Day 5: Sín Chải A to Nậm Cang
Index
| Day 1 | Departure Oslo |
| Day 2 | To Hanoi |
| Day 3 | Hanoi sightseeing and night train to Lào Cai |
| Day 4 | Sa Pa, Mường Hoa Valley – Sín Chải A |
| Day 5 | Sín Chải A to Nậm Cang |
| Day 6 | Sapa: Mường Hoa Valley |
| Day 7 | Fansipan climbing rest stop/station at 2800m |
| Day 8 | Mt. Fansipan – Bắc Hà |
| Day 9 | Bắc Hà |
| Day 10 | Bắc Hà to Hoàng Su Phì |
| Day 11 | Hà Giang |
| Day 12 | Back to Hanoi |
| Day 13 | Departure Hanoi |
Wednesday: Roll call just past 7am at the Sín Chải Homestay , which came as no shock as the local roosters in Sa Pa go to work pretty early in the morning.
I wrote in my previous post: “there was nothing impressive about this homestay”. In hindsight, I have given this more thought.
The general feeling in the group was disappointment over certain aspects of the accommodation. I am not sure what expectations the group had. I had none. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. But I hadn’t expected something “impressive”.
A Homestay is not intended to be a small hotel. The idea is to stay with a local family, experience everyday village life and gain some insight into the culture of the community. Accommodation may therefore be very simple and should ideally retain the character of a local home rather than imitate Western hotel standards.
Simple, however, does not mean unhygienic. The ASEAN Homestay Standard expects the house to be safe and in good condition, with clean water, suitable beds or mattresses and pillows, clean bed linen for each new guest, and access to a functioning toilet and bathroom.
When our group of 16 arrived the day before, we were looking at one toilet and one shower. And for all I know, we would be sharing it with the local family. Which – technically met the minimum requirement of the standard: ASEAN Homestay Standard: chapter 5.2.1.4: “There shall be a minimum of one (1) bathroom/toilet for the guest either inside the guest room or inside the house”. (https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ASEAN-Homestay-Standard.pdf)
By packing 16 people into that single house, one may question if the tour company failed in scaling up the infrastructure to match. Allow 10 minutes per person for a toilet visit and a shower (separate rooms), then the capacity-to-bathroom ratio suggests ~2,5 hours for basic hygiene activities.
The standard also mandates a minimum of 5 registered homestay providers within a village community. The goal of this rule is to spread out large groups. Instead of forcing 16 people to overload one family’s home and single bathroom, a proper community-based tour is supposed to split a large group across 3 or 4 different houses in the village. This distributes the economic benefits to multiple families and keeps the bathroom ratio reasonable for the tourists.
Chapter 5.2.2.5: “Bed linen shall be changed as needed” was clearly an issue. There were not enough bed linen for everyone.
But enough of the criticism already. Everyone was happy and we were looking forward to today’s hike. The local family had found that pancakes with bananas and honey was the optimal nutrition to get us through a long day of hiking in more than 30 C ° 😉
Next, we got ready to get back on the trail. Sunscreen and water had priority over everything else…
But before we started hiking, Kong wanted to show us the original house and tell us about life here – perfectly in line with the idea behind the Homestay: “… where guests will stay with the host’s family and experience the everyday way of life of the family and community”
Kong showed us yet another use for the rice plant. After harvesting, rice straw could be dried and tied into traditional brooms – another example of how very little of the crop went to waste.
I listened to every word he said, and everything made sense at the time, but it was just too much information. A tip for other travellers: record everything on video!
An elderly woman was removing the outer shells of harvested chestnuts (I think) before the nuts were dried or prepared for eating. It was clearly not the worst job on the planet, as she was smiling and laughing all the time.
Anne was worried that the woman couldn’t see clearly and gave her a pair of reading glasses. She continued smiling and laughing and we had no clue whether they made her work any easier.
I wasn’t prepared for how all these impressions would affect me. It’s not as if I’ve been living under a rock all my life. I know where food comes from, but in our privileged lives back home, we don’t have to worry too much about it. It’s simply there. We take things for granted.
Every now and then, the authorities remind us that we should be prepared to manage on our own for a week. Water. Check. Batteries. Check. Toilet paper. Check. A few tins of food. Check. And that is probably adequate for the kind of temporary disruption we are preparing for.
But travelling through rural Vietnam made me realise just how completely dependent we are on an enormous system that normally works so well that we hardly notice it exists.
Here, much more of that system was visible. Food was growing beside the trail. People were harvesting, carrying, cleaning and preparing it. Water, animals, crops and human labour were all part of everyday life rather than something hidden somewhere beyond the supermarket shelves.
