About this activity

People who travel to Sapa come here for the beautiful rice paddies and small buds of ethnic minorities. Ta Phin is such a hamlet not too far from the main town. It is a great place staying overnight in a homestay and making a trekking through the beautiful rice fields of Sapa.

About Ta Phin village

Ta Phin is one of the best places for a Sapa trekking. It is village of local minorities, mainly the Hmong and Red Dao that have lived here for generation after generation. There are 13 hamlets and more than 20 smaller communes scattered throughout these hamlets. The houses are often simple wooden structures or traditional stilt houses. It is beautifully located between rice fields and mountains and there is a stream running along the village.

The great thing is that the village is not yet influenced by mass tourism so the local lifestyles is authentic and is a unique experience to visit. Walking between the hamlets give you a change to see both the stunning rice fields as well as learning more from this interesting culture. Most locals work in the rice fields, but the locals here are also known for their hand-made brocades. You can find things like a bag, purse, scarf, skirt and even a backpack or a coat. It can be a great Vietnam souvenir to bring back home and also to support the local community.

The beautiful places of Ta Phin village

Ta Phin ancient monastery

This place is an abandoned monastery for more than half a century, but it attracts a lot of tourists because of its mossy ancient beauty and unique semi-classical architecture.

This work was built of laterite, so even though it has not been restored for a long time, the walls here are still solid despite being covered with a thick layer of dust from time.

Ta Phin Cave

Located at the foot of the mountain and more than 3km from the center of the village, Ta Phin cave was formed over thousands of years of condensation, creating stalactites of various shapes and sizes.

This place is said to be the first place where the Dao ancestors chose to live. Therefore, in addition to being an interesting place to visit, Ta Phin cave also holds an extremely important meaning for the Dao ethnic people here.

Ta Phin terraced fields

Terraced fields are not only the agricultural farming method of the northern mountainous provinces, but also a landscape that “fascinates” many tourists from afar.

Standing from above and looking at the landscape painting created by resilient hands, you will forget all your troubles when you are fully immersed in this peaceful land.

Things to do in Ta Phin village

Explore Ta Phin village on foot and immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere

Take some time in the afternoon to explore Ta Phin and get acquainted with the people here. Don’t forget to take a deep breath to feel the fragrant rice smell and get close to the treetops and bushes along the road. This is an effective emotional healer.

Bathing in medicinal leaves of Red Dao people in Ta Phin

Life is associated with mountains and forests and countless rare herbs, the Dao people in Ta Phin always know how to take advantage of the precious things that Mother Nature has bestowed.

Coming to this place, you will have the opportunity to experience soaking in the “miracle” herbal water, both mentally relaxing and good for health.

Enjoy lunch and enjoy a panoramic view of the terraced fields

There is nothing better than having a delicious meal amidst the majestic natural scenery. Order a lunch at Ta Phin to enjoy both Northwest cuisine and be satisfied with the “priceless” valley view.

French monastery

Besides the rice fields and villages you can visit a small cave in the area. Close to the village there is also an old ruin of a French monastery / church. It was built in 1942 as a home for 12 nuns. It had 3 floors and an underground basement, but most of that collapsed.

How to get there?

If you start in Hanoi, you first need to travel to Sapa. You can either do this by night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and from there a taxi directly to Ta Phin. Another way is to take a night bus or limousine mini bus to Sapa. Ta Phin is located around 12 km from Sapa. A taxi or renting a car with driver is the most comfortable and fastest way. You can also rent a motorbike in Sapa from 100,000 VND and drive there yourself, as long as you are experienced and confident enough.

The last way is the most fun way and that is by foot. Make a trekking starting from Sapa or another neighboring village and stay overnight in Ta Phin village. Best is to go with a local guide who can show the best and most scenic paths to the village.

Best time to visit

Ta Phin village is a great village to visit all year round, but if you want to see the rice fields on it’s best to come here around September. It is the same best time to visit in Sapa. During this month it is harvest time and the fields are yellow. In the months before you can see the rice in different stages. In May they are watering the fields to make them ready. During this time the fields turn into giant mirrors.