Get a taste of local life in the mountains of rice terraces outside Sapa in this photo tour.
Lina's tag-a-long guide who literally held her hands as we went down the muddy rice terraces
The beginning of our three day trek in Sapa
View of the city of Sapa on the first day of our trek
our entourage of local Hmong women. They were unpaid, they only hoped to sell us something at lunch
looking down into the valley
slowly making our descent through the rice terraces
My (the name of our paid guide), shows us the way across
stopping for a quick break… it's steep and muddy!
And raining!
overgrown terraces
almost down!
we stop for a quick break to watch locals pick rice to be replanted
if only we had an umbrella the size of our bodies
Hmong dress
western dress
Lina's faithful unofficial guide stops for a rest… Despite her smug look, she was happy to help
Looking back across the valley
Lina and her "guide"
massive rice terraces
rice terraces just formed into the hills
us and our guide
the Hmong women take a short break before our final descent into town for lunch
replanting rice
the road less traveled
a suspension bridge across the river
the skies have cleared up!
rice ready to be replanted
a water-powered machine that pounds rice
Lina working the thread spinner
check out the size of this pig… pregnant or just that fat?
women in traditional hats pull rice to be replanted
moving rice to be replanted, this time via motorbike!
bundling rice to be replanted
a pig ready for transport on a motorbike
sleeping on the job? no problem
Lina tries on our guide's handmade skirt
A boy at our homestay tries on all of our accessories
And he is joined by his less violent sister
A pair of tens
As the sun lowers, we get some beautiful colors
a man rebuilds the wall of a rice terrace
end of day burning? or smoke signal?
the water buffalo head home through town
cloudly reflections
we have learned that growing rice is quite a laborious process
Our group, minus me, pose by our lunch spot on the second day
I don't think this water buffalo appreciates this view as much as I do
kids herd their buffalo
waterfall in the distance
enjoying the scenery
a group of kids killed this bird with a sling shot
just me, Lina and our guide after lunch, as we head off the main road
a mother with her child tends to a rice terrace
a mother with her child tends to a rice terrace
a mother with her child tends to a rice terrace
bamboo irrigation system
terraces of recently replanted rice in the foreground
Hmong women and their children
Replanting rice
kids posing for a picture
notice how one of the kids is already taking care of a baby?
water buffalo help prepare the rice terraces
buffy
a Hmong man demonstrates his pipe
Lina picking rice to be replanted
Lina unsure what to do next
A kid (also carrying a baby) wonders why Lina is in the rice terrace
traditional Black Hmong women's clothes are hung out to dry
just hanging out on the water buffalo
Two Yao women pick rice to be replanted
a bull… well… you know
the local school
buffalo tending to the terraces
a new road carved into the distant mountain
we bumped into another Hmong guide
beginning our final descent on day 2
enjoying rice wine with our gracious hosts on the second night
Lina and two guides on a narrow bridge
kids proudly carry home their diplomas. school has finished today.
every grade earns you a new certificate
Aflak!!!!
Two ducks look on as their friend is carried away by motorbike
Two Yao women trek by
we helped push this motorbike up a steep muddy road
day 3, and we thought we saw a lot of mud on day 1!
not your everyday ropes course
More Sapa
Read our tips for budget trekking in Sapa.
What do you think of this scenery? Let us know in the comments!
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