On April 12, 2026, construction of VinSpeed began. 23 minutes from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. A guide who has lived there for 10 years recorded the significance of this change.
The goal of the Fansipan trek is not to reach the summit. What you encounter on the way to the 3,143m peak—that is the real question.
If asked if I recommend traveling to Vietnam, I would answer without hesitation that I do. When I first came to this country, I intended to return home once my work was finished. However, ten years have passed. Now, I met my wife here, am raising two children, and drink coffee every morning while gazing at the sea in Ha Long Bay. When someone asks, “Why Vietnam?” I am always momentarily speechless. That is because there are simply too many reasons. Choosing a travel destination is always a matter of choice. Europe
Sapa trekking is not just a simple walk. We share the discoveries made on the path personally walked by a guide who has lived there for 10 years, including terraced rice fields in the mist and Black Hmong villages.
At five in the morning, the train departing Hanoi slowly comes to a stop at Lao Cai Station. Few people come to this city specifically to travel to Lao Cai. From the moment you step off the platform, sounds can be heard from all directions. “Sapa? Sapa?” Drivers shout, and travelers check numbers to find their pickup vehicles. For some, this city is merely a transit point. A place to get off briefly and then get back on the vehicle. I have stopped at this station more than ten times. And each time, not once
A traveler stopped in front of the shopping center entrance. Less than 30 seconds had passed since he got off the bus, yet he already wore an expression that suggested he had to make a decision. To go in or not. The guide had said, “You can just look around,” but he did not know if those words were sincere or not. I have watched that scene for a long time. This is not a story from my days working as a guide. It is a scene I still encounter every day in Northern Vietnam. Northern Vietnam
When I meet a friend returning from a trip, I don't ask, "How was it?" because the answer is already predetermined. "It was good. The food was delicious, and the weather was nice." The moment I hear those words, I know what kind of trip it was. A trip I saw but didn't experience. A trip I went on, but nothing changed. A trip where only a new stamp was added to my passport. For years, regarding filling in the blank spaces of a passport...
Leaving Hanoi is always at night. How to get to Sapa… When you stand on the platform at Hanoi Station, a smell hits you first. The smell of oil, the scent of unfamiliar fabric softener from luggage, and a scent mixed with the unique tension and excitement of people leaving for somewhere.
There are people who describe Sapa and Fansipan like this: “I took the cable car up, took some photos, and came back down.” That’s not wrong. You can actually do just that. The cable car is fast, the summit is high, and the photos turn out well. And then you go home and say, “I’ve been to Fansipan.” The highest peak in Indochina, 3,143 meters above sea level. “I’ve been there.” But something remains. I have been guiding this path for years. Hanoi
The feeling of first landing in Hanoi varies depending on the season. If you arrive in the summer, the air rushes in even before the airplane door opens. It is heavy and humid. It feels as if hot steam is entering your lungs directly. If you land in the winter, it is the opposite. Those who underestimated Southeast Asia and faced January in Hanoi wearing only a thin layer of clothing know this. They know there is a damp chill that penetrates to the bone. Spring and autumn are different yet again. Drizzle falling like fog, and a smell.