From Sapa a mountain railway and then a cable car over the Muong Hoa valley take you to Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina at 3,143 metres, where on clear days a sea of cloud spreads below. On another day, an easy walk with a local guide leads through the rice terraces and the Hmong and Dao villages of the valley, with a car to collect you halfway if you prefer.