Sa Pa, Việt Nam's Land of Mist, remains an exceptionally attractive winter destination. VNA/VNS Photo

Sa Pa in the northern province of Lào Cai is gearing up for its cold-weather spotlight, rolling out a packed Winter Festival season designed to draw visitors into its cloud-laced valleys and year-end celebrations.

With its low temperatures, wintry weather, mist and occasional snowfall, the Winter Festival has become a distinctive tourism product and signature brand of Sa Pa, making it an ideal destination offering a “temperate zone experience in the heart of the tropics”.

The festival also serves as a strong stimulus for tourism demand, contributing significantly to the growth of the locality’s “smokeless industry”.

Winter mornings

Canada’s renowned travel site The Travel has affirmed that Sa Pa, the Land of Mist of Việt Nam, is an exceptionally attractive destination during winter, and one of the top 10 places in Asia where visitors can experience snowfall.

For many tourists, if they had to choose the most beautiful winter destination in Việt Nam for the vibrant year-end festive season, Sa Pa would undoubtedly top the list.

At this time of year, the golden terraced fields of the northwest gradually give way to soft veils of mist.

Valleys and mountain slopes appear to float in a sea of clouds, enhancing the romantic charm of this national tourism area.

Winter in Sa Pa usually begins in November and lasts until around February of the following year, also the period when cloud-hunting is at its best.

From December onwards, temperatures often range between 3-5 degrees Celsius. In particularly harsh years, temperatures may drop below zero, bringing blankets of white snow to the mountains and valleys.

From late October, preparations for the peak year-end tourism season begin to ramp up across the town.

Accommodation establishments and tourist sites launch promotional programmes, decorate for Christmas and New Year, and offer an array of festive activities.

Hotels and resorts from three to five stars introduce special packages for the winter holiday above the clouds.

Vân Hà, a visitor from HCM City, chose to stay with her family at a mountain resort.

They received complimentary afternoon tea or cocktails, fruit and wine, and limited free laundry services.

She said she enjoyed the crisp cold weather that brought people closer together.

“Standing as a family atop a mountain, with century-old samu (Asian insense-cedar) trees shrouded in mist and the first golden rays of sun lighting up Mường Hoa Valley, we knew this was the perfect place for a peaceful, tranquil winter holiday,” she said.

Cloudscapes

The dreamy mist and splendid festive décor make Sa Pa’s winter feel almost cinematic, and every corner seems ready-made for captivating photographs.

Among the most popular cloud-hunting sites is Mt Fansipan, the "Roof of Indochina" at 3,143 metres above sea level, where visitors can look down over Sa Pa on one side and gaze at the towering Hoàng Liên Sơn Range on the other.

An Văn Thái, a tourist from Hải Phòng, spent an entire week in Sa Pa hunting clouds.

He said the best times are sunrise and sunset, when the soft light dances on cotton-like clouds.

Besides Fansipan, he also chose Hàm Rồng Mountain near the town centre.

“Hàm Rồng, standing at about 1,800m, is one of the most accessible cloud-hunting spots. After just a 30-minute climb, I could enjoy a panoramic view of Sa Pa Town floating in clouds,” he said.

Many hotels, resorts and homestays with stunning views over cloud-filled valleys are also top choices for domestic and international visitors during this season.

Cao Hương, owner of La Beauté homestay, said her establishment had been fully booked, mostly by foreign guests, until February 2026.

“Most visitors staying here for their winter holiday choose long stays of a month or more to experience Sa Pa’s diverse cuisine, culture and scenery,” she said.

The Sa Pa National Tourism Area promises unique, memorable experiences throughout the year-end festive season. Photo vietnamtourism.vn

Festive peaks

With the successful development of its Winter Festival brand, Sa Pa is becoming an increasingly attractive destination during the year-end festive season, offering a vibrant series of cultural and tourism events.

The Stone Lotus Festival officially opened on October 25 at the Fansipan cable car tourism complex, showcasing thousands of colourful stone lotus plants arranged artistically, creating a winter spectacle of the highlands.

At this second edition of the festival, visitors can also take part in a “stone lotus planting” contest, sowing small seeds of tranquillity and creating personal keepsakes of peace and serenity.

The event marks the beginning of a bustling programme of cultural and tourism activities running until early 2026 across the Sa Pa National Tourism Area.

The Winter Festival also features a rich line-up of cultural and artistic events.

Highlights include the art shows “Sacred” and “Moonlit Dance”, held from November 7-15, depicting the mystical and romantic beauty of Sa Pa.

Another key attraction is the “Sa Pa Forever - Explore the Fairyland of Sâu Chua - LCC9” mountain bike race, slated for December 13 -14.

This thrilling adventure event leads cyclists through winding, rugged mountain trails, terraced fields and deep valleys.

The finish line is Sâu Chua, a fairy-tale village at over 1,700m altitude, where white clouds drift over majestic landscapes of the northwest.

The race offers not only a test of endurance but also a journey into local culture and the awe-inspiring nature of Sa Pa.

Winter wonders

In addition, a series of exciting events, including the Sa Pa Snow Festival, a Sa Pa culinary record-setting programme, an art and Countdown show to welcome 2026, the reception of the first tourists of 2026, and the opening of “Sa Pa Essence Convergence Space 2026”, will take place, offering a festive, colourful and unforgettable winter experience for visitors.

According to Phạm Tiến Dũng, vice chairman of the Sa Pa Ward People’s Committee (Sa Pa government), the Winter Festival is an annual celebration honouring the beauty of nature, people and local culture, while promoting the image of “Sa Pa - a safe, friendly and vibrant destination”.

With the theme “Sa Pa - Winter Dance in the Cultural Flow”, the festival aims to strongly promote tourism during the low season and help realise the goal of making tourism a spearhead economic sector.

In the first ten months of 2025, Lào Cai Province welcomed around 9.4 million visitors, reaching 91.6 per cent of its annual target.

Total tourism revenue is estimated at VNĐ38.9 trillion (US$1.56 billion), equivalent to 83.7 per cent of the yearly plan.

With its wide range of distinctive, emotional and impressive tourism products, the Sa Pa National Tourism Area is expected to offer unique and memorable experiences during the year-end festive season, contributing to the province’s goal of welcoming over 10 million visitors in 2025. VNS