Sapa Mini-Guide

The final decade of the 19th century marked a pivotal turning point for the mist-shrouded highlands of Tonkin. In 1898, the first French expeditions reached Lao Cai, and by 1903, the isolated village of Sapa finally appeared on colonial maps. Originally known as "Sa Pả" in the Hmong language, the town was renamed "Chapa." This romanticized version would go on to permanently shape its identity as a premier and sought-after hill station.