should be light and have pockets. Take a hat or cap.
Shoes: A pair of low-soled shoes, hiking or sports shoes, is a must, city shoes are not suitable. Shoes should be waterproof or quick-drying and lightweight.
Backpack: You will need to carry your day’s belongings during the trek, choose a lightweight backpack with straps to secure it. The back should be padded to feel comfortable during the trek.
Food: A trek requires a lot of energy. You should therefore prepare enough food – and especially drinks. Recommended foods are: bread, canned meat, cookies, sweets of all kinds, energy bars.
Medication: Cold, fever, diarrhea, antibiotics, sprain bandage, vitamins, tonic drink or energy bars are essential. You should also bring sun cream and mosquito repellent.
2. Prohibition when visiting villages in Sapa :
When you visit the villages of Sapa such as Lao Chai – Ta Van, Cat Cat – Y Linh Ho, Ta Phin … where the Black Hmong, the Dao live, be sure to respect certain rites. You cannot sit in the middle of the house or in the middle room. You must follow the host’s instructions. Normally, the chairs in the middle are reserved for the parents (if the parents are dead, no one sits on these chairs).
If the villagers practice their cult or exorcism, you cannot attend, foreigners cannot participate.
You should not touch the head or kiss the children, according to the traditions of these ethnic minorities these actions bring bad luck.
If you find a nice and clean place in the village, be careful it is probably the place of worship of the villagers. Do not whistle when you visit the village because according to their tradition, these sounds refer to the devils.
Ethnic houses are often divided into several rooms, in which the middle one is always dedicated to worship and guests are not allowed to sit in this room. The largest wooden pillar in the house is considered the place that houses the ghosts, visitors are not allowed to hang clothes or lean on these pillars.
When the villagers invite you to drink water or alcohol, if you don’t want it, refuse it politely. When you speak with the owner of the house, do not point your finger forward, the Hmong believe that this is a behavior of disrespect and displeasure. Do not wear white linen clothes, it is the color of mourning.
