Beyond Hanoi
Sa Pa: rice terraces and Fansipan
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Christophe95 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Sa Pa: rice terraces and Fansipan
Sa Pa lies in the mountains of Lào Cai province, in the far north-west, among valleys of terraced rice fields. A cable car climbs to the summit area of Fansipan, the highest mountain in Vietnam. It is too far for a day trip: go overnight, by train to Lào Cai or by road on the expressway.
Getting there
Trains run from Ga Hà Nội towards Lào Cai (Vietnam Railways, dsvn.vn), then by road up to Sa Pa; or the whole way by road on the expressway.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Christophe95 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsIn the mountains
The terraces of the Mường Hoa valley, village walks with a licensed local guide, and the Fansipan cable car.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Vivu Vietnam · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsTake the overnight train to Lào Cai, or the expressway by road.
Our advice: the terraces are greenest in early summer and golden before the harvest in early autumn; bring warm clothes in winter.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Vivu Vietnam · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsWhy it's on our list
- Getting there
- In the mountains
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Sa Pa: rice terraces and Fansipan before you go.