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Asia Trip Blog
Cover Story — Northern Vietnam

Sapa 3 Days Itinerary: The Perfect Trip Plan (2026)

Three days is the sweet spot for Sapa: a valley trek, a homestay night, and Fansipan. Here is the day-by-day plan, with budgets and honest advice on what to skip.

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In this issue — where to go first
01 Sapa 02 Ha Giang 03 Ha Long Bay 04 Hanoi 05 Da Nang
Asia Trip Blog — Field GuideVietnam, in priority order
Vietnam · five places to start

Where to go first

01

Sapa

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Terraced valleys and Hmong trekking villages threaded through the northern highlands.

02

Ha Giang

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Vietnam's most dramatic road trip, one hairpin at a time.

03

Ha Long Bay

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Thousands of limestone karsts rising straight out of jade-green water.

04

Hanoi

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Old Quarter alleys, egg coffee, and a thousand years of history.

05

Da Nang

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Long beaches and the gateway to Hoi An and the Marble Mountains.

Asia Trip Blog — Farther AfieldLaos, Cambodia, Thailand, China
Farther afield

More of the trail, roughly in the order we’re covering it

06 · Laos

Laos

Slow river towns and the Banana Pancake Trail's quiet heart.

07 · Cambodia

Cambodia

Angkor's temples and the Mekong's floating villages.

08 · Thailand

Thailand

Bangkok's chaos, southern islands, and northern hill country.

09 · China

China

Ancient capitals and landscapes that inspired a thousand scrolls.

Asia Trip Blog — DispatchesFresh off the trail
Latest field notes

Fresh off the trail

Northern Vietnam

25 Best Things to Do in Sapa, Vietnam (2026): Top Treks, Sights & Tips

These are the best things to do in Sapa, ranked after a decade of visits to the valley. Sapa packs more into one valley than most regions manage in a province. Rice terraces, Indochina's highest peak, hill-tribe markets, waterfalls, herbal baths, and the best trekking in Vietnam — all within an hour of town. 25 Best…

In brief

Asia Trip Blog — ContributorsThree storytellers, one trail
Who’s writing

Contributors

Northern Vietnam & rail

Jack Lee

Jack launched AsiaTripBlog after spending years backpacking through Southeast Asia on a shoestring, then returning in style. He specialises in Vietnam — from the northern highlands to the Mekong Delta — and believes the best meal you'll ever eat costs about $2 and involves a plastic stool.