Buzz
Nighttime panorama from the summit of Fansipan.
Serendipity and a fortunate 'one-of-a-kind' journey.
I consistently emphasize the phrase 'unique and unparalleled' because I want to highlight the incredibly fascinating and rare experience in this life to share with you a different perspective on the peak of Fansipan - the roof of Indochina.
The magnificent Fansipan cable car project
Currently on an extended business trip in Sapa at the end of 2022, I have truly fallen in love with this piece of land, its people, and nature. Here, I have the opportunity to work and interact with many local residents as well as those who have come from afar to establish their careers here for decades. Then one winter day in December, I received a call from a friend in Sapa who gave me a wish: 'Hey! Do you want to experience spending the night on the peak of Fansipan? Tomorrow morning we're going ice hunting, and there might be snow.' Seizing the opportunity because this is a rare occasion, the Sapa photography club has obtained permission from the management board of Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area to spend the night on the peak of Fansipan. I eagerly joined everyone to experience this journey.
Journey to the summit and admire the stunning sunset
We embarked on a journey via the Mường Hoa steam train connecting downtown Sapa to the Hoang Lien cable car station. Continuing with the Fansipan cable car (currently holding two World Records: The world's largest three-rope cable car with the greatest height difference between the departure and arrival stations: 1,410m and the world's longest three-rope cable car: 6,292.5m), after a 20-minute ride, admiring the majestic Hoang Lien Son mountain range, we arrived at the cable car arrival station. Instead of the traditional two-day trek, the Fansipan cable car has turned the dream of conquering the peak of Fansipan into reality, reducing the time to conquer the 'roof of Indochina' to just 15 minutes.
Overview of the Fansipan cable car arrival station
From the arrival station, we had to climb an additional 600 steps to reach the summit. Along the way, you can admire magnificent structures such as the Thanh Van Dac Lo, the giant Buddha statue, the 9-tiered waterfall, the La Han Road, the Quan The Am statue, and more.
The giant Buddha statue on the way to the summit
The Base of Fansipan Peak
After organizing our belongings at the overnight stay, a cozy café situated near the summit within the Sunworld tourist area, we proceeded to ascend to the peak to witness the sunset.
The Base of Fansipan Peak
Personally, I had previously conquered Fansipan by road since 2015, touched this aluminum pinnacle, and that was the first time I truly felt the sense of conquest. However, this time, conquering this aluminum pinnacle seemed too effortless, yet the emotions remained intact.
Touching the summit of the Indochina roof
Actually, this is currently not allowed, but I obtained permission to capture a moment with the original peak again. To preserve and maintain this original peak, the management board has created 3 - 4 new peaks for the convenience of check-ins and photos with the Fansipan summit.
One of the 4 brand-new peaks
The enchanting natural light
Despite the chilly weather at that time, the thermometer indicated around -1 degree Celsius. However, this was an unmissable moment because the sunset here is exceptionally beautiful and magical.
Admiring the grandeur of nature
The twilight glow
Watching the sunset on the mountain
Lost in the enchantment of the sunset, we forgot about the bone-chilling cold and the whistling winds. We neglected the fact that the sky had darkened, and hunger had set in. Descending to our sleeping spot just a staircase away, the whole group gathered, enjoying sips of apple wine and the pre-prepared food. Truly a rare and hard-to-find experience in life.
Nighttime perspective of the Buddha statue
The view from the top of Fansipan overlooking the town of Sapa
After following the night photographers, marveling at the Fansipan summit's view at night overlooking the town of Sapa, we returned to the café. Each of us selected a cozy corner to spend the night. The management had prepared sleeping bags and blankets for us to spend the night at this altitude with this temperature.
Overnight stay at the café near the summit
Early morning sunrise and frost on the roof of Indochina
Fansipan on December 19, 2022
Although at a high altitude, the temperature was cold; nevertheless, we had a fairly good night's sleep. Waking up in the early morning dreamlike state, we ascended to the top of Fansipan to witness the frost. Due to the extremely low temperature, frost is often present on the summit in the early morning.
A blanket of frost covering the ground
Writing my name on the icy surface
I was quite thrilled as this was the first time I had the opportunity to be on the top of Fansipan so early. It's a truly valuable experience not everyone gets to have.
Icy conditions on the summit of Fansipan
After witnessing the frost, we continued to marvel at the sunrise over the roof of Indochina. I felt the grandeur and vastness of nature, truly treasuring and appreciating this sense and experience.
Clouds weaving around the mountains
Ice on the wooden floor and clouds over the mountains
A truly majestic and breathtaking scenery
On the cable car ride back to Sapa
The terraced field scenery from the cable car
After packing up and tidying everything, our group moved back to the cable car to return to the town of Sapa, concluding a memorable journey and rare experiences at Fansipan - the roof of Indochina. If you visit Sapa, make sure to explore and experience the Fansipan cable car.
Mytour Golocal is a blog program introducing beautiful locations across Vietnam, part of the Mytour Go & Share initiative. It's an excellent opportunity to promote local tourism. For each qualifying article, you will receive 800,000 VND and a chance to become a contributor with Mytour. For detailed information on the program, visit: https://trv.lk/golocal
