Coming to Sa Pa, visitors not only admire the scenery and enjoy the peaceful moments of this highland town but also can participate in the adventure activities, challenge their ability such as conquering the peak Fansipan. To overcome this challenge, you have to prepare mentality as well as equipments. The following are some of Sapa travel experiences that help you conquer the highest mountain in Vietnam.
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Pay attention to weather factors
Weather will determine the success of your trip. If the temperature is low in Sapa, you will probably encounter rain and fog; this seriously affects your travel because Fansipan is a mountain with steep terrain.
Besides, the rain will surely affect your mood and determination, the excitement of the trip will disappear, the difficulty increases. In addition, rain and wind will make your photos will be not beautiful, and this is also favorable weather for mosquitoes and leeches appear…. So, before deciding to conquer this mountain, let’s make sure you have checked the weather in the northwest of Vietnam and Sapa.
More important is your health factor
Let’s prepare for good health which is enough to help you complete this difficult challenge. Before climbing for 3 to 5 days, you should do exercise – gentle exercise such as walking, yoga or jogging, limit smoking and you should prepare your spirit in good, happy and comfortable status. Should invite more friends to climb the mountain as possible, it will create a good team spirit and help you more and more unite.
You should bring some regular medicines and medical instruments such as flu, diarrhea, medicated oil, medical cotton wool, gauze, rubbing alcohol, and some nutrient-rich candy like fat candy, chocolate, ginseng candy…. This is the travel experience in Sapa which we were summarized after many trips.
Although you are in good health, you should not be subjective because the journey will be more difficult than you think. After 2 – 3 hours climbing, you will begin to feel pain in the calf or knee as if unable to keep going on. At this time, the most important thing is the psychology, it must be good. You must push up the spirit, asserting that you will get to the top.
On the way, you should take a break for about 10 minutes to massage legs with medicated oil (note that you should not stop too long because you will become lazy). You should not affect the will of the whole team if you go in groups. If you really cannot keep going, you can return to the resting place but remember to take some food and water with you.
According to experts, people with heart disease, respiratory failure, high blood pressure and pregnant people should not do this activity. The days before climbing, you should have a nutritious diet, adding vitamin C, drink enough water, no alcohol and sleeping 7 hours a night.
Note: For those who are taking long-term medication must remember to bring medicines during the trip to Sapa.
If you climb Fansipan alone
First, you should choose an enthusiastic local guide who is familiar with the terrain. This person may be H’mong or indigenous people in Sapa as possible; however the cost is slightly higher.
Secondly, prepare your sleeping tent for two nights: one night at the point with an altitude of 2200 m (this point has temperatures around 12 – 15 °C in summer and about 8 – 10 °C in winter). The second night, the remaining point at 2800 m (summer temperature is 10 – 15 °C, winter temperature is about 1 – 5 °C). If your trip is 2 days 1 night you should sleep at the point with an elevation of 2800 m. If you spend 3 days 2 nights, both nights should be at 2200 m point and then go back on Sin Chai trail is more beautiful. However, each stop can only accommodate about 15 – 20 people. On holidays with many tourists are likely to run out of staying, so according to our travel experiences, you should bring sleeping tents, sleeping bags to ensure your sleeping place.
Rent or buy tents, sleeping bags with good material which is lightweight, compact and convenient to bring warm and avoid the insect. In addition, you should buy insurance before climbing to avoid the risk because the risk of climbing mountain is quite high.
Food and drink
If you climb 2 to 3 days, you will definitely have to bring food as no one can conquer the challenge with a hollow stomach. You should eat cooked food, drink bottled water and bring the simple and light food but rich in nutrients such as vegetables are grown in Sapa. Breakfast should be dry rice noodle or instant noodle… in plastic bowls available in the supermarket, ready-made coffee or ginger tea are the best, it will keep you warm. In addition, you should bring some fruits with high nutritional content such as orange, banana, mango … to eat along the way to regain energy. You should limit your talk and do not breathe through the mouth if you do not want cold air get in your lungs.
About drinking water, each person should bring about 3 – 4 small bottles of water, do not carry too heavy, it will be difficult to climb. You should drink small sip of water in many times, should not be full stomach because it will be difficult to move. When you are tired, breathe in by your nose to protect your lungs and then exhale through the mouth to maintain good flexibility.
Other notes
Protect the forest and keep the environment clean. In general, everyone is aware of protecting the environment, especially the environment of tourism. Do not throw waste along the way. Put garbage in your pocket or backpack, you can put it in the trash at each stop. Do not engrave, write and draw on stone or on trees along the way. Do not cut trees; make fire in the forest, especially in the dry season.
