We booked a two day Sapa tour to see the rice fields. As my wife is somewhat claustrophobic, we chose to do the trip by car. Not a problem at all, as the trip was not that long - instead of taking the night train to Lao Cai and then having 2 hours transfer to Sapa, we left at 6.30 from Hanoi arriving in Sapa at 11h, which was perfect. It allowed us to check-in to the hotel, go for a nice lunch and then stroll through the rice fields and even have a swim in the fresh water small river. Unforgettable experience. Next day we drove to Bac Ha, the traditional market happening on Sunday. Have to see it!
After lunch, back to Hanoi where we arrived at 6pm.
Huan was our tour guide who was very friendly, extremely helpful and fun. He was knowledgeable and explained us the Vietnamese culture. The whole family loved him!