Learn about the name Sapa

Date15-04-2023

Immersed in the floating clouds, Sapa town looks like a city in the mist, making visitors feel like they are lost in a fairyland. Let’s learn about this land with an invaluable resource: a cool, fresh climate with many diverse nuances.

Why is it called Sapa?

According to cultural and historical studies, the name Sa Pa is derived from the H’Mong language, an ethnic group that has long settled on this land.

The reason for this name is because in the past there was a large sandy beach where people of different ethnic groups gathered for a market. Today, Sapa has a ward named Sa Pa, located in the center of the town.

Possessing beautiful nature, majestic mountains, and a very pleasant humid temperate and subtropical climate, Sapa is known as the place where earth and sky meet.

The special thing about Sapa is that four seasons meet in one day. Early morning is spring, noon is summer, evening is autumn, and night is winter.

Snowing in Sapa?

Due to its high terrain and proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, Sapa has a humid and temperate subtropical climate, cool air all year round, and an average temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.

In the afternoon and evening, the sky is often cloudy and foggy, creating a feeling of cold. Especially in winter, the temperature in Sapa can drop below 0 oC and there is snowfall.

Sapa is one of two rare areas in Vietnam with snowfall in winter. Normally, snow will fall from December to the end of January. This is the time when the cold air is strongest, creating favorable conditions for snowfall

In recent years, the fog town has continuously experienced snow and ice from mid-December to mid-January. There are many years when the phenomenon of snowfall only lasts about 1-2 days.

About ethnic groups

Sapa is home to six ethnic groups: Kinh, H’Mong, Red Dao, Tay, Giay, and Xa Pho. In there. The HMong ethnic group accounts for over 50% of the population.