Sapa Sleeper, Poppa. The older you get, the more you enjoy rail. What’s not to like? You step up on to the floor and you’re ready to do basically . . . nothing, if you want. Your main companion is time, and your aim is having the time of your life. We here at Matouring are huge on trains and look for any reason to hop on one, rather than to twist into the seat of an airliner, or even worse, slog your way through hours of traffic jams and
the ever-present collisions. Pah! Who wants that. So let’s leave that all behind and look to what could be your imminent release. This one is in Asia, the Hanoi to Sapa express. Here’s why you’ll likely fall in love with it. The journey from Hanoi to Sapa is one of the most iconic travel routes in Southeast Asia, taking you from the frenetic, scooter-packed streets of Vietnam’s capital up into the misty, emerald rice terraces of the Hoang Lien Son mountains. When people refer to the “Hanoi to Sapa Sleeper,” they are usually talking about one of two overnight experiences: the classic Sleeper Train or the modern Sleeper Bus (or “Cabin Bus”). Here is a breakdown of what this journey is, and why it is consistently rated as one of the best adventures you can have and we have it for you in Asia. Click here
Because Sapa is located high in the mountains near the Chinese border, traveling there overnight is the most popular way to save on a night’s hotel and maximize exploration time. You have two main choices: The
Overnight Sleeper Train. This is the romantic, classic option, not the well-worn image that always accompanies this kind of train in Hanoi. The overnight train departs Hanoi around 10:00 PM and chugs north through the night, arriving at the Lào Cai railway station near the border at around 5:30 or 6:00 AM. From Lào Cai, you take a winding, 50-minute shuttle bus up the rest of the mountain into Sapa town. The Vibe: Old-world travel. Private railway companies (like Chapa Express, Sapaly, or the luxury Victoria Express) attach beautifully refurbished, wood-paneled, air-conditioned 2-berth or 4-berth cabins to the national Vietnam Railways trains. Our affiliate partners, Klook, have your ticket. Ready? You can always rely on Klook to have just what you want, where you want it and how to get there. Click here
Always consider travel insurance when you go. Travelex are there for you. Click here