Walking the HILLS

Northern Vietnam’s Sa Pa region is the perfect place for a trek, finds Tanya Pearey

- Tanya Pearey

I’m sitting on a rock trying to take it all in. To my left – the cascading green steps of abundant rice terraces, against a clear blue sky. To my right – mist and cloud tumble over rugged peaks and into the valley and the sprawling hillside village below.

A few yards in front of me wallow three large buffalo, squashed together in a muddy puddle. Next to them, rice lies on vast hessian mats drying in the sun.

Welcome to Northern Vietnam’s dramatic and vibrant mountainous region, near the border with China. At its heart lies the town of Sa Pa, a former hill station established by the French in 1922. Around it, on the craggy hillsides, nestle numerous villages –home to some of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, including the Dao, Yay, H’mong and Phu La.

Best for HISTORY BUFFS

For stays in Hanoi before and after trips to Sa Pa, the Sofitel Legend Metropole is a treat for recharging walk-weary legs. Opened in 1901, it has a rich history. Visit sofitel-legend-metropole hanoi.com

Mountain escape

Visitors have been coming to this region since the early 1900s to escape the oppressive heat and crazy streets of Hanoi, some 200 miles away. And it’s not hard to see why, with the abundance of fresh mountain air and breathtaking scenery. But it wasn’t until the 1990s when the region’s popularity really exploded with foreign tourists.