Travels to Sapa and Vietnam's north Part 1 - Hanoi to Lao Cai

I've never travelled between Sapa and Lai Chau and I'm very keen to get back to Dien Bien Phu. It's always interesting to get back to Sapa as well. So, the plan is to take the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, travel on to Sapa for a couple of nights, then drive from Sapa to Dien Bien Phu with plenty of stops along the way including a night at Lai Chau.

This part of Vietnam is unique for its diverse ethnic minorities and stunning mountain scenery. Dien Bien Phu is where the French colonial forces were brought their knees by Ho Chi Minh's fledgling fighters. The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was one of the great strategic triumphs of the twentieth century and it was a portent of the experience that was to befall the United States when confronting the same foe.

Part 1 - Hanoi to Lao Cai and on to Sapa

Travellers heading to Sapa usually travel north by overnight train to Lao Cai - about an hours drive away from Sapa. These train journeys like many in the developing world, normally start with confusion. This one was no different. I'm a veteran of this route with some competency in Vietnamese but I couldn't work out what was happening at Hanoi station. Other tourists were wandering aimlessly looking for answers as to where to go, how to go, where the train was. Some had been told that their tickets were not in order so they would not be able to board. So much unnecessary confusion that could be resolved so easily....

This time I opted to travel with the pharmaceutical sounding railway company, Livitrans. At last count there were 13 private companies, many with weird names, in some kind of deal with Vietnam Railways to operate these services. I've tried the Tulico service several times before and it was fine. I have also taken the upscale Victoria Express which is more comfortable and significantly more expensive.

Livitrans were good. Clean, friendly and as comfortable as you could expect at the price -  around 20USD. The only problem is the absence of good information at Hanoi railway station.

I still wonder where these railway companies go for naming inspiration. Livitrans? Not sure about Tulico either but another one, Ratraco, is just wrong - a name for a rat kill formula perhaps - not a tourist train service.

I boarded the train and it seemed I had the cabin to myself. I was very pleased. I then heard a screaming baby approaching. I hoped that it wasn't headed to my cabin. It was and of course I was disappointed to have a three person three generation delegation joining me - grandma , daughter and granddaughter.

I was later told by grandma that the three month old baby is suffering from a liver problem. Mother and grandma were forced to travel from Lai Chau, one of the places I am heading to, to Hanoi, for medical treatment. Very tough.

My self pity at having scored the crying baby was dissolved upon hearing what they were dealing with. I'm a good sleeper anyway and managed to get a decent sleep in.

The arrival in Lao Cai at around 5AM (trains to Sapa terminate at the this town on the Chinese border) was painless enough. I was duly met by Mr Tan my guide and Mr Quan my driver from Topas Travel. We were on our way.

It's always good to be met by a guide and driver with whom you have an immediate positive rapport. Very happy to be travelling with these guys. They've done a great job so far. Mr Tan, the guide is very informed, professional, speaks good English and is easy to be around. The driver, Mr Quan, is careful on dangerous roads and also has a great relaxed manner.

We started our journey with a quick look around Lao Cai town - the border crossing, the Red River bridge, and the church.

For more on this first stage of the journey, see the gallery below.

Facts -
Most trains depart Hanoi in the evening and arrive very early in Lao Cai. I am using Topas Travel for my ground services on this trip.