We’re on to the eighth episode of our blog series with successful photographer Sian Owen. In this episode, Sian takes us through her time in Sa Pa, where she visited the terraced rice fields of the Muong Hoa Valley.
For anyone looking to travel or teach English in Vietnam, this blog series can help you get some raw insight on life in Vietnam.
SAPA
“Book a sleeper bus with ‘Good Morning Sapa’ for $16, this will take you from Hanoi to Sapa in 6 hours. It’s very important to plan your days to Sapa very well with the weather, if you choose to go when it’s raining it’s just not worth it.”
“You can either organize a fully planned tour for about $110 from Hanoi which includes buses, meals, a home stay etc. What we did, which we found works out a lot cheaper, was we just went there ourselves and once we got there we organized a home stay with the local ‘trekking’ ladies.”
Accommodation
Enjoy Sapa Hotel (2 nights) + Mama Sa’s homestay (1 night)
“I highly recommend this place as its on Fansipan road. If you stay somewhere else, try stay on Fansipan road. We spent the first night at the hotel, then we went and stayed at Mama Sa’s homestay for the second night, then we finally went back to the hotel finally.”
Activities
Wander around Sapa
“This little town is so quaint, and has such a European vibe to it. You must definitely wander around the lake, and around the central areas where the church is, its beautiful.”
Homestay with Mama Sa
“The moment we stepped off our bus, we were bombareded with ladies offering us to do homestays at their homes out in the villages. We decided to go with mama Sa and she just had kind eyes and seemed really honest and sweet. This was our best decision ever – she is adorable!”
“She has a Facebook page with her number on it, best to call her because she doesn’t read English. Her husband has built a separate house just for tourists, we were actually the first to staying it which is quite special.”
Food
“Sapa has some really awesome places to eat and there are so many tourists who go through the towns, we went to a place called ‘cosy corner’ at Sapa Unique Hotel twice for their set menu. It was so filling and also really affordable considering the quantity.”
Sian Owen is a South African Business Science graduate and photographer. She specializes in wedding and lifestyle photography. This series of bog posts follows her recent trip through Cambodia and Vietnam, showcasing the incredible beauty of these two fascinating countries.
To see more of Sian’s amazing photography, here are her contact details:
Website: www.sianowenphotography.com
Facebook: sian.owen.photography
Instagram: @sianowenphotography, @sian_owen
Email: info@sianowenphotography.com
Phone: +27 79 981 0981
Interested in Teaching English, volunteering or interning abroad? We’ll send you more info!
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