{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/vietnam/sapa","updatedAt":"2026-07-29T01:19:27.502Z","place":{"city":"Sapa","country":"Vietnam","countryCode":"VN","lat":22.340505,"lon":103.8457002},"safety":{"score":76,"level":"SAFE","answer":"Yes — generally safe","saferThanPctOfCountries":81,"confidence":0.82,"caps":[],"databaseScore":74,"travellerSentiment":{"score":84,"label":"Mostly positive","summary":"Recent traveler reports describe Sapa as generally safe, with visitors feeling comfortable walking in town during daylight and at night, though they remain cautious in busy market areas.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":78,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":92,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":81,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":84,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":72,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":66,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":73,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":1,"label":"No advisory against travel","updated":"2026-06-26T11:10:13Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/vietnam"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution","updated":"2026-07-07T09:34:49.180000-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/vietnam"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":1.53501286347562,"display":"1.5 / 100k","year":"2011","score":90,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":1.6,"display":"1.6%","year":"2015","score":96,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0,"display":"0 recorded","year":"2021","score":100,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":17.7,"display":"17.7 / 100k","year":"2021","score":47,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":65.9913074,"display":"66/100","year":"2024","score":66,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":51.5616803,"display":"52/100","year":"2024","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":42.7600555,"display":"43/100","year":"2024","score":43,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":49.5458577,"display":"50/100","year":"2024","score":50,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":50.6548775,"display":"51/100","year":"2024","score":51,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":37.6260947,"display":"38/100","year":"2024","score":38,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":97.4,"display":"97.4%","year":"2020","score":100,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"violence_victimization","label":"Physical assault (past year)","value":1.2,"display":"1.2%","year":"2020","score":93,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0,"display":"0.00 / 100k","year":"2022","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":15,"display":"15.0%","year":"2019","score":67,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":31,"display":"US AQI 31 · Good","year":null,"score":93,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":25.173839304,"display":"25 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2017","score":80,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":28,"display":"July: highs ~28°C · heavy rain / flooding","year":null,"score":82,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 1 quake ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":94,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise a high degree of caution","year":null,"score":72,"source":"Government of Canada"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Yes — Sapa is one of Vietnam's safest destinations for visitors, with low violent crime and a welcoming atmosphere.","summary":"The multi‑database profile rates Sapa at 73/100 (SAFE), safer than 77% of countries, driven by a homicide rate of 1.5 per 100k, a 97% feel‑safe walking after dark, and a 92% safety score for health and environment. Governance scores are modest (48/100 for institutions, 38/100 for voice & accountability), reflecting limited transparency, but overall risk to travelers remains low.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Mugging or armed robbery against visitors is rare; incidents are limited to isolated cases in remote trekking zones after dark"},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Pickpocketing and bag‑snatching occur most often in the weekend market, bus stations, and crowded street stalls"},"safeAreas":["Sapa Town Center","Sin Chai Village","Banh Mi Village"],"avoidAreas":["Hiep Hoa","Lao Cai Market Area"],"scams":["Guides demanding payment after you say you haven’t booked a hotel and then charging inflated taxi fares","Petty theft of phones and electronics on overnight buses and in crowded market areas","Fake tour or trekking permits used to extract money from tourists"],"zones":[{"name":"Sapa Town Center","level":"safe","note":"well-lit, patrolled, English-speaking staff, low violent crime, but watch for petty scams"},{"name":"Cat Cat Village","level":"caution","note":"popular tourist spot, generally safe but pickpocketing and scam reports in evenings"},{"name":"Ta Van Village","level":"caution","note":"remote homestay area, safe with guide but vulnerable to weather‑related trail accidents"},{"name":"Hiep Hoa","level":"avoid","note":"outskirts with unlicensed taxis and higher scam incidence, avoid after dark"},{"name":"Lao Cai Market Area","level":"caution","note":"bus drop‑off zone, frequent petty‑theft and taxi commission scams, stay alert"},{"name":"Ham Rong Mountain Trailhead","level":"caution","note":"mountain access point, safe in daylight but hazardous during sudden weather changes"},{"name":"Sin Chai Village","level":"safe","note":"established ethnic‑minority village with guided tours, low crime, but weather‑related risks"},{"name":"Banh Mi Village","level":"safe","note":"quiet residential area, minimal incidents, safe for solo travelers"}]}}