How to prepare for a trekking tour to Sapa
Travelers to Sapa cannot miss a trekking tour to villages, into
the jungle or climb up the mountain to learn about daily life of
local people and nature, discover the majestic beauty of the
terraced fields, mountains and waterfalls...A trekking trip is
usually combined with homestay in the village. I would like to
share some experiences about
homestay and trekking in Sapa.
1 - Prepare your luggage.
Trekking in Sapa is a kind of experience and explore the
original cultural space of ethnic minorities in the region.
Therefore in order to have an interesting and impressive tour
you need to have information about the place you are going to
visit, customs and traditions, what you should and should not do
when you go there.
- Itinerary: If you
travel Sapa without a local guide you need to
study the travel map of the area you are going in order to have
an appropriate plan, calculate the distances so that trekking
time is arranged accordingly, check the weather forecast to
prepare alternatives, note that you need to have permit from
local authorities to visit some border areas or restricted
reservation places under control of specialized agency.
- Clothing: As you are going to trek in Sapa we recommend light
and cool clothes, easy to sweat, and it would be a good idea to
have many pockets to keep your necessary things.
- Trekking shoes: You should prepare 1 pair of shoes with flat
heels or sport shoes, this is very important and it decides
whether you will have a good trip or not, never use high heels
or new shoes for the trip because it is very unpleasant and you
need time to get used to it, materials of the shoes should be
clear, cool, waterproof and fast drying.
- Backpacks: You will have to carry your luggage yourself during
the trekking trip so please choose a mid size bag for storage,
you should wear a backpack with belts and tie to your back, the
belts should be soft and smooth so that you feel comfortable
through out the journey.
- Food and drinks: A trekking tour consumes a lot of energy and
makes you sweat and lose much water so you need to prepare
enough food and drinks to complement the body when needed. Food
you should bring are bread, canned meat, sausage, snack and
confectionery, note that you should bring some candy for the
local children in the villages you will visit.
- Medication: Medicines for cold, fever, diarrhea, antipyretic,
antibiotics, bandages, first aids, vitamins, supplements and
snicker candy (a kind of sweet that provides high energy) is
indispensable. Using anti-chapped lips Vaseline is also
essential.
2 - The taboos when visiting villages in Sapa:
When visiting the villages in Sapa such as Lao Chai, Ta Van,
Cat
Cat, Y Linh Ho,
Ta Phin... inhabited by Black H'mong and Red
Dzao people, you absolutely can not sit in the middle of the
house, When you visit their home you have to follow the
instructions of the hosts. The front desk is for parents (if
Parents are dead then nobody is is allowed on it)
When you are visiting the villages and see local people doing a
ritual or sacrificial ceremony you must not participate because
they don't want a stranger especially a foreigner to join. The
ceremony can be recognized by a bunch of green leaves hanging
from a high pillar at the village entrance, a solemn place so
that everybody sees it and avoid.
When you meet the children in the village do not touch or kiss
their head because ethnic people consider it make children
frightened and vulnerable to illness.
If you see a good and clean place in the village don't take a
rest and eat there because that's probably the worshiping place
of the village, a very sacred place for villagers, you should
absolutely not whistle when visit the village as people see the
whistle as the sound calling devils.
House of ethnic people are divided into different parts, the
middle part is always the worship place and guests are not
allows to sit there, there is usually a big high pillar where
the ghosts reside, travelers do not hang clothes, sit leaning
against the "soul" pillar.
When communicating with local people and you are invited a cup
of wine or water, if you do not want it you can refuse politely
so that the hosts understand. People are prohibited to put the
bowls upside down as only priests can do it to drive evils away.
When you talk to the hosts you cannot talk and point your finger
as H'mong people consider such behavior as dissatisfaction or
belittle other people.
Clothes you wear at the homestay should not be white linen as it
is the color of funerals.
3 - Some trekking routes in Sapa for your reference
- Cat Cat and Y Linh Ho villages of Black H'mong people
- Lao Chai and Ta Van villages of Black H'mong and Dzay people
- Ma Tra and Ta Phin villages of Red Dzao people
-
Fanxipan mountain trek, the roof of Indochina at a height of
over 3000m.
