At the height of over 3,000 meters, Fansipan Mount in Sapa has always been the dream of many tourists to conquer as apparently the experience to the summit will be a unique highlight of any trip to northern Vietnam. Adventure enthusiasts used to join a challenging hike from 2 to 3 days to reach Fansipan Mount, however, since the launch of the Fansipan cable car on February 2016, the journey to conquer the “Roof of Indochina” has never been easier. If you are preparing to travel to Sapa and you are not really interested in trekking, let’s take a look for a detailed guide to Fansipan Mount by cable car.
1. Fansipan Mountain Introduction
Fansipan is the highest mountain in Vietnam with the recent statistic of 3,147.3 metres above the sea level, making it also the highest peak in the Indochinese Peninsula (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos). The mountain is a part of Hoang Lien Son Range located around 9km from Sapa Town center, Lao Cai Province, in northern Vietnam. The destination is famous for trekking tours and cable car tours to explore the surrounding complex of Fansipan Legend.
2. Fansipan Cable Car Guidance
Operating time: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm daily (toward Fansipan Summit)
Cable car ride time: 15 minutes
Ticket Booking
There are 2 ways to get Fansipan cable car tickets:
– Buy tickets directly at Sunworld’s ticket counter in the Cable Car Station area, or book online via Sunworld’s website.
– Buy tickets through your travel agents or hotels
Ticket fares:
– Adults: 800,000 VND/ticket
– Children (1 and 1.4 meters tall): 550,000 VND/ticket
– Children (under 1.4 meters tall): Free of charge
Travel to Hoang Lien cable car station
Hoang Lien Station is the starting point of the cable car ride, situated about 3km northwest of Sapa town center in the Fansipan Legend area, and there are several ways to reach there: walking, by bus, by taxi, or by motorbike.
Tourists can also reach Hoang Lien station from Sapa station at Hotel de la Coupole – Mgallery (Sun Plaza) through Muong Hoa funicular ride (150,000 VND/ticket).
Travel to Fansipan cable car station
The journey from Hoang Lien Station to Fansipan Station will take around 15 minutes. Each cable car cabin can accommodate 30 – 35 people with an operating capacity of 2000 passengers/hour. With the above capacity, visitors can go to the top of Fansipan quickly without having to wait for turns like many cable car systems up the mountain in some other tourist areas.
During the ride, visitors will have a panoramic view of the beautiful, poetic mountains and forests of the Hoang Lien Son mountain range and the beautiful Muong Hoa valley. The closer you get to the top of Fansipan, the more you will feel like you are floating on the clouds.
Travel to Fansipan Peak
After finishing the cable car, you will have 2 ways to reach the top of Fansipan, touch the milestone and admire the majestic beauty of Hoang Lien Son range.
– Climb 600 steps, about 20 minutes
– Take the Fansipan Peak funicular (150,000 VND/ticket, only one way up), departing from Do Quyen station to Truc May station, nearly 50 stone steps from Fansipan peak in 2 minutes. This is an ideal suggestion on rainy and cold days.
3. Best time to visit Fansipan
Fansipan Mountain is a captivating destination that visitors can travel all year round.
Spring (February – April): Coming to Fansipan this season, you will not only be able to admire the spiritual complex in mist but also see the flowers blooming all over the northern mountains and forests in the breezy weather.
Summer (May – July): Different from the heat across the country, the weather in summertime is less hot and humid. The whole scenery is full of summer flowers and it attracts a lot of tourists.
Autumn (August – October): Autumn is the ripe rice season in the Northwest, so you will get a great chance to admire the golden terraced fields across the hills. The climate is cool with rolling clouds.
Winter (November – January): Fansipan is freezing cold and cloudy during this time. Occasionally, the temperature falls below zero with a chance of snow. This is a quieter period with fewer tourists in the region.
4. Sky-high Attractions in Fansipan Legend
A Sacred Spiritual Complex
Fansipan Mount is an incredible natural beauty as well as a key spiritual and cultural center in Vietnam. The following are some of the top spiritual attractions you must not miss:
· Thanh Van Dac Lo: A Buddhist building model of the Ly Dynasty with four distinc monolithic marble pillars. Visitors can take in the vast surrounding landscape from this vantage point.
– Giant Buddha Statue: This 21-meter-tall statue is made of bronze and facing south over Sapa’s breathtaking scenery.
– Bich Van Zen Monastery: A peaceful and serene Buddhist where tourists can meditate and look at the special design of the structure.
– Grand Belfry: A very tall tower that stands next to Bich Van Zen Monastery. It is 35 meters high with five floors and a bell on each. The bells are played at specific times each day, making a tranquil atmosphere that echoes through the mountains.
Other spiritual sites include Kim Son Bao Thang Tu, Dai Hung Bao Dien, 18 bronze Arhat statues, Son Than Temple, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva statue, etc.
Fansipan Summit
Taking a selfie at the top of Fansipan is a must-do for many travelers. Fansipan is the tallest mount in Indochina, so touching the summit marker is a big achievement that you should definitely celebrate and take pictures of. The beautiful views of the mountains and valleys in the area will create a perfect backdrop for an unforgettable photo. But be careful about your safety when taking the pictures, always stand in designated areas and don’t do dangerous things just to get a good one.
Fansipan Flagpole
Standing at the highest position of Fansipan Mount is the tallest flagstaff in Indochina. The flagpole is 25m tall and firmly built from Thanh Hoa blue stone and Tu Thiet wood. Also, the base of the flagpole was decorated with common Vietnamese cultural symbols such as the Cham Tower, tall houses in the Central Highlands, stilt houses in the Northwest region, and Halong Bay. On Monday, visitors can take part in the flag hoisting ceremony, film a short video, and take a selfie afterwards.
5. More Notes for Fansipan Mountain Travel
– Passengers with breathing issues, cardiac conditions, or height phobia shouldn’t take the cable car. As Fansipan Mountain is higher than 3,000 meters, the air is thinner with high humidity. Take a good rest so that your body can acclimate to the new temperature and environment.
– The climate at the top of Sapa is always cold whether you come in winter or summer. Therefore, warm clothing is really necessary to keep the body warm. Discreet clothing is recommended because Fansipan Peak is mainly a spiritual destination.
– You should prepare some cash because some shopping services do not accept card, banking payments and there is no ATM at the top of Fansipan to withdraw money.
– You should ascend Fansipan Mountain gently and stop frequently since the stairs are steep and up-and-down.
– The food in the restaurant at the cable car station is pretty costly, so it’s advisable to carry a bottle of water and some snacks.
– Don’t bring too large items; the staff won’t let you carry it to the cable car.
– Your ticket is round trip so keep it close to you for the return ride or you’ll have to pay the descent fee again.
