Costs of self-guided travel to Sapa
If you're traveling independently, you'll need to arrange various small services from transportation, accommodation, and even pre-booking restaurants if you're visiting during peak season.
Cost of Transportation to Sapa
There are various transportation options to reach Sapa, depending on your preference and circumstances. The costs of transportation to Sapa vary, so choose the one that suits you best:
Transport | Useful Information | Estimated Cost (per person) |
Motorbike | Self-driving by motorbike with a long distance of 370km will mainly incur fuel costs | 150,000vnđ |
Luxury Limousine | These are luxurious, high-quality tourist vehicles, suitable for family or group travel | 800,000vnđ round trip |
Rental Van | Basic passenger vans are cheaper than limousines | 600,000vnđ – 700,000vnđ with round-trip sleeper seats |
Train to Sapa | Usually, trains depart earliest at 7:00 PM from Hanoi Station and arrive latest at 7:00 AM at Lao Cai Station | 680,000vnđ – 800,000vnđ with round-trip sleeper train tickets |
Estimated costs for various transportation options to Sapa

Explore Sapa on a motorbike during your trip (@the_a_experience)
Transportation Costs in Sapa
In Sapa, you can rent a motorbike to explore every corner. The rental fee ranges from 100,000đ to 200,000đ per day depending on the type of motorcycle. The cost of fuel is about 50,000đ per day.
Alternatively, you can opt for a taxi instead of renting a motorcycle. Taxis will take you to any attractions you want to visit, and the fare is calculated based on the distance you travel, similar to other places.
For detailed instructions on how to get to Sapa and the common transportation options here, you can read the article 'What's the Most Convenient Way to Travel to Sapa?'
Accommodation Costs in Sapa
- 3* - 5* Hotels
The hotels and services in Sapa are quite reliable, so you don't need to hesitate too much about choosing a place to stay. If you're inexperienced with Sapa, it's best to choose a hotel in the city center for easy access to sightseeing spots.
The price of 3-star hotels in Sapa is around 400,000 VND per room per night. For 4-star or 5-star hotels and resorts, the price ranges from 800,000 VND to 2,000,000 VND per night.
- Budget hotels or homestays
If you want to save costs, opting for a homestay or hotels outside the city center is also a good choice. Mytour suggests a few affordable Sapa hotels and homestays that are popular among travelers:
- Bonjour Sapa Hotel is priced at 250,000 VND per room per night, located at 206 Fansipan Street, Sapa.
- Phoenix Sapa Hotel is priced at 495,000 VND per night, located at 06A Hanging Garden, Sapa.
- Hoàng Kim Homestay ranges from 150,000 VND to 250,000 VND per room per night, located near Bamboo bar, Tả Van Dáy 1, Sapa.
- Chapi Homestay is priced from 100,000 VND to 150,000 VND per room per night, located at San Sả Hồ, Sapa.
- Sali Homestay Sapa ranges from 100,000 VND to 150,000 VND per room per night, located at Tả Van Commune, Sapa.
- Tả Van Wood Homestay offers prices ranging from 100,000 VND to 400,000 VND per room per night, located at Thôn Tả Van Giáy 1, Tả Van Commune, Sapa District, Lào Cai Province (100m from Tả Van Commune People's Committee).

Tả Van Wood Homestay (@tavangohomestay)
For those who love independent travel but seek convenience in transportation and accommodation, considering Sapa tours is a good option. These tours include hotel rooms and transportation at the most affordable prices. Additionally, you can choose the level of service quality and explore the area freely according to your preferences without restrictions. Check out Sapa tours at Mytour:
Cost of visiting Sapa for 3 days and 2 nights or 2 days and 1 night
Exploring and discovering Sapa will depend on the itinerary you choose. Below is a basic 3-day, 2-night itinerary in Sapa for your reference.
Day 1:
- On the first morning, you can visit Dragon Jaw Mountain with a ticket price of 70,000 VND per person, where you can admire the majestic beauty of the mountains and stunning natural scenery.
- Around noon, you can stop by Silver Waterfall with an entrance fee of 20,000 VND per person.
- In the afternoon, head straight to the pass to reach Golden Stream - Love Waterfall with a ticket price of 75,000 VND per person and enjoy the cool streams. If you finish the tour in the afternoon, you can end your journey and return to the city center.
Day 2:
You can visit ethnic minority villages and explore their cultural beauty as well as buy some souvenirs. You can explore villages such as:
- Cat Cat Village with a ticket price of 70,000 VND per ticket
- Ta Phin Village with a ticket price of 20,000 VND per ticket
- Sin Chai Village with a ticket price of 20,000 VND per ticket

