Crossing Borders:
A Guide to Travel from Sapa to China
- LocationLaocai, Vietnam
- Duration1 days
- Rating★★★★
- Average CostVND 100000
This guide provides detailed information on how to travel from Sapa, Vietnam, to Hekou in China. It includes transportation options, visa requirements, and tips on navigating border crossings.
Start from Sapa
On day three of our stay in Sapa, we decided to ride to the Laocai border checkpoint with Hekou, China (Yunnan province). There isn't much information online about this journey, so we chose to embark on the adventure ourselves. One of the reasons we decided to head there from Sapa was due to the foggy and rainy winter weather in Sapa, which limited our daytime activities. We sought out nearby places and found that Laocai is only an hour away from Sapa. However, the ride can be dangerous due to the mountainous, slippery, and curvy roads, along with the presence of many buses and lorries. I nearly lost control of my bike on one of the turns, so please be cautious.
After breakfast, we embarked on our journey from the foggy and rain-soaked town of Sapa. As we descended towards the base of the mountain, the weather began to clear up and we were greeted with some truly breathtaking mountain scenery. The road condition was surprisingly good, allowing us to enjoy the ride without any difficulties.
The border checkpoint's location can be found on Google Maps. A Chinese temple is situated right next to it. Before checking in at the border, we took the opportunity to explore this temple, capture some photographs, and indulge in local desserts. If you're on a motorbike, there's an option to park on the pavement near the temple, but do be aware of potential theft risks.
Cross the Border
My friend and I, both holding Singaporean passports, did not require visas for either country. If you enter Vietnam on a tourist visa, you will need to get another one upon re-entry. The process was fairly straightforward. The Vietnamese immigration officer simply asked when I planned to return to Vietnam. After responding that I would return that day, I was allowed to proceed.
Next, I crossed a small bridge to reach the Chinese immigration side. If it's your first visit to China, you will need to scan your fingerprints at a machine located at the entrance of the immigration hall. You also need to fill out an arrival card. Pens are not provided, but some kind Vietnamese people were kind enough to lend us one.
Chinese customs immigration took about 10 minutes to review my passport, checking all the stamps and visas. I was worried I might not get through since I had a Taiwanese internship visa, but in the end, they let me pass. For more information, check out my other post on Hekou, the border town in China.
Back to Vietnam
We spent the afternoon exploring the small town. The return process to Vietnam was straightforward. You'll need to go to a special counter at the China immigration (as I recall, it's counter number 4). Then, you walk across the bridge back to Vietnam. The Vietnam immigration officers did not ask me any questions; they simply stamped my passport and let me through. I noticed there was an office for visa-on-arrival, so you might be able to obtain one there as well.
