Tourists enjoy experiencing the Northwest festival with the "Horse Hoofs in the Clouds" season

Launching the 7th season of "Horse Racing on the Clouds," Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area is bursting with the vibrant atmosphere of the Northwest festival, offering colorful and memorable experiences for visitors this summer.

Horse riders in traditional Northwestern ethnic costumes lead their powerful horses in the opening parade at the Rose Garden near the Fansipan cable car station.

From June 29th to July 7th, the 7th "Horse Racing on the Clouds" season takes place on the cloud-covered, wind-swept mountain roads, amidst the vibrant flowers of the Rose Valley in the Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area. More than just a sporting event, this is an effort to preserve and promote the fading tradition of horse racing, taking visitors on a journey to relive the unique local culture of Sa Pa from hundreds of years ago.

Thousands of visitors flocked to the festival, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.

From 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM, visitors have the opportunity to witness thrilling horse races, interspersed with cultural performances showcasing the unique culture of Northwest Vietnam at the Rose Garden near the Fansipan cable car station. The festive atmosphere at Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area becomes more vibrant than ever with thousands of visitors flocking to participate.

The race track is 1,400 meters long, winding around a valley of vibrant, colorful roses.

Perhaps nowhere else in the world is there a horse racing season so unique, so close to the "roof of Indochina," where earth and sky meet. In the cool, pleasant weather of 12 to 20 degrees Celsius during the summer in Sa Pa, the horses of Northwest Vietnam seem to gallop through the clouds, gliding across vibrant flower carpets, creating a breathtaking spectacle of nature and humanity.

The dramatic races on the track provide viewers with moments of suspense and excitement.

All attention is focused on the approximately 1,400m long race track winding around a 50,000m2 rose valley. The valley, filled with hundreds of thousands of Sa Pa roses and flowers from England, France, and Japan, creates a dreamy landscape at the foot of Fansipan mountain. Here, the best jockeys from Bac Ha district compete in a highly competitive knockout format. Close races between two or three horses, and spectacular sprints to the finish line, elicit gasps of admiration and enthusiastic cheers from the audience.

After a day of thrilling races, the best jockeys received awards from the organizers.

Each day the race consists of 3 rounds, selecting the 3 best jockeys to compete for first, second, and third place. A unique aspect of the "Horses on the Clouds" race is that the horses are all selected from the pack horses of farmers in the highlands, creating a sense of familiarity and simplicity, yet still captivating. Northwestern horses are accustomed to the mountainous terrain; they not only possess incredible horsepower but are also extremely friendly to locals and tourists.

Visitors participate in horseback riding and take photos at the festival, one of the popular activities alongside the horse racing.

In addition, the "Horses on the Clouds" festival not only features horse racing but also organizes many exciting activities such as archery, javelin throwing, and Northwest Vietnamese folk art performances by local people, attracting enthusiastic participation and cheering from the audience. The fun mini-games were also well-received, with prizes including cable car vouchers from Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area.

Tourists enthusiastically participated in a minigame with prizes including cable car vouchers to conquer Fansipan peak.

In particular, from July 12th to July 22nd, the "Spirit of Northwest Vietnam" performance will take place in the Rose Valley, offering unprecedented performances in Northwest Vietnam for tourists. Thirty talented athletes will be present, controlling horses trained to overcome increasingly difficult obstacles such as hurdle jumping and obstacle courses. Performances such as horses jumping through fire hoops, horses carrying goods, single horse circus acts, double horse circus acts, horse jumping over obstacles, and horse lying down performances… promise to create a diverse and rich festival atmosphere, deeply rooted in the cultural identity of Northwest Vietnam.

Sa Pa attracts tourists in the summer with temperatures ranging from only 12 to 20 degrees Celsius and many interesting experiences.

The "Horse Racing on the Clouds" festival is a special occasion to celebrate the culture and people of the Northwest highlands. Visitors to the festival not only get to admire the thrilling horse races but also immerse themselves in the magnificent nature, explore the rich culture, customs, and cuisine of the Sa Pa region. At an altitude of 3,147m, Fansipan peak always offers cool weather and vibrant colors of flower carpets regardless of the time of year. On days with favorable weather, visitors even have the chance to chase clouds on Fansipan peak, creating unforgettable experiences this summer.

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