Indigo Snail Boutique Hmong Homestay

Staying in a traditional Hmong house was a really cool experience, especially the shared area where everyone hung out and ate. All the guests had meals together and talked. Thanks to Mama Su and her family, we had a lovely stay. It’s been our best experience in Vietnam so far.

We didn’t stay overnight, but booked a cooking lesson with Sung through Tripadvisor. She was fabulous, spoke English very well, and taught us about the different tribes around Sapa as well as how to do a Vietnamese "cheers". The Tripadvisor listing said six hours, but the class was actually three, which was plenty. Since the homestay is about 30 minutes outside Sapa, she also arranged a taxi back for us. It was an amazing experience.

The trail was muddy and slippery, but May kept us safe and comfortable throughout our two-day trek from Sapa to Ta Van village and back. On the second day, she lent us gum boots and made bamboo hiking poles for us. May is a local Hmong guide at Indigo Homestay, and she was kind, genuine, and spoke excellent English. She shared lots about Hmong culture, taught us some Vietnamese and Hmong, and pointed out interesting things along the way we’d otherwise have missed. The trek felt personal and authentic, and the family clearly cares about its guests. We had an amazing stay with May and her family, and highly recommend Indigo Homestay and the trekking experience if you want to learn about local culture and enjoy the landscapes.

Xu and her family were joyful, wonderfully patient hosts for our Indigo dyeing and embroidery workshop. They taught us, fed us, and even dressed us, and Xu arranged a taxi from our hotel. The food and workshop were excellent, and the views were amazing. Highly recommend it!