Ha Giang
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh City
Ha Long
Sapa
Mekong Delta
Da Nang
Hue
Hoi An
Ninh Binh
Da Lat
Nha Trang
Phan Thiet
Phu Quoc
Quang Binh
Quy Nhon
Vung Tau
Thai Nguyen
We are in Hanoi in mid November and thinking about 3 days in Sapa. Everyone talks about the golden terraces in September, but by November are they just brown stubble fields, or is there still something to see?
I know the weather turns cold and foggy up there, which is part of the charm for me, but I do not want to trek for hours just to look at harvested fields in the mist. Is there a specific valley that still looks good late in the season, or should we wait for a different trip?
Also, for a November trek, do we need a guide or can two reasonably fit adults walk the main village routes on our own? We have done day hikes before but never in Vietnam.
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We were in Sapa in mid November two years ago and the terraces were already harvested, mostly brown and stubbly, but honestly it still looked beautiful in a different way. The mist rolling over the empty terraces and the villages felt more real than the postcard golden version. If you go expecting gold, you will be disappointed, but if you go for the walking and the villages, November is actually lovely and much quieter.
Replying to Luke Stewart
That helps a lot, thanks. Did you still do the village treks in November, or was it too cold and wet to enjoy walking? I am trying to decide if we should book a guide for the full day or just do a shorter walk on our own.
Replying to Lauryn Tang
We did a half day walk to Lao Chai and Ta Van with a local guide and it was perfect. The paths were muddy after rain, so proper shoes matter, but the guide knew which paths were safe. On our own we would have missed the good viewpoints in the fog. Half day is plenty in November, you do not need a full day slog.