A Foggy Welcome to Sapa - Here's Day 5 of our Adventures In Vietnam !

Well, I’m finally back to continue the rest of my Vietnam series with @yugadi ! For those who are new here, we had spent four amazing days exploring Hanoi in February this year. From street pho to hidden cafés, it was everything we hoped for and more. But the next leg of our journey was something I had been looking forward to since we started planning the trip! Sapa, the dreamy mountain town in northern Vietnam 🇻🇳

On our fourth night in Hanoi, we boarded a HK Buslines bus that would take us overnight to Sapa. I had read online that it was one of the most comfortable buses in Vietnam, and honestly, it lived up to the hype. We had these sleeper beds, cozy blankets, and dim lights that made it feel like a moving cocoon. I think both of us got some decent sleep which, considering Vietnam’s winding mountain roads, is saying something 😂

We reached Sapa around 5 AM the next day. The minute we stepped off the bus, we were hit by a wall of cold air. Hanoi had been pleasant yet mildly chilly, but Sapa was on another level 🥶 It was almost five times colder, and everyone looked equally unprepared. Picture twenty people shivering in silence, dragging luggage, and fogging up the bus windows from their own breath well that was us.

We rushed into the HK Buslines office nearby because it was at least slightly warmer inside. Everyone was waiting for their hotel transfers, and it was chaos in slow motion. There were multiple vans arriving for different routes, and our turn came after what felt like forever. About 45 minutes of waiting, yawning, and half-dozing on a couch. Yugadi even managed to catch a short nap, tucked in between our bags, while I kept checking Google Maps to see how far our hostel was.

Finally, our van arrived, and after a short (And bumpy) ride, we reached Fancy Sapa Hostel 2 (Yes Its A Weird Name IK 😂) The road was too narrow for the van to go all the way, so we walked the last two minutes dragging ourselves through the cold mist like tired snowmen.

The moment we entered the hostel, it felt like we had walked into someone’s home rather than a business. The lobby was small and cozy, and it smelled like freshly brewed tea. The place was run by a sweet Vietnamese family with the most adorable little child running around in pajamas. The wife, who managed the reception, spoke perfect English and I mean flawless English. We were genuinely surprised because most people we’d met in Hanoi spoke only basic English. She checked our booking, took our passports, and smiled, “You must be tired. Please rest.”

While I got busy revising our day’s plan, Yugadi crashed on the couch in the corner, wrapped up in her jacket. The host noticed and, without saying a word, brought over a blanket and gently tucked her in. That small act of kindness completely melted the two of us. After hours of travel, that warmth felt more comforting than a heater.

Once Yugadi got a bit of rest, I stepped out to scout for breakfast places. Opposite our hostel, I spotted a small eatery with a few steaming pots and plastic stools which by now you know is classic Vietnam. I went back to wake Yugadi up and before heading out, we ordered hot ginger tea from our hostel cafe to soothe her cough and to warm ourselves from the inside out.

I honestly don’t remember what I ordered for breakfast probably a sandwich and fries but I do remember it being very oily. Not that I cared at that point 😂 hunger always wins over health. Yugadi had a large bowl of vegetarian Pho, which she couldn’t finish, so naturally, I stepped in as the cleanup crew. Once full and slightly less frozen, we went back to the hostel, rented a two-wheeler scooter, and hit the road for our first adventure of the day which was Rong May Glass Bridge.

The Road to Rong May Or How We Almost Died on a Scooter!

The glass bridge was about 30 minutes away, up in the mountains. Thirty minutes doesn’t sound bad, right? Wrong. It was thirty minutes of sharp turns, steep climbs, fog thicker than soup, and constant drizzle. Still, it was beautiful. The winding roads, the smell of pine, and the mist swirling around us made it feel like we were in some moody travel commercial until reality struck.

At the entrance of Rong May, the road sloped steeply upward. I underestimated how much acceleration the scooter needed, and before I could react, the bike slowed down and lost balance. In a blink, Yugadi flew off the scooter while I somehow managed to keep it from toppling completely. My heart stopped. Thankfully, she escaped with only a small bruise and a big scare. The scooter’s side mirror broke, and there were a few scratches, but we were safe. Shaken, yes. Grateful, absolutely 🥲

Source

That's the exact spot where we had an accident because the scooter didn't have enough pickup to take us up the hill. Now that slope does not look steep in the image but I promise you it was really steep and it keeps going higher from there. It's a good thing that we had an accident a little bit closer to the entrance, than somewhere up top which would have been disastrous.

What surprised (And Annoyed) me was that several locals nearby saw the accident and not one person came over to help 🙂 They just looked, shrugged, and continued. It threw me off because everyone in Vietnam had been incredibly kind till then. Anyway, we pulled ourselves together, parked the scooter, and decided to walk the rest of the way uphill because why not turn the adventure into a cardio session ?

Only after climbing for a good 10 minutes did we realise there were transfer shuttles available to take visitors up 😭 Classic us! Moving on..

