Reaching Sa Pa
After spending about four amazing days in Hanoi, it was time to head to our next town in Vietnam—Sa Pa. We booked a night bus from Hanoi, which dropped us off early in the morning. So about this bus and everything I've mentioned in my previous Vietnam post, you can check it out. I loved that bus ride. It was spacious, comfy, and hands-down one of the nicest buses I’ve ever taken.
We arrived at around 5 a.m., and oh my god… it was freezing! I thought Hanoi was cold at 13–14°C, but Sa Pa welcomed us with a bone-chilling 8°C. Now, I’m an Indian girl who has spent most of her life in 30°C+ weathers,sometimes even 40°C. So 8°C felt like a horror movie. I was still half-asleep when we stepped out into the cold, and the icy air hit me like a slap.
The bus stopped at its designated stop, which was more of a restaurant, than a bus stop. Apparently, this is where several buses drop their passengers before they can arrange vans to come to take them to their hotels or hostels. There were quite a few people waiting for their rides, and Ramesh (@bighungrypanda) and I decided to stay inside the restaurant where it was at least warmer than outside. We dumped our luggage on a couch and sat down. I tried to catch a bit more sleep, but I was shivering too much.
Ramesh, meanwhile, was busy posting Instagram stories. This man was on a mission to update his social media in real time for every single thing we did. I’m more of a “you take the pictures, I’ll just reshare” kind of person, especially since he had a better phone and took most of our photos anyway.
We kept waiting, watching other people get into vans and leave, wondering when our turn would come. Finally, after about 45 minutes to an hour, our names were called. We hopped in and headed to our stay for the trip, Fancy Sapa Hostel 2. Yes, that’s really the name.
The Warmest Welcome
We reached the hostel early, way before our check-in time at 2 p.m. But the hosts, an incredibly sweet family, welcomed us in. The hostel didn’t have a typical lobby. It was more like a home. Downstairs was their hall, kitchen, and bedroom, while the hostel rooms were upstairs. A woman was already sleeping on one of the couches, wrapped up in blankets, with her luggage at her feet. Honestly, I wanted to do the exact same thing.
The family running the hostel, a husband, wife, and their child, were lovely. The wife spoke excellent English and was so polite and kind. After checking our IDs, she let us relax there until check-in time. I claimed the smaller couch (the bigger one was taken) and curled up with my bag as a pillow, trying to block every bit of cold air from touching me.
A little while later, I felt someone placing a blanket over me. It was the hostess. I swear, she was an angel sent from heaven. Once I had that blanket, I was out like a light. Ramesh still didn’t sleep. I will never understand how someone can travel overnight in freezing cold and still want to stay awake. But that’s Ramesh for you.
Breakfast Time
Around 8:30 a.m., Ramesh woke me up. I freshened up, had some tea at the hostel, and we decided to find breakfast before starting our day.
We’d already rented a scooty but figured we’d eat somewhere nearby first. We found a small place serving pho. Being vegetarian, my food options in Vietnam were a bit limited, but pho worked for me.
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The only problem? The bowls were enormous. I’m someone who eats small portions but gets hungry often, so finishing one was impossible. Ramesh helped me a bit, but even he could barely finish his portion.
Heading to the Rong May Glass Bridge
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After breakfast, we returned to the hostel, grabbed our scooty, and set off to our first destination, the Rong May Glass Bridge. On Google Maps, the ride looked like just 30–40 minutes, but let me tell you, when you’re on a scooty in 8°C weather, that’s a long time.
I was wearing a dress, but underneath I had jeans, plus a sweater, a jacket, a scarf wrapped around my head, and the hood of my jacket on top. Even with all that, the cold was biting.
But the ride itself? Magical. We were going from a lower mountain to a higher one, winding through fog-covered roads with several tiny waterfalls. It was gorgeous.
Ramesh was riding the scooty so he was taking the brunt of the cold air, and I was snuggled up behind him. He didn’t have gloves, so his hands were freezing, and I honestly worried his fingers might fall off. But he powered through without a single complaint.
Arriving at Rong May
When we reached Rong May, we parked our scooty and walked a short uphill stretch to the entrance. From there, we took a lift to the top.
Unfortunately, the fog was so thick that visibility was almost zero. On a clear day, you’d be able to look straight down through the glass bridge and feel like you’re floating high above the mountains. But with the fog, it felt like we were standing in a white void.
Despite the disappointment, I still enjoyed it. Every now and then, the fog would clear just enough for us to see the mountains, and it was stunning. The area also had several adventure activities. We had booked ours through Klook—two activities for me and three for Ramesh.