Cat Cat Village (@lylychuu)
Day 3:
This marks the final day in Sapa. What you must do is conquer and explore the peak of Fansipan. The cable car price is 750,000 VND per person, plus an additional 100,000 VND for the mountain climbing train ticket, or you can climb 600 steps if you want to challenge yourself. Get handy tips for traveling to Fansipan independently and check the cable car ticket prices.
>>> Ending the journey, the total cost for a 3-day 2-night tour is about 1,500,000 VND per person. If you opt for a 2-day 1-night Sapa tour including 1 day for the village and 1 day for Fansipan, it's around 1,000,000 VND per person.
>>>If you don't have time to plan your own itinerary, don't forget to BOOK CHEAP SAPA TOURS HERE
Food expenses in Sapa
Most eateries in Sapa offer reasonably priced meals, so you don't need to worry about that. For common dishes like rice, pho, and noodles, the prices range from 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND. Drinks cost between 10,000 VND and 20,000 VND depending on the type. For hotpot or barbecue, prices range from around 100,000 VND to 200,000 VND per person.

Delicious dishes in Sapa (@phannie_lnn)
Check out some great eateries in Sapa:
- A Phu Restaurant: Grilled chicken with green pepper, rice with salmon soup, wild meat, hotpot, and more.
- Enjoying grilled dishes by the lake or on Cau May street is a delightful experience.
- Dong Nhi Salmon Restaurant serves delicious salmon hotpot with fresh fish and rich broth. A hotpot for 2 people costs only 500,000 VND – 600,000 VND, which is very reasonable.
To fully explore the local cuisine, you should also learn about the specialties of Sapa and their prices beforehand.
>>> As you can see, the total dining expenses for 3 days and 2 nights are around 900,000 VND - 1,000,000 VND per person. The cost will be only about 600,000 VND per person if you opt for a 2-day 1-night itinerary.
Generally, the cost of traveling to Sapa independently with a small group will be approximately:
- Sapa 2 days 1 night: 1,850,000 VND - 2,200,000 VND per person
- Sapa 3 days 2 nights: 3,200,000 VND - 3,800,000 VND per person
The cost of Sapa package tours
Instead of traveling independently, you can also opt for package tours to Sapa. Sapa tours are suitable for those who do not have much time to plan their itinerary or have never traveled independently before.
The prices of package tours to Sapa include transportation to and within Sapa, standard hotel accommodation with full amenities, tickets to prominent attractions, meals, etc. Check out some of the most popular tour prices for Sapa according to the table below:
Sapa Tours |
Price (per person) |
Sapa - Moana - Cát Cát 2D1N |
1,350,000 VND |
Cloud hunting, snow viewing Sapa - Cát Cát - Fansipan 2D1N |
1,890,000 VND |
Sapa 3D2N Tour: Hàm Rồng - Fansipan - Bản Cát Cát - Chợ Cán Cấu |
3,200,000 VND |
Sapa Tour Departing from Ho Chi Minh City: Hanoi - Sapa 3D2N (Including airfare) |
6,290,000 VND |
Combined Tour: Mai Châu - Mộc Châu - Điện Biên - Lai Châu - Sapa 4D3N |
5,690,000 VND |
Most popular all-inclusive Sapa tour price list
>>> BOOK AFFORDABLE SAPA TOURS AT Mytour
The cost of Sapa tours package:
- Sapa 2D1N Tour: from 1,350,000 VND per person
- Sapa 3D2N Tour: from 3,200,000 VND per person
- Sapa 4D3N Tour (Combined itinerary with multiple nearby destinations): from 5,690,000 VND
Sapa Travel Experience on a Budget
Make sure to note down these Sapa travel tips below to save money on your trip:
- Choose the right time to visit: Sapa's natural scenery is beautiful all year round, so you can visit at any time. However, to save on Sapa travel expenses, avoid holidays, weekends, and the snowy season as demand for tourism is high, resulting in higher prices. If you still want to go during peak season, book services about 2 months in advance for the best prices.
- Book budget accommodations: If you're not too picky about room quality, 2-star hotels or homestays away from the city center will be 30% - 50% cheaper than upscale hotels near the center.
- Opt for basic sleeper bus tickets: Nowadays, there are many transportation options to Sapa with various vehicle classes. If you want to save money, avoid booking double-bed sleeper buses or VIP train tickets.
- Choose affordable eateries: Instead of large restaurants, consider checking out local eateries recommended by travel groups, mainly stalls in local markets. However, this method is only suitable for those with strong stomachs and adventurous tastes. Mytour still recommends choosing reputable restaurants for better quality.
- Rent a motorbike: Getting around by taxi in Sapa won't be as economical as renting a motorbike. You should rent a manual bike instead of a scooter because it's cheaper, sturdier for mountain roads, and saves a lot on fuel costs.
Here is a complete compilation of the most budget-friendly Sapa travel expenses necessary for your trip. And if you're still unsure where to start, what to prepare, or how to plan your dining and entertainment for your upcoming trip, book your Sapa hotel with Mytour or read more articles like 'Super Fun, Super Cheap 3-Day 2-Night Sapa Itinerary' for more useful information!

Mytour Administrator
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