The Cloudy Adventures Begin

We had to take the elevator to the top and it was a decent glass elevator but the view was restricted since the glass panels weren’t clean one bit. The view from the top was mostly fog, but it still felt magical, clouds drifting past at eye level, the sound of wind whooshing through the cliffs, and the feeling of being on top of the world… quite literally. The first activity we signed up for was the plank walk, which is basically a narrow suspension bridge connecting two cliffs. It looked harmless until we stepped on it. Each plank had a gap, and as we moved further, the gaps got bigger.

Yugadi, halfway through, started panicking. “Ramesh! These planks are getting smaller ! ”She Yelled“ I laughed, earning myself an icy glare and a promise of revenge 🫣. Meanwhile, I was enjoying the thrill. The air was freezing, but the adrenaline made up for it. We were literally walking through clouds, and it was unreal. The view from up there was on another level. It was just insane 🤌🏼✨

Next up was the “Swing of Death”, a giant swing that sends you flying over a cliff edge. When I first saw it, I thought, “Oh, this looks fun.” Five seconds into the swing, I realized I was wrong. I clutched the bar like my life depended on it (Which It Kinda Did). Yugadi’s screams could probably be heard in Hanoi 🤣 At one point, I tried to record a video on my phone but quickly decided I liked my phone and my life too much.

Then came ziplining. I was all in, but Yugadi decided to sit that one out. The zipline wasn’t the longest or the fastest, but it was definitely fun especially when I hit the sponge barrier at the end with enough force to bounce back like a cartoon character. For a split second, I thought I’d have to zipline backward 😂

Overall, Rong May was… okay. I’d give it 5 out of 10. The activities were fun, but the fog ruined most of the views. Maybe in summer, when it’s clear, it’d be much better. Still, it was an experience one we won’t forget 😮‍💨

Cats, Sausages, and Sweet Silence

On our way back down, we spotted a small food stall selling grilled pork sausages, and honestly, after the adrenaline crash, we were starving. As we stood there munching, we noticed a man in the next shop with a massive cage filled with cats not for sale, thankfully, but as pets. Dozens of fluffy, chonky cats lounging around like royalty. We stayed there for a while, petting them and soaking in the moment. That small pause with the smoky sausages, cool mountain air, and purring cats was the perfect way to wind down.

By 4 PM, we were back at the hostel for check-in.

Our Frosty Dorm Room

We had booked a six-bed dorm, three bunk beds in total and when we entered, it was freezing. The floor felt like an ice rink. But then we discovered the magic in our bed 🫣 heated bedsheets! 😂🤌🏼 (Didn’t Know A Thing Like This Even Existed !) The warmth crept up instantly when we lay down, and it felt like heaven. We didn’t want to get up, but adventure called again.

Some Evening Drinks and Valley Views (Sort Of)

By evening, we set out for Viettrekking Café, a popular spot known for its view of the valley and the monorail leading to Mount Fansipan. Sadly, by the time we got there, it was too foggy to see anything. Still, the cafe was beautiful ! cozy, dim lights, and the sound of soft music. Yugadi ordered a tea thinking it was hot, but it turned out to be iced tea. She already had a bad cough, so guess who ended up drinking both her tea and my avocado milkshake ? Yep, me 😝

We spent an hour there, sipping, laughing, and watching the fog roll in. When we stepped out, the town lights shimmered through the mist. Sapa at night looked straight out of a postcard.

The Dinner That Stole the Show

For dinner, I wanted to make sure Yugadi finally got a meal she’d love. We’d had a few hits and misses with food so far when it came to her, so I picked a vegan restaurant that had amazing reviews and it was mind-blowingly good. Never thought that i'd enjoy vegan food so much to be honest 🫣, and the kind of cozy vibe that made you forget the cold outside. It turned out to be the highlight of our day. I’ll be writing a separate post about that restaurant in the Foodies Bee Hive Community because it truly deserves its own spotlight.

A Quiet Night In

Before heading back, we made a quick stop at a convenience store to stock up for Breakfast the next morning since we didn’t really enjoy breakfast this morning and there wasn’t that many options open near by early in the morning. We got some instant cup noodles, chips for the late night munchies, and soju. A classic combination for tired traveler's. Back in the dorm, wrapped under our heated blankets, we sipped, snacked, and planned out the next day. The sound of wind outside, the soft glow from our night light, and the quiet hum of the room made it the perfect ending to our first day in Sapa.

And that’s how Day One in Sapa went 😂 full of surprises, chills (Both Literal And Emotional), and small moments that made it unforgettable. If Hanoi was about energy and rhythm, Sapa was about stillness and awe. Stay tuned for Day Two, where we go on more adventures and (Hopefully) avoid more scooter drama!

Just Incase You Haven’t Read Or Seen The Adventurous Video Of Days 1 To 4
You Can Catch Them By Clicking On The Below Images ✨