Sa Pa is a tourist destination about 30 km from Lao Cai city center. Located at an average altitude of 1500 – 1800 m above sea level, Sapa Town is always immersed in magical clouds, creating a strangely beautiful landscape picture.
Sapa is also a destination for you to admire the wild beauty of terraced fields, waterfalls, majestic mountains, and discover the customs and cultural beauty of ethnic groups in the mountains such as: Kinh – H’Mong – Giay – Red Dao – Tay – Xa Pho…
Destinations not to be missed when traveling to Sapa
1 .Fansipan Legend
Fansipan is known to everyone as the highest mountain peak not only in Vietnam but also the highest mountain peak in Indochina, with a height of up to 3143m. This place attracts tourists not only because it is a high mountain peak but also because of its cold climate, sometimes with snow and rain.
2. Muong Hoa Valley
Crossing many misty high mountain ranges of the Northwest mountains and forests, arriving in Sapa, visitors will enter the Muong Hoa valley far away from the real world. Like a beautiful picture woven by the talented hands of nature – Muong Hoa creates melodious sounds of a peaceful place amidst the vastness.
3. Heaven’s gate O Quy Ho
O Quy Ho Sapa Heaven Gate is one of the most wonderful landscapes during a trip to Sapa. From here, visitors can have a panoramic view of the entire vast valley and the rolling Hoang Lien Son mountain range. At the same time, you can also capture the entire view of distant mountain passes and winding roads into your eyes
4. Cat Cat village
Cat Cat village is located right at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which is the main living area of the H’Mong ethnic group. This place is about 3km from Sapa town towards Fansipan peak.
Cat Cat comes from the name “CatScat” which means “waterfall”, meaning there is a beautiful waterfall here. As a gathering place for many ethnic minorities, especially the H’Mong people, Cat Cat village is a convergence of many diverse and rich cultural quintessence.
5. Ta Van village
In contrast to the bustling Sapa center with many tourist projects, hotels, and high-rise buildings, Ta Van village still retains its wild and peaceful beauty.
Ta Van village is mainly inhabited by Giay, Mong, and Red Dao ethnic people with many interesting cultural features from house architecture, living style to customs and festivals.
6. Dragon Cloud Glass Bridge
Rong May Glass Bridge officially came into operation in November 2019 and is considered the highest glass bridge in Vietnam. This place is also known as Heaven’s Gate on O Quy Ho peak. The project is made entirely of transparent tempered glass with a total thickness of 7cm and has undergone strict evaluation. The bridge has a walkway about 5m wide, 60m long from the elevator room and 600m long, clinging to the edge of a cliff 2200m above sea level. Visitors will be able to see the depth under the mountain clearly or look far away to enjoy the atmosphere and majestic natural scenery. However, this bridge is really not suitable for those who are afraid of heights or those with a weak heart.
7. Silver waterfall
Silver Waterfall has a height of more than 200 meters and is upstream of Muong Hoa stream with an altitude of 1,800 meters located at the foot of O Quy Ho pass. Standing on the top of Ham Rong mountain in the center of Sa Pa town, you can see the white Silver Waterfall on clear days and this is also the origin of the waterfall’s name. From the high ravine, the water roars down, white foam scatters like flowers, so people call it Silver Waterfall.
8. Hoang A Tuong Palace
Hoang A Tuong Palace, also known as Hoang Yen Chao Castle (Hoang Yen Tchao), was the palace of a famous landowner at that time, built from 1914 until 1921. The project is about 1000m2 wide, surrounded by solid walls.
Hoang Yen Chao is a Tay mandarin (mandarin in the ancient minority community) but governs an entire region with up to 70% Mong people (formerly known as the Meo people), so he is also known as the Meo king. Hoang Yen Chao. Hoang A Tuong is the name of one of his children.
9. Sapa stone church
Sapa ancient church was started construction in 1935 by the French, located in a favorable geographical location with the majestic Ham Rong mountain range behind and a large flat land in front. With more than a hundred years old, this church is a witness to many important historical milestones in Vietnamese history.
Sapa Church is built of stone bonded by a mixture of sand, molasses and lime. Inspired by French architectural style, this church is the only remaining architectural work in Sapa that still retains the soul and beauty of Catholic architecture.
