Fansipan

Over the centuries, several legends have arisen as to how the Fansiapn (Phan Xi Păng) mountain got its name: Most people believe it’s a decent translation of the name Hủa Xi Pan (the tottering giant rock) which evolved over time to Phan Xi Păng. Another theory suggests that the mountain was named after the Azalea flowers in the Hmong language, meaning “Azalea Mountain”.

A third possible explanation suggests that the mountain is named after Phan Văn Sơn, who helped the French to map out the area and define the border with China in 1905. The local dialect and pronunciations would have helped the evolution of the name into Phan Xi Păng.

Thanh Van dac Lo the enlighten path marks the beginning of the spiritual journey on Fansipan

Starting our trek up to the summit.

The gate is majestic and feels like you are walking into heaven. It is quite beautiful and peaceful scenery that begins your journey to the mountain.

Here you can see the gate and the cable car station in the back.

With the clouds floating and the mountain peaks above, it is a an incredible sight.

Story and map of Fansipan.

Bich Van Zen Monastery with a large silver bell in front of the entrance.

The monastery whose roofs and decorative patterns are influenced by the essences of Tran Dynasty.

Statue of a golden Buddha.

Stairs way to the Great Buddha statue. We did not go up, we just admired the statue from below.

The Dai Hung Chung Watchtower or Grand Belfry is a five story building standing at 107 ft. tall. The building is a mix of modern and traditional architecture.

Each story of the Grand Belfry hosts a bronze bell that is cast after the original one in the Tran Dynasty, dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries.

The Grand Belfry is a spriritual complex perched on the mountain, offering a tranquil atmosphere with its daily ringing of bells that reverberate through the area.

This a really interesting building combining with new and old architecture.

To get to the top, we can either take the 600+ stairs or you can take the funicular. We opted to take the funicular.

The route of this funicular is sinuous and passes a tunnel near the Great Buddha Statue, and offers beautiful panoramic view of the scenery of the Fansipan.

Once you get off the funicular, there are more steps to get to the top.

We are now on the summit of Fansipan. This is the tallest Falstaff of Indochina.

The Flagstaff on the Fansipan rises 82 ft. tall. It was constructed out of Thanh Hoa green marbles, four types of timber species and a exclusively special fabric for the flag.

Designed by architect Mr. Bill Bensley, the pedestal of the flagstaff showcases Cham Towers, Central Highlands houses, Northwest stilt homes, and Halong Bay.

What an amazing experience to be standing up here.

Vietnamese flag standing tall.

I am on top of the world!

Balcony with unobstructed view.

How amazing is this view?

Incredible view behind me.

Clouds over the Hoang Lien mountain range.

View from the summit of Fansipan with the Stupa in the center.

The Stupa comprises 11 stories built in front of Kim Son Bao Thang Pagoda. The stupa surface is clad instone exploited from the Central Viet Nam. The top of stupa is cast of copper in the lotus shape. The work is inspired by the famous Pho Minh Stupa (in Nam Dinh Province), with typical Buddhism architecture of Tran Dynasty.

Great Buddha Statue, sitting at a height of over 9,842 ft. is the highest seated bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam. The statue rises 70 ft., located at an altitude of 10,088 ft. above sea level. and is cast of over 50 tons of copper.

Built in 2015, the bronze statue is made from thousands of bronze pieces five millimeters thick. Its pedestal is decorated with a dragon and flowers.

In order to build the statue, all materials were carried by local porters to the top of the mountain via a narrow steep trail. Vietnam is a predominantly Buddhist nation. and it is estimated that over 70 percent of the population are either Buddhist or follow Buddhist practices.