There's hash in them thare hills! One of my favorite Vietnam photos is on this page. It's the one with Lorraine being offered pot by the old H'mong woman. Indian hemp is extensively grown in these hills as a lot of it is used for garments. Having said that I don't see lots of locals spaced out on drugs so the drugs do not appear to be a major social problem. The first part of the trek follows the main road or you can take a cross-country route. It does depend on the "mood" of the guide on the day and ours was fairly moody at times. We were very fortunate to get good weather. However, the trek would still be a memorable experience even in the wet.

REGION: South East Asia > Vietnam > Sapa