The National Assembly Standing Committee’s resolution on the establishment of Sa Pa district-level town in the northern province of Lao Cai was handed over to the locality’s People’s Committee at a ceremony on December 28.

Sa Pa has been a famous tourist destination of Lao Cai.
(Photo: sapa.dulichvietnam.vn) 

Under the resolution which took effect on January 1, 2020, the Sa Pa town has a total natural area of 681.37 sq.km and a population of 81,857. The town has 16 administrative units, with six wards and 10 communes.

Addressing the ceremony, Chairman of Lao Cai province’s People’s Committee Dang Xuan Phong required the Party organization, administration and people of Sa Pa to continue capitalizing on the local potential and strengths to build a smart and green town, consolidating its tourism brand as a top destination in the northwestern region.

Located 350km northwest of Hanoi, Sa Pa is 1,600m above sea level, with average temperatures of 15-18°C. The town is dominated by the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, which is home to Indochina’s highest mountain of Fansipan at a height of 3,142m above sea level.

Sa Pa has many natural scenic sites such as Ham Rong Mountain, Thac Bac (Silver Waterfall), Cau May (Rattan Bridge), Bamboo Forest and Ta Phin Cave. The hill town is home to six main ethnic minority groups, including Kinh, Hmong, Dao, Tay, Day and Xa Pho with various traditional festivals and unique cultural practices.

The town welcomed more than 2.5 million tourists in 2018, with an annual increase of 23.4 percent.

On the occasion, the town opened the 2019 Sa Pa winter festival with a special performance reenacting the history of the locality.

Many activities will be held in the next few days to celebrate the establishment of the town.