The Plank Walk Adventure
Our first activity was the plank walk—a narrow suspension bridge stretching from one mountain to another. We got strapped into safety gear, and there were only a handful of other people doing it at the same time. We let them go ahead because I was going to move slowly. Half because of nerves, half because I wanted to soak in the view. The fog was starting to clear in patches, and I wanted to enjoy the beauty at my own pace.
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Even though it was still foggy, the moments when the mist parted were absolutely breathtaking. Walking high above the ground, surrounded by mountains, was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. Moments like these are meant to be savored.
I went first, with Ramesh right behind me. At first, I was fine and actually enjoying myself as I took my first few steps onto the narrow suspension bridge. But the second I reached the middle, when both ends felt miles away and I was just suspended in mid-air… I froze. Suddenly, the “this is so fun” part of my brain went silent, and the “oh my god I’m going to die” part took over.
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The planks weren’t connected end-to-end like a normal bridge. Instead, there was one plank, then a small gap, then another plank. And in the middle of the bridge? Those gaps got bigger. Of course, the safety gear was perfect, but try telling that to my overactive imagination. For about three solid minutes, I just kept chanting: “This is so scary. This is so scary!!”
But even with my mini panic attack, it was thrilling. The fog would occasionally part to reveal the mountains below, and the sights were amazing. We reached the other side too soon for my liking. After soaking in the views, we walked back, and by the time we stepped off, I was already thinking, I want to do this again.
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The Swing of Death – Underestimation 101
Our next activity was dramatically named the 'Swing of Death'. I watched two girls go before us and they were screaming their lungs out. I remember thinking, Really? Doesn’t seem that scary.
This is apparently my toxic trait: underestimating danger right up until I’m in the middle of it.
When our turn came, we strapped into the metal swing, which they started pulling back… and back… and back. At one point, I realized the only thing between me and a very interesting funeral was a single metal bar. My brain, of course, immediately went: Are they really going to drop us from this height? I can’t do this. Nope. No way.
And then whoooooosh. The drop happened. Guess who was screaming louder than anyone? Yep. Me.
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The first swing was from the highest point, and after that, each arc got smaller until the swing slowed naturally. It was over way too soon, and I was already craving a second go. The view could’ve been better, it was still foggy but wow… this thing had earned its name.
The last activity was ziplining, which only Ramesh did. For some reason, ziplining just doesn’t call to me.
So, I played the role of official videographer instead. I climbed to a good vantage point to get a great shot of him starting his ride. He had a blast, of course, and watching him made me wonder if I should’ve signed up too. But I decided to save it for “next time.”
Cats, Snacks, and the Ride Back
Once we were done, we wandered around a bit. There was a lot of walking between activity areas, so it turned into a mini trek of its own.
At the base, near the food stalls, I spotted the cutest cats that were fluffy and clearly very used to human attention. We played with them for a while, grabbed some snacks, and then started the scooty ride back to our hostel.
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It was just as cold as the morning, but the scenery made up for it—foggy mountains, winding roads, and that crisp mountain air.
By the time we checked into Fancy Sapa Hostel, it was afternoon. Our dorm-mate turned out to be a friendly traveler from the Netherlands, on a multi-country Asian tour. Now, here’s where my life changed: heated mattresses. As an Indian, this was my first time seeing one. In India, atleast from where I come from, the “mattress is heated” because you’re heated.
But here? This was a lifesaver. The temperature kept dropping, the rain made it worse, and the fog had already dampened some of our clothes. While Ramesh busied himself drying things and arranging our stuff (seriously, that man’s patience level is Olympic), I melted into the mattress, cocooned under the covers, and refused to move.
Evening in Sa Pa Town
Later in the evening, we ventured out. The town looked magical—lit up with soft yellow lights, the streets wrapped in fog so thick you couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead. Buildings appeared only when you were right next to them.
We made our way to Viettrekking Café, famous for its view of the valley and the monorail that passes between two hills. Unfortunately, we arrived too late. The monorail stops before dark, and even if it hadn’t, the fog would have hidden it.
Still, we decided to enjoy a drink. My throat was sore, and I thought I ordered tea. My frozen brain forgot to check the details—it turned out to be iced tea. I just stared at it like, Who in their right mind drinks something cold in 8°C weather? Ramesh, apparently, because he ended up drinking both our drinks.
Next stop was dinner at a vegetarian restaurant so good that it deserves its very own post (stay tuned 😉).
We walked back through the foggy, glowing streets, completely enchanted by Sa Pa. Day one had been freezing, foggy, a whole lot of adventurous, and absolutely unforgettable.