From our window at Song Anh Hotel, I spotted an antenna tower jutting from a low cliff lined with terraces of vegetation. Visiting Sapa without trekking is indeed possible, we hate trekking, but to let the panoramic view we witness day in and day out from our lodging without actually stepping foot on it was, I guess, unforgivable. So one misty afternoon, we decided to forego our usual town jaunt and headed over to that particular antenna. We have no idea what we would see there, but what the heck.

VIOLET ROAD IN SAPA

CREW BREAK, ONE OF THE MANY CONSTRUCTION SITES IN SAPA

Our route took us down Fansipan Road, rounding the bend to Violet. Passing numerous constructions—development in Sapa seems to be on the fast track—the streets were deserted and the sun started to reveal itself. Still, the air felt nippy and the walk was pleasant enough.

What to do in Sapa? That was the question that was running through our pho-addled minds as we alternately sipped its warm broth and munched on the deliciously fried cha gio on our table. We initially went to Sapa to trek its mountains (gasp!), but since our plan to stay a couple of days on one of its remote villages didn’t push through, we were left with nothing to do but explore the town. I mean, we could’ve still gone. But let’s face it, we hate hiking.

A LOCAL HMONG KID FROM SAPA

With our bowl almost empty, we decided we’ll simply do what we do best. Nothing. We’re experts when it comes to doing just that and Sapa proves to be one of those towns where you can do nothing and still enjoy every minute of it.

And we have four days to do it too.

Sapa welcomed us with a bright blue sky. The air felt nippy and it felt wonderful walking about with Vietnamese mountain people on their colorful garbs along its sun-strewn sidewalks. Trees abound, pines mostly, making us reminiscent of certain regions in the Philippines.

MORNING AT SAPA PARK, THIS WAS WHERE OUR BUS DROPPED US OFF

“This feels like Baguio”, I told C. “No, it’s more like Sagada,” she threw right back at me. Well, Sapa seemed like a combination of both, ten or twenty years back. Throw in a dash of Banaue into the mix and it almost encapsulates our first impressions of the town. Well, almost.

Coming from Hue’s relative idyllic pace, we took a sixteen-hour overnight ride via Sinh Tourist’s Open Bus to the chaotic streets of Hanoi. It’s been almost a year since we first visited this northern Vietnamese city, and it felt like coming home; we’re definitely much more enamored by Hanoi than its southern counterpart, Saigon. But we were not about to stay just yet.

BACK IN HANOI’S OLD QUARTER

Arriving bleary eyed early the next morning, we dropped our backpacks at Cocoon Inn Hanoi (where we would eventually stay) asking nicely if we could deposit them for a few days while we continue our journey north. Our target destination was Sapa, one of Vietnam’s mountainous regions. We reckon we really didn’t need to bring all our bloody belongings all the way up there, we just needed a few change of clothes and our cameras with us.