Olivier David first discovered the practice of Ashtanga Yoga in January of 2004. Starting in 2009 he went to Mysore, India to deepen his practice at the source of Ashtanga Yoga and has since then made annual trips to continue his studies with his teacher R Sharath Jois.
Website: Olivier David. Ashtanga Yoga
Backstage. Sydney. 2020
Lazy Girl Fitness. Personal trainer, health and fitness blogger.
Ruby Slippers Styling.
First time in SaPa or a few tips before you go
Are you going to experience SaPa for the first time? I would love to share some practical advice and recommendations before you go. Maybe you will find this useful?
This article is based on my own recent trip to Vietnam.
Stay time: 2 days, 3 nights.
Season period: end of December.
Hotel: booked by our local guide (SaPa Legend Hotel & Spa).
Recommendation #1: Find a good local tour guide.
I would recommend you find a guide if you plan come to SaPa for the same amount of time. My partner and I booked our trip to Vietnam through a travel agency, BestPriceTravel. This was the 2nd time we had booked with them and they were amazing.
DAY 1.
Our local guide Nam* met us at the train station at 5:30am when we arrived from Hanoi by night train. He invited us to his friend’s cafe next to the station and asked if we would like to use a clean bathroom after the train. Yes! It was such a great idea because toilets on the train - facepalm.
After we jumped in a car and drove 1 hour along a serpentine road up the mountain to SaPa. We stopped in the SaPa Legend Hotel & Spa. It is a nice clean hotel with a good service. Our guide took us for the walk around the town and after we started walking on dirt trail through a Black Hmong village, we also visited Red Hmong and Flower Hmong people.
Oh yes and here is another recommendation:
Recommendation #2: Wear comfortable shoes and have with you a lightweight raincoat (you can buy them everywhere approx. AUD $12). You will walk through the mud, water, up the road, down the road and sometimes even climb. Also, watch your step, there is a lot of buffalo chocolate! :)
Before we start our village trip we were inviting for a “welcome” bong smoke with Nam :) During the journey he told us so many interesting facts about locals and the differences between their cultural groups. We went to some of their houses and saw how people live. I was pleasantly surprised he did not push us to buy anything from them.
Recommendation #3: Don’t react to the people wearing traditional costumes and trying to sell you souvenirs and DON’T buy anything from kids.
Nam said those people are gypsies coming from the villages to the town to pull money out of tourists. If you buy anything from them, you will be surrounded by their friends trying to make you buy more from them. Especially don’t buy anything from kids. Instead of school, their parents send the kids to sell stuff to tourists. These kids can make more money that their parents. It is illegal. The local guides are fighting with this and ask tourists not to support it. Again, once you buy anything from a kid in a few minutes you will surrender by tens of them.
Back to our village tour. During around 1-1.5 hours walking you will see the most amazing views. The nature and views are just breath taking
Recommendation #4: Don’t forget your camera. If you are a drone pilot - please take your drone with you! You will get amazing shots from this trip. Also, the best time to come here is September when is everything is green. You can book a special photography tour.
When you will get hungry you can find lots of coffee places and cafes on your way but our guide took us for lunch to the local family. We had the most amazing view and a homemade food, with a few beers, of course. It was a bit exhausting but it well worth it.
For dinner we walked around and found a small restaurant “Little Vietnam” (014 Mường Hoa, TT. Sa Pa, Sa Pa, Lào Cai 31000, Vietnam). The owner, Huong and her family will cook for you the most delicious food. Must try: curry in a coconut, spring rolls, tofu with a braised eggplant, green papaya salad and sticky rice. Also, their mulled wine is beautiful, they cook each portion separately.
Day 2.
It was an early morning wake up, the day ahead, Cat Cat Waterfalls, lunch and free time. But our plan was changed in the lobby of our hotel. I asked Nam to let me know when the best time is to go to the Fansipan mountain and he said, “Now! You are lucky, the weather is good now, so whilst it is clear, we can go there”.
Recommendation #5: Take a warm jacket, scarf and maybe even gloves. While I was taking photos my fingers were freezing.
Recommendation #6: You have to try an apple and cinnamon tea there. It was delicious!
I spent a good 2.5 hours there. By the time I got back it was lunch. We went to “Le Gecko” restaurant. It was a recommended by our guide. The lunch was good but very touristy. After lunch we went to Cat Cat Waterfall.
Recommendation #7: hiking shoes are the best. I went in my white Nike React. The biggest mistake. Guess what happened to them - covered in a dirt and mud . Also, they don’t have grip (yes they are running shoes) and it was very slippery. Take a drone with you (if you own one). You can see a few nice spots to fly your drone from.
This was our last night in SaPa, we decided to go back for dinner to our favourite restaurant “Little Vietnam”.
Day 3.
We took the long drive from SaPa to Lai Chau.
Recommendation #8: Always have small money for tips.
It was a wonderful experience. Hiking lovers will definitely love this place. I cannot wait to go there for a photography season in September.
*Ask me our guide details if you are planning your trip to SaPa.
Real humans, real food, real life, real smiles...
Vietnam is the first country I have visited in Asia. To say "it is different" – doesn’t begin to describe my experience.
I am sure you have all seen pictures of Vietnamese cities, chaotic roads, full of scooters, bikes, cars and people. Everything seems fun, everyday like a celebration, every moment like a unique experience.
But there is something "different" in their eyes. And because my website is about photography, I am not going to write a big article about all those obvious things which you should do in Vietnam and where to go. Sure, someone more experienced in a travel can give you more details than me. I just want to share some pictures that I captured while I was exploring streets and laneways.
At the amazing Mekong Delta floating markets in Can Tho. The river market starts their business at 4:00 - 4:30 AM and finish at 7:00 - 7:30 AM. So, hurry up if you want to try a signature crab meat soup, Banh mi and a delicious coffee with a condensed milk. I can tell you that coffee with condensed milk is delicious!
One thing which you can be sure about - all food is organic, like it was just picked from a farm, in fact it probably was.
If you need a haircut I would recommend to wait until you are back home. But if you can’t wait that long you can have one here, in Vietnam. Every street and lane has their own hairdresser.
But you should be a bit patient while your stylist finishes watching their favourite TV show.
I was lucky to meet a local guide in Hoi An City who took us to his brother's farm on countryside and we had a real cooking class. All his family was involved. I am very sad because I didn't have my camera with me and I couldn't capture all those yummy food and show how locals live their real life.
These people don’t have cool gadgets, expensive clothes, comfy sofa and a huge TV screen. They don't really know how to make money from tourists. But they are not shy of their life. They are a very open people with real smiles, with a real life.
They want to have everything what we have, living in a big metropolis and can't imagine our life with iPhone X, smart speakers and other stuff like this.
That's why they are "different". They are working hard but their eyes shine, their soul sings, their attitude to life is refreshing and one I urge you to share.
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