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VIETNAM: SAPA REGION NEW ZEALAND: TONGARIRO NORTHERN CIRCUIT ICELAND: LANDMANNALAUGAR + HEKLA MALI: DOGON COUNTRY o @ 00 o 4) A NETWORK OF HILL TRIBES vietnam: SAPA REGION Deep in the hills of northern Vietnam, nestled between the Chinese and Laotian borders, lies a land of misty mountains and rich culture. It is a spectacular landscape of dense tem- perate forests, raging rivers and fertile valleys filled with ter- raced rice paddies. Tay, Red Dzao and Black H'mong villages (red and black refer to the signature color of a tribe's clothing) are linked together by miles of rough trails, creating an amaz- ing network of trekking possibilities. Open to tourists for less than a decade, this isolated corner of Vietnam remains a land steeped in local customs-women continue to wear tradition- al clothing, and the farming that has sustained people for cen- turies remains the focus of everyday life. Your starting point should be the quaint mountain town of Sapa. Built as a summer retreat by the French in 1922, Sapa sits on a 5.400 foot-high peak in the Hoang Lien Mountains, sometimes referred to as the Tonkinese Alps. Because of its location high on a ridge, Sapa is often hidden in clouds and mist, but when the mists lift, the view of the surrounding landscape is spectacular. Below the town the Muong Hoa valley drops off steeply, and across the valley Southeast Asia's highest mountain, Fansipan (10,282 ft.) commands attention. Sapa's dusty streets are crowded with colorfully dressed hill tribe women and children. The distinct color attire of each minority group is displayed in, and the array of head- dresses and beautifully decorated skirts that help identify the H'mong from the Tay and the Dzao. Sapa, with about 5,000 residents, hosts the regional market-a cultural kaleidoscope, attracting people from smaller surrounding villages, as well as international trekkers. Trekking to the many villages that are sprinkled around Sapa includes options for the casual walker to the gnarly explorer. Less intrepid trekkers could start with a half- day walk to the village of Cat Cat. Along the way you will pass miles of terraced rice fields, water buffaloes and waving chil- dren. For those ready to venture out for a few days, a well- established four-day intermediate trek is reasonably challeng- ing. This trek drops steeply out of Sapa on the first day and passes through a narrow gorge on the way to the village of Ta Van, a small farming community, four to six hours from Sapa, and home to the Zay people. Several families in the village have opened their homes to travelers and, with the help of a guide, it is possible to arrange accommodation for the evening. The typical loft bed is rustic, but warm, and the food, grown locally, is a treat. From Ta Van, a long day of hiking takes you through more rice fields, gorges, and dense forest to the town of Ban Ho, home to the Tay people and the largest village in the Sapa region. It's a great place to spend a day or two exploring and learning about village life. The last stop on this intermediate path is Thanh Phu, a picturesque village tucked away in a hid- den valley four hours downriver from Ban Ho. From here, the views of Fansipan are stunning. For those wanting a truly wild adventure, climbing Fansipan is always challenging. From Sapa it is a three to five- day journey, depending on the weather and one's physical con- dition. The trails are steep, muddy and slippery, and when you reach the summit it is often shrouded in clouds. You will need a local guide, camping gear, and plenty of warm clothes to make it to the top. The potential for other longer treks in the Sapa area is enormous, even with much of the area outside of the Muong Hoa drainage officially closed to hiking. No matter how long you stay immersed in the hill tribes, the journey back to Sapa is easy. A rough dirt track is never more than a few hours away from each village. At most trail-