Fansipan Mountain: Conquering the Roof of Indochina

Fansipan Mountain: Conquering the Roof of Indochina

Known as the “Roof of Indochina,” Fansipan Mountain is a long mountain rank in Vietnam which reaches as far as the three provinces of Lao Cai, Lai Chau and Yen Bai. It belongs to Hoang Lien Son mountain rank and is located at Lao Cai Province. Situated at a height of 3,143 meters above sea level, it's no wonder the mountain earned the nickname and has become an attraction to tourists who either want to climb the mountain or just appreciate its beauty, or both.

 

Climbing Fansipan Mountain requires purchasing a ticket worth VND40,000 (US $2) at Hoang Lien National Park. A group hike package is also available ranging between VND1.5-2 million depending on the number of members. Rangers are stationed at the place to give instructions and advice to visitors before making the climb. For an amateur climber, the hike will take at least 2 days. This entails completing a 20-kilometer long climb up and down the Ton Station situated at a height of 1,950 meters (accessible also by car and motorcycle) and tracing the path up and down again of cottages located at 2,800 meters above the sea level. This takes about eight hours, but guests can rest and relax after by cooking their packed meals and staying overnight.

 

Climbing Fansipan Mountain is best done at dawn when one can make the most of his/ her strength and cover as much time because it takes approximately three hours to get through a bamboo forest to the peak. Moreover, the path is steep and uneven, something which not everyone may successfully accomplish. But one will know when he or she has conquered the mountain when a Vietnamese flag will be visible, placed on a stone steel with the words “Fansipan” and the “Roof of Indochina” and the number 3,143 carved into it.

 

At the peak is a breathtaking view of mountains and Sapa Town of which tourists can have the luxury of taking photographs for memories of their accomplishment. The journey back is a much easier one once Fansipan Mountain has been conquered. Moreover, there are direction signs all along the way so one doesn't really have to worry about getting lost.

 

Climbers are required to bring a light pack containing the following: food; water; medicine; rain-proof jacket; and sturdy shoes to wear during the trip. It's cold both in the morning and night so climbers are also adviced to being a light yet warm blanket.

 

It is highly recommended to climb Fansipan Mountain with a companion like a friend or family mostly for safety reasons, to have someone to help you in case of emergencies. Having someone to accompany you also makes the trip easier and seem faster with the sense of comfort and security. But while most climbers choose to have a companion or hire a local guide for assistance, Fansipan Mountain can actually be conquered even without one. In fact, two old men were known to climb the mountain all on their own, a 70-year old Japanese and a 62-year old Vietnamese-Australian trekker Tran Thanh Han. So if an old man is capable of climbing Fansipan Mountain all on his own, there is no reason anyone cannot do the same. What matters is the sense of pride and achievement one feels once he or she has conquered Fansipan Mountain.