Conquering Fansipan

Fansipan or Fan Si Pan (Phan Xi Păng in Vietnamese) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3 143 m. It is located in the Lào Cai province in Nothwest Vietnam, 9 km southwest of Sapa Township in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range. Fansipan is dubbed “the Roof of Indochina”; it is to be approved as one of the very few ecotourist spots of Vietnam, with about 2,024 floral varieties and 327 faunal species.

The topography of Fansipan is varied. Muong Hoa Valley, at the lowest altitude (950 to 1 000m), is created by a narrow strip of land at the base on the east side of the mountain. It can be climbed in a steep and fairly strenuous hike.

Fansipan Tourism Tour companies will arrange hikes to the summit taking from one to three days. Most will recommend taking the two- or three-day options and guides who will take tourists on the round trip in a single day are few and far between.

A very small village is located at around 1 500 m where accommodation and food is offered. Further up, at 2 800 m, is an overnight camp. Most booked trips will include the use of these facilities in their price should they be required.