North Vietnam Free Trip Day 6｜Crossing the Yao and Miao Ethnic Protection Area, a Farewell in the Fog

Preface At dawn, I was once again woken by the sunlight. At last night's homestay, a foreign yoga teacher had arranged with the group to get up early and practice yoga together—but as someone with stiff, inflexible joints, I of course skipped it. Breakfast was, as usual, simple yet familiar—pancakes, bananas, honey, along with hot water and instant three-in-one coffee. This same everyday combination.

Today's Itinerary At 8:30, Xiaoyong appeared at the door right on time, ready to take us on our journey. After packing our luggage and waving goodbye to the Homestay, I felt a bit reluctant to leave in that moment.

Yesterday, Xiaoyang mentioned that Bản Dền village, which we had originally planned to visit, has recently undergone a lot of development, and the pastoral scenery that used to be there no longer exists. So he arranged for us at the last minute to switch to the Topas Ecolodge route through the Yao and Miao ethnic protected area instead. This decision later turned out to be the right one. Mountain Roads in the Clouds and Mist On the way to Topas Ecolodge, the entire valley was blanketed in thin mist. I thought to myself that we probably wouldn't see any spectacular scenery today, but then I reconsidered—we'd already gained so much over the past two days, so today I'd just go with the flow and take whatever came.

The car had just stopped when a group of Yao women came running up to meet us, full of energy and determination. Xiao Yang immediately explained on our behalf: "We've already bought souvenirs these past few days, we won't be buying any more." But they still insisted on following along with us, saying, "The road is slippery today, we can help." That kind of persistence and warmth has already become a familiar part of the Sapa journey. The Challenge of Crossing the Rice Terraces: Muddy Trials, Beauty in the Clouds Today's route would take us truly across the rice terraces — the kind of path that runs along the edges of paddies, with wet mud covering every step. On a sunny day, this would be a dreamlike experience; but after the rain, it became a real test of balance.

The shoes had long been caked with mud and even soaked in water, but walking surrounded by clouds, valleys, and rice stalks, everything still felt worth it. Finally, we crossed the rice terraces to reach the small river at the very bottom, and then on our way up, we took the opportunity to appreciate the scenery.

On some of the terraced fields, short rice ears are still growing — the lamb said it was "grown back on its own after the harvest" — but these won't be harvested again. Their vitality is still strong, yet they can only remain where they stand.

The lookout on the hill, gazing back over three days' journey Today's hiking distance is short, about 4 kilometers.

On the way back, we passed by a small café. Xiaoyang smiled and said, "From here, you can see your homestay, and the paths we've walked these past few days." That scene was so touching — it turns out our journey had already traced a line of memories through the valley.

Lunch and the Journey Home: Ending Amid a Table Full of Laughter At noon we returned to the same restaurant where we had first arrived in Sapa, and this time the travel agency had specially prepared even more vegetarian dishes. Whether meat-eaters or vegetarians, everyone ate to their heart's content. At three in the afternoon, the family finally got to board the "luxury sleeper bus" as they had hoped, ready to head back to Hanoi. Although the ride took a bit longer than a private car, those comfortable seats let everyone catch up on the sleep they'd missed over the past few days.

An Awkward Mix-up During a Rainy Night in Hanoi We arrived in Hanoi around 10 PM, and it was pouring rain outside. We dragged our luggage to the hotel, only to discover I had booked the wrong branch! The hotel has three branches in Hanoi, and I had mistakenly booked the one near Train Street instead of the one by Hoan Kiem Lake. Left with no choice, we had to call another Grab ride and relocate through the rain. Fortunately, we eventually checked in successfully and wrapped up this little mishap. Though today's itinerary was brief, it felt like the closing chapter of the entire Sa Pa hiking adventure. Without a long trek or a lively night out, we brought our Sa Pa hike to a quiet, understated close — much like the feeling Sa Pa itself left with us: subtle, yet unforgettable. After walking through terraced fields, bamboo groves, and villages, what we've learned is perhaps not just how to appreciate the scenery, but how to slow down and truly feel the present moment. Tomorrow, we'll set off for the final stop of our journey — Ninh Binh's Tam Coc (Ha Long Bay on Land). 📌 Travel Tip On rainy days the terraced paths get extremely slippery, so we recommend wearing waterproof hiking shoes. From Sapa back to Hanoi, you can choose a luxury sleeper bus, which is comfortable but has a longer journey (about 6 to 7 hours). Previous ← Northern Vietnam Self-Guided Trip Day 5丨Through Yao Village × Bamboo Forest Trail × Hidden Waterfall Paradise Next → Northern Vietnam Self-Guided Trip Day 7丨Ninh Binh Day Trip: Trang An Boat Ride × Mua Cave Hiking × Thung Nham Bird Sanctuary 🔗 Further Reading｜Northern Vietnam Self-Guided Trip Series 【Travel Journal】 North Vietnam Free & Easy Trip Day 1｜Hanoi Hoan Kiem Lake × Ngoc Son Temple × St. Joseph's Cathedral × First Experience with Water Puppet Show North Vietnam Free & Easy Trip Day 2｜From Hanoi to Sapa × Visiting Cat Cat Village × Overlooking the Beautiful Terraced Rice Fields North Vietnam Free & Easy Trip Day 3｜Climbing Fansipan, the Roof of Vietnam × Challenging the Rong May Glass Bridge Above the Clouds North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 4 | Sapa Trekking × Mountain Terraced Fields × Ethnic Minority Village Visit North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 5 | Through Yao Ethnic Villages × Bamboo Forest Trails × Hidden Waterfall Wonderland North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 6 | Passing Through the Yao-Miao Nature Reserve, a Farewell in the Mist North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 7 | Ninh Binh Day Trip: Trang An Boat Ride × Mua Cave Hike × Thung Nham Bird Reserve 【Complete North Vietnam Travel Guide Roundup】 The Complete Hanoi Travel Guide | Must-Visit Attractions × Itinerary Planning × Extended Trips Around Northern Vietnam (2025 Update) Vietnam Sapa Travel Guide | A Hidden Gem of Northern Vietnam's Terraced Fields and Ethnic Minority Culture Tam Coc Travel Guide: One-Day Itinerary, Best Season to Visit, and Classic Attractions Vietnam's Halong Bay World Cultural Heritage Site: Best Travel Season and a Recommended Three-Day Itinerary