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Planning a trip to Sapa and unsure about what to pack? Fear not, Vntrip is here to suggest essential items for your journey below so you won't find yourself 'short before and behind' during your travels.
1. Clothing
Sapa's renowned tourist spots consist mainly of numerous waterfalls, small streams, hilly terrain... Therefore, opt for lightweight and uncomplicated attire. It's best to prepare at least one pair of jeans and a T-shirt, both easy to wear and convenient for movement.
Chic Outfit Ideas for Your Sapa Getaway
For the ladies aiming for Instagram-worthy photos in Sapa, don't forget to pack 1-2 dresses. It could be a long maxi dress for a 'flying' moment amidst the lush hills, or a gentle flowy dress, midi khaki dress, or linen dress - all are stylish choices. Additionally, consider dresses with vintage, bohemian, or ethnic patterns in bright tones to stand out even more. Avoid tight-fitting dresses, office attire, or party dresses as they won't suit the occasion and make movement difficult.
Maxi dresses will make you shine brighter. Image: @nhimsoc13
Earth-toned patterns are a suitable choice. Image: @nhimsoc13
Stay Warm with a Cozy Jacket in Sapa. Image: Hien Pham Thu
If you're traveling to Sapa during summer or autumn, you can bring light jackets like knitwear, windbreakers... But if you're visiting in winter, the weather can be extremely cold with frost, snowfall, and icy conditions. Therefore, if you plan to visit Sapa in winter or spring, it's essential to bring thick jackets like down jackets, parkas... to keep warm.
2. Footwear
Due to Sapa's terrain mainly consisting of hills, to reach the famous attractions here, you'll mostly travel by motorbike and on foot. To ensure comfort and prevent sore feet while moving around, prepare a pair of sneakers or breathable flat shoes for easy movement. Note that it's advisable to choose waterproof shoes to keep your feet dry when it rains or when crossing waterlogged areas.
A pair of well-fitting sneakers makes moving around easy. Image: Collected
You don't need to invest in expensive designer shoes, just prepare a pair that fits you best, matches your style, and feels comfortable to walk in without causing any discomfort, and you're good to go.
For ladies, if you're walking in flatter city terrain or want to add a touch of elegance, you can bring kitten heels, but not too high, maximum of about 3 to 5 centimeters. These shoes will help accentuate your figure without causing difficulties in movement.
Consider shoes with 3-5 centimeters heels. Image: @ann.babe
3. Accessories
3.1. Sunglasses
Sunglasses are also one of the essential accessories to prepare when traveling to Sapa. Especially in summer, although the weather may be cool, the sunlight in the mountainous areas can be intense. The journey to attractions such as O Quy Ho Pass, Fansipan Peak, etc., is quite far from the city center, exposing your eyes to sunlight, dust, rain, wind, insects for a long time. Sunglasses not only serve as a useful 'shield' to protect your eyes but also as an accessory to make your photos look even cooler.
Sunglasses make you look cooler. Image: @thaophuong___
3.2. Scarf
As mentioned by Vntrip above, the weather in Sapa will change throughout the day. Therefore, to ensure you stay warm, prepare a scarf. Depending on your preference and the temperature, choose a suitable material such as silk, chiffon, silk, or wool,... to avoid getting cold due to a too thin scarf.
Ethnic patterned scarf helps you stand out amidst the mountainous scenery. Image: @thuynhung141199
Additionally, to look trendier, when choosing the color of the scarf, pay attention to the color of the outfit you're wearing and choose contrasting colors. If you're wearing dark-colored clothes, opt for scarves in red, yellow, orange...; whereas if you're wearing bright-colored clothes, a gray, brown, nude, or black scarf will be suitable.
4. Personal Items
Wherever you go, it's essential to have a small bag to carry all the necessary personal items such as: toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, face wash, razor, towel, face towel... Although these items are usually provided at the hotel or guesthouse where you stay, it's important to prepare them for yourself to ensure hygiene.
Prepare all personal items
Moreover, Sapa's weather can be quite sunny at noon, so you can bring sunscreen to protect your skin. Also, don't forget to bring cold medicine, personal bandages, insect bite treatment, menthol balm, stomachache medicine, common antibiotics, motion sickness medicine,... to prevent unexpected illnesses or accidents. You can use these to administer first aid to yourself and your family before going to the hospital.
5. Cash and ATM Cards
Typically, the average cost for a 3-day 2-night trip to Sapa is about 3 million Vietnamese dong, including food, transportation, guesthouse rental, entrance fees to attractions... You can prepare some cash in advance to cover expenses, but it's advisable not to carry too much cash to avoid any potential risks.
Cash and ATM Cards
Additionally, there are at least 5 ATMs from various banks in the town area. You can withdraw money whenever needed. Some hotels and shopping places also accept card payments.
6. Personal Documents
For convenience during travel and accommodation in hotels or resorts, you need to bring personal documents such as: identity card, passport,... for check-in procedures. If you plan to explore tourist attractions by car or motorcycle, you need to bring vehicle registration, driver's license, and valid vehicle insurance. Additionally, if you intend to rent a motorcycle or car in Sapa, you also need to bring your identity card and driver's license to be eligible for rental.
Carry all necessary personal documents
7. Mobile Phone, Camera
Even if you're not part of the 'Instagrammable team,' when you step into Sapa, you'll be addicted to taking photos because everywhere you go in Sapa is simply beautiful. Therefore, a high-quality camera phone will become your best companion on this trip. Or if you want even more stunning photos, don't forget to bring a travel camera. Choose a lightweight camera because you'll mostly be walking when exploring Sapa, a bulky camera will be quite inconvenient.
A phone is also enough for you to capture memorable photos. Image: Collected
In addition to bringing cameras and phones for photography, you should also prepare necessary items such as power banks, phone chargers, camera chargers, and extra memory cards to fully capture your experiences during your trip.
A high-quality camera will help you capture dazzling photos. Image: Collected
With the above suggestions from Vntrip, we hope you will prepare well for your Sapa travel journey. Now, let's start a fun and fulfilling trip!
Check out this article for more: What's fun about traveling to Sa Pa in November?