It wasn’t poverty itself that made the strongest impression on me. It was seeing how much work goes into providing the things that, back home, simply seem to appear.
At one point I made a remark to the others that if the little village shop closed for a month, I wasn’t sure people here would even notice. That was obviously an exaggeration, but there was something behind it. So much of what people needed seemed to be produced, grown, raised or prepared right there.
Back home, most of us are at the opposite end of the scale. We may keep enough water, batteries, food and toilet paper to get through a temporary emergency, but as I already touched on – food appears in the supermarket. Water comes out of the tap. Electricity comes out of the wall. Until it doesn’t.
But it was time to get back on the trail. Another Homestay was on the program, and I was curious if this Homestay would be a step up, compared to what we left behind.
Apparently, the important person from the government had left the village, but the flags were still there.
Our destination was Nậm Cang – approx. 13km to the south.
It was nice to get a break from reflections on accommodation standards and ways of living and just focus on the stunning nature.
We didn’t get far before Kong pulled more “nature magic” out of his hat. Bear Grylls has nothing on our guy!
Along the way, we stopped for a “family picture”. We had bonded quite well by now.
I was using one camera battery per day now. I don’t think that has ever happened before…
We would be learning much more about rice during the coming days. So far, we were just admiring the fields…
The water buffaloes were just awesome. I’ve been saying for years that if I ever gave up software development, I’d become a goat herder. After Vietnam, water buffalo herder is now also under consideration.
I realize that my manager (in theory) could be reading this. I need to reach out to WordPress to check if they can identify managers and (in real-time) replace any controversial text with “I remain deeply committed to software development and see myself continuing to grow professionally in this field”
Without seeing the particular connection I just made, some people actually call me a “mountain goat”.
We were still on a paved road, and I was unaware that several in the group were longing for a good old fashioned path!
I hadn’t even thought about that being a concern, probably because I was looking everywhere but down. I did see their point though.
Then I noticed a wasp feeding on a flower and that just made the day for me.
I felt a little like Ferdinand the Bull…
The sky was a bit … ominous. Not based on the below picture alone, but I was quite confident it would start raining soon. Our guide Kong didn’t agree.
If something isn’t directly edible, it can probably function as medicine. Like the Billygoat weed (Ageratum conyzoides) – a pretty little flower with a less charming reputation. Originally from tropical America, it is now a widespread invasive weed in Southeast Asia, although it also has a long history of use in traditional medicine.
After a couple of kilometres, we left the paved road and got on a trail, adjacent to the road.
The local pigs looked a bit miserable, but at least they had each other…
A bit later, I had another question that needed answer. Was this a jungle or a tropical rain forest? Based on later research, I concluded that due to the elevation, this is more a jungle or a subtropical/temperate montane forest than a classic tropical rainforest.
That’s what they sang
Looka-looka, koo-la-ley
(Jungle, Electric Light Orchestra)
We were now in bamboo forest and if you think Kong didn’t have any stories about bamboo, you’re wrong.
The trail was not without challenges…
But overall, it was a nice stroll…
I kept looking out for the rain…
Meanwhile, Kong had another plant he wanted to talk about. This one got a bit lost on me, but one of the coolest things was when he showed us the sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica). A light touch was enough to make its leaves fold up almost instantly, as if the plant had decided it wanted nothing more to do with us.
What a day and what an adventure!
With us passing, the water buffaloes got a break from their normal routine…
So much to take in…
Soon, we would be back on the road…
The Billygoat wasn’t the only weed around. Blackjack (Bidens pilosa) is a widespread tropical weed whose barbed seeds are remarkably good at hitching a ride on clothing.
“Class Kong” continued. Next on the program was something both edible and useful in the bathroom.
It was Luffa growing along the trail. The young fruits are eaten as vegetables, while mature fruits develop the fibrous interior that becomes the familiar natural loofah sponge.
If the skin went to the pigs, that would be 100% Vietnam in a nutshell. Nothing goes to waste.
It was yet another hot day. It was nice to soak my shirt – the one I had on my head.
I was clearly in a bubble. Fortunately, Anne had the wisdom to take pictures of others in the group…
Our stroll through the jungle continued…
I had seen a whole lot of butterflies during this hike, but they would never land! But eventually, it happened and I was right there.
This was most likely a male Great Mormon (Papilio memnon) – a large swallowtail butterfly common across South and Southeast Asia.
Nature has a sense of humor. The Great Mormon males are dull and completely one-dimensional, while the females are complex, multifaceted, and constantly changing. I’ll let you draw your own parallels to human relationships there.
Education about rice fields is not complete without understanding the irrigation systems…
Then we entered another bamboo-distinct part of the forest.
