I ❤️ Sapa Vietnam 2026 - Day 1 (Manila to Hanoi to Sapa) - 01/01/2026

SAPA VIETNAM 2026 - DAY 1: FROM MANILA TO THE MISTY MOUNTAINS 

Published: January 21, 2026 | Written from Mandaluyong (Philippines)

DECEMBER 31: THE JOURNEY BEGINS Our Sapa adventure kicked off at 4 PM when we hopped on a Grab from Cavite to NAIA Terminal 3 – smooth ride, and we pulled up right at 4:30 PM. While we headed straight to check-in for our boarding passes, Benigno made a quick detour to the OWWA office to secure his OFW ID – a must-have for any Filipino worker traveling abroad. 

By 6 PM, hunger hit hard, so we grabbed dinner at Kenny Rogers. We went classic with roast chicken and burger steak – comforting fuel for the long trip ahead. Immigration at 6:30 PM was surprisingly quick, no delays at all! We spent the next hour lounging at the boarding gate before the 10 PM boarding procedures got underway.

Our flight from Manila to Hanoi was scheduled for 11 PM, and as the clock struck 12 midnight up in the air, we popped our champagne (well, sparkling juice!) to welcome 2026 – what a way to ring in the new year, soaring above the clouds! JANUARY 1: LAND OF THE ASCENDING DRAGON We touched down in Hanoi at 2 AM, and once again, immigration was a breeze – Vietnam’s efficiency was already impressing us.

By 3 AM, we’d claimed our Klook SIM card (super convenient for staying connected) and hit the ATM to withdraw some Vietnamese dong. Our first mission? Find pho! We booked a Grab taxi but ended up getting lost in the quiet early morning streets. No worries though – we headed back to the airport and found a spot serving delicious hot pho and banh mi at 5 AM. Perfect way to warm up in the cool Hanoi air! After freshening up in the restroom, we made our way to Column 1 Station 1 in the arrival area to wait for our bus to Sapa. 

We boarded the G8 sleeping bus at 7:30 AM, ready for the mountain journey. We had two stopovers along the way: first at 9:30 AM in Tram Dung Nghi, where we grabbed more banh mi and tried ca phe muoi (salt coffee) – a unique Vietnamese treat! We hit the road again at 10 AM, then stopped briefly at Tram Dung Nghi Dung Anh at 12:30 PM before continuing our climb. 

Finally, at 2 PM, we arrived in Sapa – the misty mountain town we’d been dreaming of! We checked into Sapa Mimosa Hotel at 3 PM, dropped our bags, and rested for a bit before heading out for an early dinner at 4:30 PM. We feasted on more pho, banh mi, and local BBQ – the flavors here were even richer than in Hanoi. 

We spent the evening touring Sapa’s city center, popped into a grocery store for supplies, and treated ourselves to dessert before heading back to the hotel at 7 PM. By 8 PM, we were cleaned up and ready to crash – day 1 of our Sapa adventure had been a whirlwind, but absolutely worth it! 


#SapaVietnam #VietnamTravel #Sapa2026 #ManilaToSapa #NewYearTravel #TravelBlog #OFWTravel #Vietnam2026 #SapaMistyMountains #HanoiToSapa #PhilippinesToVietnam #TravelDiaries #VietnameseFood #Pho #BanhMi #SaltCoffee #SapaMimosaHotel #Travel2026 #Wanderlust #SoutheastAsiaTravel #AdventureTravel

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