Hoang Lien National Park is situated at a height of 1,000m to 3,000m above the sea level in the Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range. It covers Sa Pa and Van Ban districts, Lao Cai province, and a part of Than Uyen district, Lai Chau province.
Hoang Lien Son has been ranked 7th among the world’s most exciting destinations for the years ahead, according to a list released by National Geographic, the magazine of the National Geographic Society.
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| Photo by Sang Trinh |
Thanks to a new cable car connection, tourist traffic is on the rise at 10,312-foot Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak. Still, much of this northwest mountain region remains rugged, rural, and a world away from hectic Hanoi, about 195 miles to the Southeast.
National Geographic advises travelers visitors to hike routes in and around Hoang Lien Son National Park and the adjacent Muong Hoa Valley, then rest up at homestays among the Hmong, Red Dao, Tay, Giay, and other ethnic minority groups. Sapa Sisters, a sustainable tourism venture owned by local H'mong women, offers custom trekking adventures.
At Topas Ecolodge, a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World tucked on a hilltop inside Hoang Lien Son National Park, guests can discover the cultures, languages, and traditions of Sa Pa’s diverse tribes.
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| Photo by David McKelvey |
Mexico City (Mexico) tops the list, followed by Peruvian Amazon, Fanjingshan (China), Dakar (Senegal), Dordogne (France), Canterbury Region (New Zealand), Hoang Lien Son (Vietnam), Greenland, etc.
Earlier, Skyscanner, a global metasearch engine, has named Sapa in Vietnam the number one place among six “New Year, New You” end-of-year winter destinations for a fabulous escape that won’t burn your pocket.
The travel search engine suggested that you can trek around Sapa village, soaking in the culture, lifestyle and natural beauty of this town in winter to feel fresh like new, like having recharged the battery of your life. There’s cable car you can ride to the summit of Fansipan Mountain. To top it all off, take pretty photos of the spectacular European style architecture on the lake in the center of the town.
“The coldest period is from December to January. You can use the “Find flights for the whole months” in order to find more affordable round trip tickets. You’ll arrive in Hanoi and take the bus or an overnight train to Lao Cai before continuing on to Sapa on the bus with spectacular views on both sides of the road to keep you entertained,” Skyscanner wrote.