Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Sa Pa ward, Nguyen Phuoc Toan emphasized that the festival serves as a key highlight in the locality’s series of cultural and tourism activities. It features a wide range of distinctive events, including the Fansipan rose festival, the Sa Pa brocade festival and Ban Ho commune’s cultural and tourism day.

These activities not only offer immersive experiences, but also help to honor the cultural values, landscapes and people of Sa Pa, the local official noted.

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A performance staged at the opening ceremony of the Sa Pa Summer Festival 2026 in Lao Cai province on April 29, 2026

A highlight of the opening night was a meticulously staged musical program blending traditional elements with contemporary performance, which delivered a striking showcase and helped spread the image of a culturally rich Sa Pa to both domestic and international visitors.

In recent years, Sa Pa has continued to gain international recognition, with several notable accolades. It has been named by Agoda as one of Asia’s fastest-growing destinations and ranked among the world’s 53 most beautiful small towns. Notably, the Sun World Fansipan Legend has repeatedly received the title of World's Leading Cultural Tourist Attraction from the World Travel Awards.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the destination welcomed around 2 million visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 15%.

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Folk art performances and khen (panpipe) dances at Sa Pa’s central square have drawn large crowds of visitors.

With a vision to develop the Sa Pa national tourism area into an internationally recognized resort destination, local authorities are set to push ahead with comprehensive measures to improve infrastructure, better service quality, preserve and promote cultural values, and protect the environment. Lao Cai aims to welcome over 12 million tourist arrivals by 2030.

Source: VNA