Sa Pa / Mt. Fansipan Loop
Distance: 195 kms
I wrote this guide accompanied by some local maps for my customers in October 2020. I have added some photos because at the time their significance I didn’t fully realise. Have left the text unedited though to remember my mindset at the time.
A sleepy village to a tourist Mecca over a decade. A Covid deserted disaster and recovered to a tourist Mecca once again. So deserted I got my drone up at the Summit. That will never happen again and like those images at ground level shows we pretty much had the place to ourselves.
Get your washing in first thing and enjoy a look around what was once a quaint village which until Covid had transformed to a tourism mega hub. Now sadly for its many investors and locals alike, a crippled sole desperately in need of domestic tourism for survival.
The cable car to the summit of Mount Fansipan is a must do. The ticket around 700k includes a buffet lunch so best to go late morning, early lunch and go up or late lunch after. Allow 2 hours up there at least.
The cable car holds two Guinness Records. The longest, over 6km and highest, over 1km, 3 cable operation in the world.
Take a jumper Fansipan at 3,143M is the highest point in Indochina and it can get brisk above the clouds.
The temple at the summit claims to be the oldest in Vietnam and considering there is no road access mind boggling the labour required to achieve it. Even with the cable car now for transport the enormity of the bronze Buddha very impressive.
Flying a drone is not allowed however mine took a little while to return home once the military officer informed me of that.
There’s plenty on offer food wise around town if you’re getting over noodles and rice. A great Italian restaurant, Casa, across the street close to the hotel. Color Bar is also within walking distance and a good spot for a few beers.
