A mountain bike through the remote mountainous region surrounding Sa Pa District in the northern province of Lao Cai will commence on Friday. The three-day 'Vietnam Mountain Bike Marathon' race promises a truly pioneering ride against a backdrop of the highest peaks in Indochina and Hoang Lien National Park deep in the far north, organizer Topas Travel said in a press release on Wednesday. According to the organizer, racers will be the first to tackle these trails through rice terraces and ethnic minority villages. The route covers large parts of very remote mountains, meaning competitors will have access to landscapes that typically remain out of reach. The first day includes a 50km journey north of Sa Pa to an area populated largely by the Hmong ethnicity, while the second day features a 68km ride to a southern locale inhabited by the Tay and Red Dao people. The race then will conclude with a shorter stage around Sa Pa Town through Black Hmong villages. “We have spent countless hours as a team out in the mountains seeking out great trails for people to race on,” David Lloyd, one of the event’s directors said. “The result is a hard, but extremely beautiful race that was born from our collective passion for Vietnam and riding bikes,” he added. “We are now very excited to welcome international riders and show them what Vietnam has to offer.” Participants from 22 countries have signed up for the race. Among them is a group of Vietnamese sponsored by Cube Vietnam. "Cube is very happy to be supporting a team of Vietnamese riders in this race,” Christina Lin, representative of Cube Vietnam, said in the press release. “We want to not only support young cyclists …
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Move over White Christmas, welcome White Tet in Sa Pa
It began snowing at around 8 a.m. Monday. At the peak, temperatures dipped to minus 1 to 3 degrees Celcius. The cold temperatures combined with 91 percent humidity to create this rare occurrence in sub-tropical northern Vietnam. Since October 2020, Fansipan peak in Sa Pa Town of Lao Cai Province has experienced three frost periods, but this was the first time it snowed here this winter. Around a month earlier, there was some snowfall in other areas of the northernmost region in Vietnam, like the O Quy Ho peak in Lai Chau Province and Y Ty Commune in Lao Cai Province. Tourists flocked to Fansipan’s "Heaven’s Gate" to enjoy the snow. The stair of a pagoda is a smooth white blanket with a thickness of 30 centimeters. A stone dragon lining a set of stairs peers out from a snowy blanket. The snow scenes on the mountain peak have captivated locals and visitors, especially near the recently built padoga complex. The 32.8-meter Dai Hong Chung watchtower rises from an ocean of white. The largest bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam, 21.5 m tall at an altitude of over 3,000 meters, presents a mysterious, spiritual picture. Hoang Tung (left) of Hanoi said: "It is not easy to move around because thick snow has covered the steps. Visitors should move very carefully to avoid accidents," he said. …
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In an expat’s eyes: Sa Pa almost unrecognizable after 25 years
Grudin, 55, has been working in Vietnam for 30 years. In 1995, when he was studying literature at the Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities, he had visited Sa Pa in Lao Cai Province to research the H’mong ethnic group's language. In January 2021 he returned to the town for the first time while on a 22-day trip from Ho Chi Minh City to the northeastern region. "The magnificent scenery, ancient houses and diverse ethnicity of Sa Pa still remain in my memory. I am happy to be back here but surprised by the changes," he said. Grudin remembered that lamp posts were rare 25 years ago unlike now. The market basically used to be a place for ethnic people to exchange goods but now "it is commercialized and filled with eateries and restaurants along the road to Cat Cat Village." Though aware change was inevitable, he could not help feel sad about the less clean air and obstruction of views by big hotels that have come up in the town center. Kiril Grudin at a food vendor’s in Sa Pa. Photo courtesy of Kiril Grudin. Grudin clearly remembers his trip to Sin Chai Village at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, known as the "Roof of Indochina", to gather information about the H’mong language. "The only way to reach the mountain peak then was by foot on a narrow dirt road. There was a man who pointed at a boulder in a stream that looked like a turtle. Its head faces a small path indicating the way to Fansipan." The trip to Fansipan has now become convenient with the installation of the cable system, but it has changed the landscape, he said. Besides, easier access has made the peak a crowded tourist destination. Grudin had to wait for half an hour for his turn to take a photo by the milestone. He found the patriotism of many people who had brought flags up to the peak impressive. Tourists pose with national flags on top of Fansipan. Photo courtesy of Kiril Grudin. While modernity does threaten Sa Pa’s rich greenery, Grudin …
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