Up Country, Sapa and the H'Mong

This was real tribal, rural, mountain stuff. We just loved it. We had no plan, no reservations - just let it all unfold. The Hmong tribals were the best surprise, incredibly friendly and curious, especially with Mara & Tia. We went on these all-day hikes and to their homes, ate with them and I think the girls made some real connections. They weave their own linen-like fabric from hemp (= marijuana), and I saw fields of it - and use their own indigo dyes, make their own costumes and jewelry and are fiercely independent. Sapa and the surrounds are incredibly beautiful - terraced rice fields set in this forested mountain landscape abutting China. The cool temperature was a relief from the super hot, super humid lowlands. We went to the tiny mountain villages of Cat Cat and on another day on this huge trek to Ban Ho and Silver Waterfalls. Here are the girls in our compartment for the overnight ride to Lao Cai, and then we took the bus for a couple of hours to the town of Sapa.

City Centre, Sapa.

Black Hmong Tribals.




Indigo dye stained hands.





Cat Cat village.

With Ban, our Black Hmong guide.







Ban & me.

Tia rides a bike.




Shan.




Black Dao with their elaborate headdress.