The bamboo is utterly important. It provides food, building material, tools, baskets, furniture, fuel and even cooking vessels. And paper! More on that later. Few plants have been quite as useful to everyday life in rural Vietnam.
Finally, we were back on the road…
We then passed yet another herder’s hut – overlooking the valley.
Next, followed a small village.
I was sad to see a very lonesome pig…
The rice winter reserves seemed to be in order…
Kong demonstrated how the Luffa should be applied.
A sponge (or scrub) right there!
And he went on and on. He was a wandering library of information.
I don’t know what they planned to use this bamboo for, but at least it could be used for handrails along a path…
Another rooster, out walking his family…
And then I saw a cat, for the first time since I arrived in Vietnam. Not big, fat and lazy, like many Norwegian cats. Rather, small, thin and shy. And – a little bit curious.
We had a small rest by the Nậm Nhìu village community house.
A local woman suddenly appeared carrying a small metal object that looked like a chisel. She wanted our guide to tell her whether it might be valuable. Unfortunately, his verdict was that it was probably not silver. She received a few dongs instead, and allowed us to take some photographs of her.
All of a sudden, the little woman had a machete in her hand. I didn’t catch the context, but hopefully she wasn’t unhappy with the tip.
During our short stop, we enjoyed some fruits. Nina was totally in line with the Vietnamese ways and gave the peel to the local pig…
A bit later, we passed rice terraces with the water still present. From what I could see, the rice had already been harvested, leaving the terraces flooded once again after recent rain.
We kept on walking…
On a Luffa flower, I noticed a small gathering of ants. They were probably looking for nectar, pollen, or other sugary plant secretions.
Eventually, our destination – Nậm Cang – came into view. It was still a bit to go!
We would be crossing this ridge at the lowest pass.
We passed yet another herder’s hut. This time with a herder inside.
We were now enroute for the village Nậm Than.
Small villages, rice fields, herders’ huts and mountains (w/forests). That was the general experience so far…
Clearly, Nậm Than had chosen a uniform architecture.
I was so lucky to notice a Batman-themed ladybird. I forgot to make wishes, though.
The energy in the group was most excellent.
Next up was the gorgeous Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia) – although to me it looked more like a chandelier hanging from a tree.
This is a very poisonous flowering plant, to be avoided at all costs. Yet, it has historically been used in rituals, medicine and even as drugs.
Wikipedia: “All parts of Brugmansia are potentially poisonous, with the seeds and leaves being especially dangerous. Brugmansias are rich in scopolamine (hyoscine), hyoscyamine, and several other tropane alkaloids that can lead to anticholinergic toxidrome and delirium. Effects of ingestion can include paralysis of smooth muscles, confusion, tachycardia, dry mouth, constipation, tremors, migraine headaches, poor coordination, delusions, visual and auditory hallucinations, mydriasis, rapid onset cycloplegia, and death.”
Just so you know…
We certainly didn’t mind getting a chance to cool down…
Eventually, we arrived at Nậm Than. The Homestay in Nậm Cang was only 1,4km away, but we would still be hiking almost 4km to get there …
Kong had promised us a bath in the river when we got to Nậm Cang. I hoped it was less rocky than this river.
Walking through the Nậm Than village wasn’t much different than other villages we had passed…
Then we saw field maize hanging under the eaves to dry – a simple and effective combination of drying rack and food storage. Unlike sweet corn, field maize is left to mature and dry before being used for animal feed, flour or other foods.
A pole caught my attention…
Somewhere underneath all that dirt, cobwebs and wildlife, there was apparently an electrical system. I hoped the local electricians received a dirt allowance…
Kong kept on tutoring. We were hungry and hoped that lunch was on the program soon…
It was! When we finally arrived in Nậm Cang, we stopped for lunch at Quán Hoàng Dũng, a tiny local shop and eatery next to the school in Nậm Cang. Apparently, we were the first foreign tourists ever to eat there.
Like almost everywhere else in Vietnam, the furniture consisted largely of the little plastic stools – cheap, light and stackable.
The noodle soup was nice and the portion was generous.
I left the restaurant ahead of the others to take some more pictures.
I was wondering when the rain I had predicted would set in. Kong was still confident it wouldn’t rain.
Then we headed into the Nậm Cang village.
A bunch of bananas were developing above the banana blossom. Each cluster is known as a “hand“, while the individual bananas are called “fingers”. Further down the stalk, the reddish-purple bracts of the banana blossom open to reveal rows of small flowers.
There was just so much to see.
Just before crossing the Nậm Cang river, we passed one of the village’s cold-water fish farms. Cool mountain water was channelled continuously through concrete tanks containing hundreds of sturgeon. Cold-water fish farming has become an important local industry in the valley.
