Sapa is a small market town located in the mountains of the far northwest corner of Vietnam, almost on the Chinese border. It has been in existence for a very long time as a market town for the local hill tribes, of which there are many: the Black Hmong, Red Hmong, Flower Hmong, Dao, and Giay. Every Saturday the people come in from surrounding areas to sell their goods at the Sunday market. The area constitutes the last outlying tendrils of the Himalayas and, accordingly, the avifauna is richly diverse and fascinating. New additions to the Vietnam list continue to be found here, and there is always a very good chance of turning up something unusual.

The drive up from the lowlands, punctuated by many birding stops, is notable not only for the remarkable scenery, but also for some excellent birds. Stopping at various spots on the way from Sapa to Fan Si Pan, we encounter Common Stonechat, Collared and Crested finchbills, Hill Prinia, White-browed Laughingthrush, and Whiskered Yuhina in the scrub and forest patches. At the Hoang Lien Son Nature Reserve on the Fan Si Pan Pass we follow the quiet road down the hill through open areas, a small swamp, and simply beautiful forest. There are numerous paths into the forest created by the local tribes-people who harvest the bamboo and timber here. This forest is fantastic for birds. The numerous mixed feeding flocks provide a rush of excitement as we spot Yellow-bellied Fantail, Red-billed Leiothrix, Golden-breasted Fulvetta, Red-tailed Minla, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Vivid Niltava, and Green-tailed Sunbird. In the gullies, forest pockets, and gardens, highlights often include Little Forktail, Rusty-capped Fulvetta, Pygmy Wren-Babbler, Orange-flanked Bush-Robin, White-capped Water Redstart, and many more.

A visit to the fabulous Ham Rong Botanic Gardens is a must. Set on the hillside overlooking the town amongst the limestone karsts, we always enjoy the wonderfully atmospheric setting. There is a half-wild, half-cultivated atmosphere and interesting birdlife. In the past we have found a wonderful variety of species including Spot-breasted Parrotbill, Chestnut-bellied Rock-Thrush, White-browed Fulvetta, Spectacled Barwing, Brown-breasted Bulbul, White-browed Laughingthrush, Black-headed Greenfinch, Golden-spectacled Warbler, and Little Bunting.

At this elevation the days can be cool and the evenings downright cold. As we return to our hotel, we know that a warm, cozy room and hot drink (or red wine!) awaits us. After a rewarding day's birding, who could ask for more? A perfect way to spend Christmas.