4 days in Northern Vietnam: Hanoi, Sapa, Cat Cat Village and Fansipan Peak

Just wanted to share a few photos from my 4D3N trip around Northern Vietnam last year. Honestly one of the most memorable short trips I’ve done in Southeast Asia.

We started in Hanoi and spent the first day just walking around the Old Quarter, trying random street food, and doing an egg coffee class which was surprisingly fun. Hanoi felt chaotic at first but after a few hours I started to enjoy the energy of the place.

The next day we took the sleeping bus to Sapa. The scenery on the way there was already worth it. We visited Cat Cat Village and spent the afternoon walking around the rice terraces and small pathways around the village. It was touristy in some areas but still really beautiful especially later in the afternoon when it got quieter.

Day 3 was probably the highlight for me. We took the cable car up to Fansipan Peak and the views over Muong Hoa Valley and the Hoang Lien Son range were unreal. It was cloudy when we first went up and then suddenly cleared for a bit which made the whole experience even better.

One thing I liked about this trip was that even though it was only 4 days, it didn’t feel too rushed. There was still enough free time at night to explore cafes, food spots, and just walk around.

A few random things I learned:
• Bring layers for Sapa because the temperature changes fast
• Overnight/sleeping buses are convenient but don’t expect amazing sleep
• Egg coffee in Hanoi is actually good despite sounding strange
• Fansipan gets crowded later in the day so earlier is probably better

Would definitely go back to Northern Vietnam again and spend longer next time, maybe adding Ha Giang or Ninh Binh.