Tribal Life - Sapa, North Vietnam
the adventure
This was a most enjoyable community engagement mission. At 1,500 meters above sea level in Vietnam's remote northwest mountains, Sapa is famous for its fine, rugged scenery and also its rich cultural diversity. Incredibly picturesque, Sapa is near to the Chinese border in northwestern Vietnam, and the surrounding region is host to many hill tribes, as well as rice terraces and lush vegetation.
My local guide and friend, a local Black Hmong woman known as Tung, led me around the rugged and scenic highlands over several days. We deliberately avoided the usual tourist routes and visited the more remote villages and tribes instead. The going could often be very hard, steep and slippery.
Over several days and nights, we saw amazing scenery and friendly people, swam in fast-flowing rivers, and ate and slept in a different tribal home every night. I also became rather well acquainted with the very potent 'Happy Water', aka home-brewed rice wine, that my hosts were always happy to share.
