Entree Kibbles: Private Limousine Transport from Sapa to Hanoi

Wednesday, August 06, 2025

Private Limousine Transport from Sapa to Hanoi

There were a few options from / to Sapa to / from Hanoi, including sleeper bus, sleeper train (which we took from Hanoi to Sapa) etc. Given the essence of time, we decided to splurge on a private transport back to the capital city of Vietnam!

Arranged with Hanoi Tirant Hotel for a limousine mini passenger van at a cost of S$321.00; averaging about S$54.00 a person. Best things about a private transport; it's a direct pickup from our hotel in Sapa, Aliana Boutique Sapa Hotel & Spa, and we had the whole vehicle for ourselves!

Look at how comfortable the chairs were! One for each person, spacious, plushy and decked out with posh leather (I think) finish. Almost like a throne for each of us.

Plenty of space for shorties like me.

Came with Wi-Fi which seemed spotty, and even a USB charging port! While expensive, I personally think the pricing we paid for was worth it, for thee five hours long ride over 300 kilometers!

Let's load up our luggage at the back of the vehicle!

Started drizzling and we were on our way out of the mountainous terrain of Sapa! It was a 3-day trip and yet it felt extremely short; we didn't even manage to check out most of the attractions! Only checked Sun World Fansipan Legend and Cat Cat Village! Five days it shall be next time.

Views along the way. Problem started around halfway through journey, along CT.05 Expressway, also known as the Hanoi–Lao Cai Expressway; I needed to pee so badly, I almost had to tie my penis with a rubber band!! It got so bad; the driver was literally speeding towards the next rest station!

Trust me, this was an agonizing three minutes!

Trạm Dừng Nghỉ 117+ 500 Rest Station; not sure if this was the correct name. Picture was taken after I was done peeing! Immediately after the door opened, I sprinted to the toilet, ignored the request for payment to use the toilet, and took a long, relaxing piss! Of course I paid after that, although I thought it was funny to pay for toilet usage on an official rest station along an expressway!

As with most rest stations, there were souvenirs to buy but many readers who follow me throughout the years would know I am a stickler for samplings; no samples, no buy. And I am also worried of being scammed.

I did get drawn to these beautiful knives though! On second thought, I wonder if the Singapore immigration would allow. I just checked and it's okay so long the knife is in your checked in baggage!

On our way again.

And I made sure not to drink too much water.

Bypassed a cemetery!

The Lô River, which originates from Yunnan province in China and said to be a major river in Vietnam that's 470 kilometres long! Location: within Phú Thọ province.

You know you are reaching Hanoi when the landscape changes from mainly agricultural to more and more buildings. Thank god I didn't feel the urge to pee, not yet.