Sa Pa offers verdant homestay options

The accommodation is on a hill situated on the way from Sa Pa Town to Muong Hoa Valley. It is a nice place to enjoy the fresh air and the idyllic surrounds.

The valley is home to villages like Ta Van, Ta Phin, Cat Cat, and Sin Chai where the terraced fields look best.

The Chapa Ecolodge homestay has an ethnic décor and exudes a warm ambience. Each room is built with a separate exit. Staircases are colored with seasonal flowers. Guests can sit with a cup of coffee in the balcony each room has, and look down Muong Hoa Valley.

All the furniture in the rooms is made of wood. The brocade, baskets and other bric-a-brac in the rooms are characteristic of Sa Pa people. The windows should be opened in the morning to let in the morning mist. There are two options: rooms for two or for 3-4 people. Room rents range from VND1.5 million ($65) including breakfast. Advance reservation is advisable.

Those staying for more than four nights can use a motorbike for free. For others it is VND150,000 ($6.5) for a day. If it starts to rain the roads get muddy, and a taxi is then a better option. It costs around VND100,000 ($4.3) to reach Sa Pa.

As the name suggests, the homestay is on a hill in the center of Sa Pa and set in a forest. Visitors can join the owner to farm vegetables or simply soak up the sun on the front porch. There is also a small yard which is good for barbecue parties.

There are five bungalows, including a six-bed dorm room with views of Ham Rong Mountain and Sa Pa Town. A dorm bed costs VND180,000 ($7.8) a night, a room for two costs VND650,000 ($28) and a room for four costs VND1.05 million ($45). Breakfast, tea and coffee in the room are included.

Seven kilometres from Sa Pa is a homestay in Ta Van Village by a small stream and surrounded by a forest. Views of the picturesque, orchard-filled valley have made Phơri’s House very popular.

Just like the other homestays, wood is the central theme of the décor here. The garden allows visitors to grill their own food like potatoes (grilled potato is a favorite winter snack in Sa Pa). A room costs VND480,000 ($21) throughout the year.