Mount Mau Son, Fansipan, Phia Oac, or some other locations may experience snowfall as temperatures drop sharply in the late January cold spell.
According to weather forecasts, the current cold spell is the most intense since the beginning of winter, with temperatures in many places potentially dropping below 0 degrees Celsius. This is also an opportunity for tourists to hunt for snow in the northern mountainous provinces, with popular destinations like Fansipan Peak (Lao Cai), Mau Son Peak (Lang Son), and Phia Oac Peak (Cao Bang).
Fansipan Peak (Sa Pa, Lao Cai)
During this intense cold spell, Fansipan Peak (3,143 meters high) is likely to drop to -2 degrees Celsius, and snow may appear. Sa Pa is one of the places that attracts a considerable number of tourists to hunt for snow whenever the weather is cold. One advantage here is the good infrastructure, hotel system, facilities, and convenient transportation.
The distance from Hanoi to Sa Pa is over 300 km, and travel by the Hanoi – Lao Cai expressway takes about 4.5 to 5 hours. From the center of Sa Pa town, there is a cable car system straight to the mountain peak, operating from 7 am to 7 pm depending on the time (during Tet holidays and weekends).
Mau Son Peak (Lang Son)
According to forecasts, the temperature in Mau Son is expected to drop to a minimum of -2 degrees Celsius from the night of January 22 and last for 4 days. Around 5 pm today, thin layers of ice have already adhered to branches and fences from an altitude of 1,000 meters upwards to the 1,520-meter summit.
Mau Son Peak is considered the roof of the Northeast region, with an average elevation ranging from 800 to 1,000 meters above sea level. Mau Son belongs to three communes: Mau Son, Cong Son in Cao Loc district, and Mau Son in Loc Binh district, with a total area of 10,400 hectares. The highest area of the Mau Son mountain range is about 30 km east of Lang Son city.
Mau Son is approximately 185 km from the capital Hanoi, close to the Vietnam-China border. The travel time from Hanoi is about 3 hours and 45 minutes under favorable traffic conditions. Cars can reach the mountain peak.
Phia Oac Peak (Cao Bang)
Cao Bang has many mountains over 1,000 meters above sea level, with Phia Oac being 1,931 meters high, the second-highest peak in the province. Ice has formed on Phia Oac from 2 pm today, from an altitude of about 1,600 meters up to the 1,931-meter summit. The outdoor temperature has dropped to -5 degrees Celsius.
Phia Oac is about 70 km from Cao Bang City and approximately 240 km from Hanoi, with a travel time of about 5 hours depending on traffic conditions. In addition to the mentioned snow hunting spots, the northern region also has some places that may experience snowfall in cold weather, including O Quy Ho Gateway (Son La – Lao Cai), Y Ty (Lao Cai), and Meo Vac (Ha Giang).
Regarding snow hunting experience, it’s not guaranteed to have snow just because it’s very cold; usually, icy conditions are more favorable. Photographer Vu Minh Quan, who has captured snow photos in Sa Pa and Mau Son, suggests, “Rainy weather often leads to snow, while it’s challenging to have snow in extremely dry conditions, despite the cold.”
Quan also emphasizes the element of “luck” in snow hunting. “The safest bet is to go when there’s already news of snow, or if not, stay a few days during the cold spell.”
“If the current cold spell, combined with rain, brings Hanoi’s temperature down to 6-7 degrees Celsius, the northern mountainous region can completely have snow,” Quan adds.
