As philologist J.R.R. Tolkien once said, “not all those who wander are lost”. More than that, in a world where we seek for our own identity it is the drifting that makes us find who we really are. One of those breathtaking places, were you can wander around endlessly is Sa Pa region, a hidden pearl in the highlands of Northern Vietnam.
 
The City of Sa Pa is not different from any other city. As soon as tourists found this pearl and infrastructure improved, it became crowded. Soiled with Western needs, such as pubs and luxury hotels. But as soon as you leave the city and its main roads, it is as if you walk straight into another world. 

The silence takes your breath away for a fraction of time while you enter the tremendously green mountains of this paradise in Northwest Vietnam.
 
Although not everybody will agree, I believe this is the most beautiful part of Vietnam. The authentic winding paths through untainted nature are almost unbelievable. 

The deeper you get into the area, the quieter it gets and the more you feel alive. Slowly local tribes such as the H’mong and Dzao will join your every step. They are incredibly friendly and make the Sa Pa experience even more authentic. Although there is not a lot of possibility regarding a deep conversation, there is a sense of mutual understanding. A gracious smile, a hand that is being held and reciprocal respect is enough to communicate in a heart-warming way.

The stunning views are endless. A combination of rice fields, barren mountains, peaceful rivers and clattering waterfalls makes that not one aspect of Sa Pa is the same. It almost makes you afraid of blinking, as you do not want to miss a single moment of this ecstasy. And as the sun sets and the colourful costumes of the native tribes contrast with the natural colours of the surroundings, nothing else seems to matter.

Sa Pa region is the embodiment of nowadays dematerialization trend as it offers its visitors all the tools they need to turn back to basic and truly find themselves. Although Sa Pa embraces tourists it still kept its authentic vibe together with the native tribes true way of living their lives without external influences. Walking through the hills, connecting with the local inhabitants while breathing the pristine air of the mountains is the purest form of mindfulness.

If heaven on earth exists, it could easily be Sa Pa.
 
Cecile Cremer
 

Photos by Stephanie van Vliet

Extremely curious and always searching for little weak signals that tell us things are changing. Cecile is a trend researcher and creative concept developer with the wanderlust of a cosmopolitan.Her aim in life is to develop things that matter to others and to help others change their strategy to be ahead of the future. Because she believes “The future is ours”.

www.wanderingthefuture.com