Sa Pa: Not for all seasons

It was very close to 40 degree Celcius in Thailand during a humid, steamy hot May as I hopped on an aircraft to Vietnam to visit the far northern highland town of Sa Pa.

Yeah, I am heading for a village on a mountain, almost 2,000 metres above sea level and noted for its cool climes, while down here in Bangkok, at sea level, the weather was scorching.

I remember packing a light jacket in my backpack thinking it might come in handy to keep me warm.  Stepping off the express train from Hanoi, just before dawn, I felt the first chilly nip in the air as I strolled down the platform at Lao Cai station. This station is the last stop before crossing into China.

As the taxi van started to ascend the first hairpin bend to Sa Pa, the chill factor increased.  This was a serious development for a Bangkok resident.  With every km the van climbed, the mercury fell and long before we reached the hillside town I was digging into my backpack for the only jacket I had brought with me — an after thought, too, as I rushed to leave my residence to catch my flight.

Located high at an altitude of around 1,600 metres in the Hoang Lien Mountain Range, Sa Pa is one of the highest towns in the north west corner of Vietnam. This is certainly one of the closest hideaway spots where we can escape the lowland heat that hits the central plains of Thailand and Vietnam. However,  cross it off your list as a winter holiday destination. It is just too cold for most Asian travellers and all but the most hardy Europeans from far northern climes would call this a suitable spot in December or January.

In May, temperature can drop to 14 degree Celcius in the morning and night and hover around 27 degree during day time with the prospect of rainfall. That’s fine for a tropical band resident.

But Sa Pa’s narrow weather window is a very important factor for long-haul travellers from Europe keen to escape the cold and build up a sunny golden tan. Recommend it during the  winter months  of November through to February and you are likely be challenged to give your clients their money back.

Sa Pa is located in sub-tropical climate zone, as opposed to tropical, which covers most of Southeast Asia. In addition, it is set in a small valley well up the side of the highest peak in Indochina, Mount Fansipan. The mountain is famous for having the highest road pass in the region at around 2,000 metres. That’s a journey for cyclists pining for mountains, but lacking the budget to travel to Europe’s Alps.

During winter, especially December and January, temperatures drop to freezing and snow falls higher slopes of the mountain. Sa Pa is often covered in a freezing fog during this season.

The best time to visit Sa Pa is from March to September. The hottest months, July and August, are hot with temperatures of about 30 degree Celsius. Normally the rains start in May although this year the rain has fallen early. Due to its mountain location the town is hidden in cloud and the weather can change by the hour.

I experienced three seasons in one day when I was there in May — chilly  in the morning, clear sky and bright sunshine during the day, downpours of torrential rain in the afternoon and chilly weather again at night. Trying packing for that variation.

The worst time to travel is during  public holidays such as Tet or Chinese New Year around January or February and Liberation Day and Labour Day, end of April Labour Day in early May. Check the Vietnamese calendar for long weekends to avoid the crowds that migrate by train and road for holidays north of Hanoi. Sa Pa is usually  packed at the weekends anyway so to really enjoy the destination travel Monday through to Friday.

In early May train stations were cramped and chaotic, just like in Thailand during the Songkran holiday. Hotels and guesthouses were full and expensive. Restaurants were busy and the service poor.

There are more hotel rooms now than when I first visited in 2007 and new developments to keep pace with popularity. Cool weather and natural surroundings are the magnets that draw visitors to Sa Pa, but you have to choose your travel dates very carefully. Not exactly what the hotel and travel brochures tell you, but they are coming from a different perspective – commercial profit.

So when is the best time to travel to Sa Pa? You could say sooner the better as the charm of this mountain town is gradually being eroded by commercial tourism that runs out of control. The word sustainable tourism does not apply in Sa Pa . It is heading for obscurity and ruin, due to popularity. Like so many destinations in the Mekong Region, time is running out.  What prompted the initial WOW factor is being eroded at a faster pace than we like to recognise.