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So here we are, a decade on from our backpacking gap year, only this time we’re lugging two kids around instead of just two backpacks. Our full‑moon parties have been swapped for museum visits, drinking dodgy buckets has been replaced by the endless refrain of “are you sure you’ve had enough water, sweetheart?”, and lie‑ins until 3 pm are a distant memory as our little alarm clocks wake up the moment a sliver of light sneaks through the curtains (never mind if we only crawled into bed at 2 am).
All of that means our itinerary for Vietnam looks a lot different this time. We decided to venture to places we skipped first time around, and one name kept cropping up: Sapa. To reach it you have to veer north from Hanoi and then double back on yourself, and the internet is full of horror stories about begging children and taxi scams. Is it worth the detour? What’s actually there? Why does anyone go?
In the end we went for it and we’re glad we did. It quickly became one of the highlights of our Vietnam trip. In this post we’ll share our honest experience, warts and all, and help you decide if Sapa is worth visiting with kids. (If you’ve already made up your mind and just want activity ideas, check out our things to do in Sapa post).
First impressions
Sapa sits high in the mountains of Lào Cai province, close to the Chinese border. Because it’s one of the most northerly towns you can visit in Vietnam, most itineraries require you to go north from Hanoi and then back south again.
We reached Sapa on a seven‑hour sleeper bus from Hanoi. I won’t lie: stepping off the coach into a scrum of wannabe taxi drivers was a little overwhelming. While I was on all fours wrestling our suitcases out of the bus’s undercarriage (why do people shove luggage so far under there?!), I must have politely declined offers of “taxi?” twenty times. It’s not the nicest introduction, but once I showed them I’d already hailed a Grab taxi on my phone, they backed off. (Unlike in some other countries, they really did leave us alone. Take it from someone who’s had very different experiences elsewhere). I’m not telling you this to put you off – just to be honest. The negative comments we read online about pushy drivers nearly put us off visiting altogether. Don’t let them scare you. Sapa’s first impression is actually awesome. The neon‑lit town at night is gorgeous, with bunting strung across the streets, a fountain in the middle of the square and countless cafés and restaurants spilling onto the sidewalks. For a town that’s in one of the poorest regions of Vietnam, it looks surprisingly polished. We enjoyed rooftop cocktails while the kids munched on pizza and chips, and we watched locals and visitors gather in the square.
Myself and my son, enjoying the downtown lights in Sapa
Family‑friendly vibe
One thing we worried about before we arrived was feeding our picky eaters. We needn’t have. Sapa’s restaurants cater to just about every palate. Our chicken‑nugget‑loving son found pizza, spaghetti, fried chicken and chips in abundance. Yes, you can try horse or buffalo if you’re feeling adventurous, but you absolutely don’t have to.
You can wake up to views like this every morning – This was from our stay at JK Homestay
Because Sapa remains economically disadvantaged, prices are low. Food, activities and accommodation are all much cheaper than in most of Vietnam. Our homestay – a private air‑conditioned bungalow with a terrace overlooking the rice terraces, a swimming pool, free pool table, breakfast included and staff who’d organise massages without you even leaving your room – cost about £127 a week ($171 USD). Everywhere we went, locals fussed over the kids and made sure they were comfortable. In fact, Sapa offered some of the friendliest hospitality we’d experienced anywhere in Vietnam.
Memorable moments
We booked a three‑hour hike to see the rice paddies. Naively, we thought it would be a gentle stroll along a clearly defined path. It turned out to be a proper hike – along cliff edges, through waterfalls and up steep slopes. It probably wasn’t ideal for a seven and five‑year‑old. It was hard. It was long. Would we do it again? Absolutely! We saw incredible scenery, wandered through villages, petted water buffalo and learned that in the local culture women tend the fields while men stay at home (and that many marry as young as 14). If that sounds too intense, there are easier treks that stick to safer paths – but where’s the fun in that?
Sapa’s famous alpine coaster – Book here
The kids’ highlight was the alpine coaster, a toboggan ride down the side of a mountain that makes you feel like you’re hanging over nothing. They also couldn’t get enough of the Instagram‑famous rainbow slide. We climbed those stairs so many times the staff started laughing when they saw us. We took a cooking class that started with a trip to a local market for ingredients and ended with us rolling our own spring rolls. If you’d like to book activities like these, our things to do in Sapa post has all the details.
Practical considerations for families
Weather
We visited during monsoon season. Every day, our weather app warned of rain. In the end, it rained once – and when it did, it was biblical. Thunder, lightning, the works. We couldn’t leave our bungalow. But there’s something romantic about being holed up in a mountain cabin with a novel while rain drums on the roof. When the sky cleared, the air was fresh and the mountains misty. Don’t let the forecast scare you off; showers pass quickly and you’ll get plenty of sunshine.
Getting around
You can rent scooters everywhere. If, like us, you’re travelling with kids or don’t fancy negotiating mountain roads, Grab taxis are widely available and cheap. We never waited more than five minutes for a ride. In the town centre, the streets are paved and a buggy/stroller is manageable.
Food & amenities
Western food is readily available, and this is not a remote shanty town. Sapa has five‑star hotels, paved streets, ice‑cream shops and even luxury steakhouses. It’s more developed than some online forums would have you believe.
Downsides to be aware of
No travel guide would be honest without mentioning Sapa’s big drawback: child begging. The region has one of the lowest school enrolment rates in Vietnam, and many Hmong and other ethnic minority families rely on selling trinkets to tourists. Some bloggers make it sound like you’ll be mobbed by children the moment you arrive. That wasn’t our experience. On hikes, we did encounter kids selling bracelets at rest stops, and we passed the odd girl with a baby strapped to her back in town. But it was a far cry from the horror stories.
Local authorities now have signs everywhere reminding tourists not to give money to children. As heartbreaking as it feels, handing over cash encourages families to keep kids out of school. The best thing you can do is say a polite “no” and consider donating to reputable charities instead. And please, please don’t film or photograph the children dancing in the square. We watched some travellers treat them like a spectacle, and it made us feel ill. Let’s respect the people whose home we’re visiting.
If these issues affect you and you’d like to help children in Vietnam,:
consider donating to Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. While they don’t work directly in Sapa, they create lasting change for vulnerable children across the country.
Final verdict – is Sapa worth visiting for families?
Yes! Sapa turned out to be one of our favourite places in Vietnam. If it’s on your route and you’re looking for somewhere to stay, check out our best places to stay in Sapa post. Between the jaw‑dropping scenery, the friendly locals, delicious food and the chance to stay in beautiful accommodation for a fraction of the price you’d pay elsewhere, Sapa feels like a hidden gem that’s just beginning to be discovered. Our advice? Visit now, before it gets too commercialised.
