Travelog - A travel guide to Vietnam

In the winter of 1903, a team of Frenchmen from the Indochina Geographical Department became the first Westerners to see the serene Lo Suoi Tung plateau and the village of Sa Pa in the upper reaches of Ngoi Dum when they were on a mapping expedition. That was long ago and Sa Pa has since become known to an ever increasing number of tourists, drawing people from every continent with its mysterious charm.
Once in Sa Pa, one has a choice of excursions in many directions. One can go off and see an ancient inscribed rock field, the Silver waterfall, Fan Si Pan Peak (Vietnam’s highest), or villages in Ta Van and Cat Cat inhabited by the H’mong and Red Dao minority groups. Another option is Ham Rong Mountain.

Ham Rong Mountain is really right in Sa Pa but it’s almost 2,000m high. From a distance, it looks like a dragon’s head against the white clouds. Climb Ham Rong Mountain and get a bit of a workout and a fantastic view of the town and the surrounding area. Traverse the winding road and pass by trickling streams meandering down through the trees. Half way up is an orchid garden with about 400 endemic varieties of orchids, each with its own unique scent, though they won’t all be in flower. Further on up is a European-style flower garden. If it’s springtime, the peaches, plums and pears will be in bloom. There is the Sa Pa ethnic group village, just after the European garden, where performances are given by young girls and guys of the local ethnic groups. The flute, dances, and folksongs are nice, and melodious.

Leaving that behind, one climbs up to an imposing rocky area. Walking among the rocks, one feels like one’s entered an entirely different place. If one makes it through, the peak is just ahead offering a marvelous view of Sa Pa from the top. Banks of clouds pour in – then pour out again just as quickly, and ‘time’ loses it significance.

With the mild climate and the local ethnic groups’ distinctive cultures, Sa Pa never fails to fascinate and please. Ham Rong Mountain is just a small part of what is there around Sa Pa. At sunrise, at the right time of the year, thousands of flowers carpet Ham Rong Mountain. If you go to Sa Pa this summer, take this easy hike, get up over Sa Pa - and be charmed.