Sapa

next to the central square; when no services are being held, the interior of the church can be accessed from a door on the right side of the building· Free

A Roman Catholic church established by the French and constructed between 1926 and 1935. Mass is held on weekdays at 19:00 and on Sunday at 09:00, and the adoration of the sacrament is held at 18:30.

a short walk south from the central square and then up some stairs

A hillside attraction with great views and various gardens such as an orchid garden and a European garden, ethnic minority dance performances, and restaurants.

City centre, near the church

The square is hard to miss. It is a centre of local activity. Often in the evenings, you may see the locals gather for shopping and selling, or playing a game of foot-badminton in groups. You may see dances in the square.

behind the Tourist Office· Free

If you have time, the museum is worth visiting to learn about the history of Sa Pa, and the costumes and traditions of the ethnic minorities of the region.

This walk provides a good chance to observe Vietnamese farming and farm animals, and there are excellent views. It's a few kilometers' walk from Sa Pa.

The cable car up Fansipan offering a rather less strenuous route up the tallest mountain in Indochina. The views are often obscured by the fog.

At 3,143 m (10,312 ft), Phan Si Păng or Fansipan is the highest mountain in Indochina (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam), and lies within the Hoàng Liên National Park (Vườn quốc gia Hoàng Liên).

30-min drive from Sa Pa

Love Waterfall (Thác Tình Yêu), which lies within Hoàng Liên National Park (Vườn quốc gia Hoàng Liên; declared an ASEAN Heritage Park). It takes 30 minutes to walk from the entrance of the park to the waterfall.

5 min walk from the church

The lake is within walking distance of the city center. At the lake you can rent a pedal boat for 40,000 dong for 30 minutes, or 80,000 dong for an hour. Pedal boats are available only on weekends and when the weather is good.

Numerous shops along Cầu Mây Street, the town's main street, provide foot and body massages. Many hotels also offer in-room massages.

on the main street, down a flight of stairs near Royal Sapa Hotel

A popular, low-priced restaurant. Serves outstanding local and decent Western dishes to a mixed local and foreign clientele. Features some unique dishes in addition to the fixtures available at any other Sa Pa restaurant.

Fansipan /Phan Xi Păng Road

Refined local (mostly Hmong) food in small dishes - the speciality, if they have found fresh fish that day, is their raw trout. Perched on the edge of the valley, some tables have views right across it. A few decent options for vegetarians.

007 Muong Hoa Street

Fine wine, cheese and cold cuts of meat along with a few western style hot and cold dishes. Home-made hams and pâté. Punto Italia coffee.

One of the rare vegetarian restaurants in town, hidden in a small street close to the church, down the stairs.

Food stalls selling good noodle soup for 10,000 dong, fried rice for 15,000 dong and the other usual Vietnamese fare for around 30,000 dong. It's a great experience to dine with the locals.

on the way to Cát Cát village

A mid-range restaurant. They have freshly baked baguettes and hamburgers from their own bakery. The desserts, ice cream, cakes, and cookies, are sweet delicacies at an affordable price.

24 Dồng Lợi

A large hotel with clean, pleasant rooms that is popular with group tours. It has a restaurant, lounge and bar, an indoor heated swimming pool, a fitness centre, and a business centre. Rooms in the old wing are cheaper.

No 29, Group 5, Thac Bac St

In contemporary European architecture style, the upper floors have beautiful views of the hills and valleys. Amenities include a spa, gym, pool, karaoke room and bar.

Xuan Vien Street

A nice relaxing hotel with boutique interiors.

042 Cầu Mây Street

Very friendly and helpful staff. Good-sized rooms with desks and computers. The hotel may try to charge extra for a space heater for 150,000 dong.

near the entrance to town

It serves a cheap and good breakfast Rooms in the main and old wings of the hotel which are above the ground floors offer breathtaking views of the Fanxipan mountains.

a few metres from the Royal Hotel

Nice rooms, tea, TV, hot water, restaurant and for some rooms, a fireplace and a nice view. The staff are a little cold. Hotel closes each night at 23:00.