Sapa 2
Did a great hike today to Lau Chai and some of the other hilltribe villages and waterfalls. Over 20kms so a fair walk but the weather was kind. The scenery very great with the rice paddies at their finest and mountains in the background. And nestled amongst it the hill tribe villages and hamlets with the colourfuly dressed locals in native costumes.
The Hmong lady I met yesterday came with me and we stayed at her house for lunch with the family. An excellent guide and a good source of knowledge of the area. But given the poverty of her house obviously the local Hmong people (and others of the numerous ethnic groups) are not all getting their fair share of the tourist dollars and in her opinion it is the Vietnamese who are making most of the money even if some groups are doing better than others.
So if anyone planning to go to the area, give the tours a miss and use the locals, they know the place better than the Viets ever will and deserve more of the cash and are great hosts plus speak excellent English.
Tomorrow an early start for another long hike in the other direction so hope all goes well.
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petefurlepa