En.vietnamplus.vn: In September 2023, a serious flash flood in Lien Minh commune of Sa Pa township in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.
The flash flood killed five people, left two missing, injured seven others, and caused damage to local production and business, particularly aquaculture and homestay services.
The fish farms were hit badly, but at least this one seems to have recovered.
As for Liên Minh: Nậm Cang is now part of Liên Minh commune, created in 2020 by merging the former communes of Nậm Cang and Nậm Sài. This explains why maps sometimes show Liên Minh where older sources refer to Nậm Cang.
The Nậm Cang river eventually joins the Ngòi Bo/Mường Hoa river system near Bản Hồ – which we passed the day before.
I was ready to jump into the river, but our guide wanted us to go a little further upstream.
Maybe this was the highlight of the day…
No caption needed…
I know Kong just wanted to take a picture, but the scene had a certain stalking dimension to it 😉
So that was it? No more sightseeing today? Should we find the Homestay and count down for dinner?
Nope.
Kong wanted us to learn how they produced traditional handmade paper from bamboo. There wasn’t anyone at home, but that didn’t prevent him from taking over the house and organizing his own demonstration.
The bamboo is boiled and soaked until the fibres soften, then beaten into a pulp and mixed with water and a natural binding agent.
The pulp is spread across a large frame and left to dry, eventually producing a surprisingly large and remarkably tough sheet of paper.
More than 7 hours after leaving Sín Chải, we arrived at Homestay Tả Mẩy.
This place felt like a major upgrade, and everyone was happy.
They even had goldfish!
Goldfish seemed a little out of place among all the practical uses of animals and plants we had been shown, but ornamental fish have a long tradition in Vietnam. Goldfish are commonly associated with prosperity, and good fortune – although these may simply have been there because the local family liked goldfish.
Not only were the adequate toilet and shower facilities, but they also offered a traditional Red Dao herbal bath.
A mixture of locally gathered medicinal plants is boiled for hours before the dark, aromatic infusion is poured into large wooden tubs. The bath is traditionally used to soothe tired muscles and aching joints – which, after a day on the trail, seemed entirely appropriate.
The majority of the group signed up for the bath. I was “good”.
Then followed a nice dinner.
So, what about the rain I had predicted would come? It came!!!
After dinner, Anne-Kristin gathered the group to talk about the upcoming trip to Mt. Fansipan. The information she had was that the hike was 18km, one way. That is a notable distance and then you have the vertical gain (13-1400) meters in addition.
This information came as a bit of shock, and a few in a group indicated this would be too strenuous for them. But thanks to Anne, for digging deeper into this, we established that the route was only 9-10km and then everyone was back onboard.
Our rooms for the night were upstairs. There were three rooms intended for two people in each. The three men shared one room, while the remaining five had to squeeze into another.
The positive vibe we had about the place had a small letdown when we noticed ants crawling out of the woodworks. Not just a few, but a small army. The mosquito spray was deadly effective and the ants died instantly.
As they amounted to “small piles”, we asked if the local family could get rid of them. They seemed a little bewildered and I didn’t know what to think. Were we exaggerating the problem? When does “insects” become “infestation”?
The ASEAN handbook says: “5.6.2.2: Eradicate breeding ground for mosquitoes (especially Aedes mosquitoes) such as clogged drains, discarded tins, etc” So, mosquito, ant, potato, potahto, right?
No. This section is about water-borne diseases. Ants do not breed in stagnant water.
The manual doesn’t mention ants at all. But if we agree on what we saw was an “invasion of ants through the woodworks”, it will would violate the manual through three non-negotiable clauses:
1) The manual explicitly states that: “all rooms must be kept clean and free of malodour, dirt, dust, cobwebs etc.” The “etc.” is the key word here.
2) The accommodation section states: “The structure of the house shall be in good, stable and safe condition such as roof, walls, doors, floor, etc”.
If ants are invading through the woodwork, it means the structure has unsealed gaps, rot, or compromises.
3) “If necessary, windows should be fitted with a mesh frame to keep out mosquitoes and other insects”
It was useful to process this information and in hindsight I came to the conclusion that the ant invasion was unacceptable by the expected standard.
And they didn’t have a mosquito net for Odd. I tried to ask the local family, but they either didn’t understand or didn’t have any spares.
And when the fan broke at 2am, I wasn’t no longer so impressed with this bedroom as I had hoped I would be.
But did it take anything away from the adventure we had so far? Not a bit…
Trip statistics: 13,7km, 470 vertical meters, 7h:08m
4 thoughts on “Vietnam, Sep 23 2026”