Sapa trekking villages homestay: local food & mountain views

Summary

Trek Sapa’s rice fields, meet locals, and sleep in a village home

You’ll trek through Sapa’s rice terraces with a local guide, share homemade meals in a Giay family homestay, wake up to mountain views (and maybe a rooster), and wander bamboo forests near waterfalls before heading back to town — expect muddy shoes, warm smiles, and stories you’ll want to bring home.

What’s the experience like?

“You’ll get used to the mud,” our guide Mai grinned, watching me try (and fail) to keep my shoes clean as we left Sapa town behind. The first steps down into Y Linh Ho were slippery but sort of fun — the air smelled like wet earth and woodsmoke. I kept stopping to stare at the terraces; they look almost painted from up close, all those careful lines curving around the hills. Mai told us her grandmother still works these fields. I tried to picture that — hands deep in the soil, same as always.

Lunch was back at Delta Sapa Hotel before we set out, but honestly it was dinner at the homestay in Ta Van that sticks with me. We cooked with our hosts — or tried to — chopping greens while their little boy giggled at my clumsy knife skills. The rice wine was stronger than I expected (Mai winked when she poured it), and after eating we sat around swapping stories with travelers from Germany and Hanoi. The house creaked when the wind picked up outside; I slept under a heavy blanket listening to pigs snuffling somewhere nearby.

Morning came early thanks to a rooster who had zero respect for jetlag. Pancakes and hot tea on the porch tasted better than any hotel breakfast, maybe because of that view across Lao Chai’s rice paddies — misty and green even though it was already June. We said goodbye (awkward hugs all around) before trekking through bamboo forest toward Giang Ta Chai. There’s a waterfall there where we stopped for lunch; I just sat on a rock for a while letting my legs dangle over the water, not really talking much. Sometimes you don’t need words.

The last stretch back toward Su Pan felt quieter somehow — maybe everyone was tired or just thinking about heading home. Our minivan met us by the road and drove us back to Sapa town for showers and sandwiches before catching the bus south again. I still think about that night in Ta Van sometimes, how easy it felt to just be part of someone else’s world for a bit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Sapa trekking and homestay experience

• Pick up from Sapa hotels
• Pick up from bus office at 1:00PM
• Have lunch at hotel
• Depart hotel at 2:30PM
• Trek to Y Linh Ho village
• Visit Lao Chai village and rest
• Trek to Ta Van village
• Stay overnight at local homestay
• Cook and have dinner with family

Day 2 — Trekking villages and return to Sapa

• Wake up and have breakfast outdoors
• Trek through bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai
• Enjoy picnic lunch with scenic views
• Walk to main road and catch car to Sapa
• Arrive Sapa and shower at hotel
• Shuttle to bus office at 3:00PM
• Check in bus to Hanoi
• Receive sandwiches for journey

Top questions

How long is the Sapa villages trekking tour?

The tour lasts 2 days and 1 night.

Is hotel pickup included for this Sapa trekking tour?

Yes, pickup from hotels in Sapa town center is included.

Where do you stay during the tour?

You stay overnight at a local Giay family homestay in Ta Van village.

Are meals provided on this tour?

Yes, lunch, dinner, breakfast, and picnic lunch are included.

What villages do you visit on this trek?

You visit Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van, Giang Ta Chai, and Su Pan villages.

Is this trek suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it is suitable for all physical fitness levels except those with spinal injuries.

Does this tour include transportation back to Hanoi?

The tour includes transfer back to the bus office in Sapa for your return trip to Hanoi.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your hotel or bus office in Sapa town center, guided trekking through several minority villages with entrance fees covered, homemade meals including lunch at Delta Sapa Hotel and dinner plus breakfast at your host family’s home in Ta Van village (with strong rice wine if you’re brave), an overnight stay in a shared or private room at a local house or homestay with basic amenities (shared bathroom), picnic lunch by the waterfall on day two, shower access before departure from Sapa town, plus sandwiches packed for your journey back toward Hanoi.