They say “third time lucky” and indeed, it took me 3 times to come to Vietnam before I decided to move my ass to Sapa, the tourism centre of the north-west part of the country. I was a bit hesitating as I am not a fan of the touristy hotspots but man, it was worth it! Running away from grey and polluted Hanoi to breathe fresh air, hear birds singing and explore picturesque mountains covered in the magical mist that changed the landscape every 5 minutes was a real treat. Sapa surroundings brought to my mind equally stunning views from Laos, Vang Vieng area where I’ve spent some time back in 2011.