Month by month
| Months | Summit temperature | Rain | Fog |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0–9 °C | Low | High |
| March to May | 5–20 °C | Low to moderate | Moderate |
| June to August | 15–25 °C | High | High |
| September to November | 5–20 °C | Moderate | Low to moderate |
| December | 0–10 °C | Low | High |
Sa Pa gets 2,000–2,500 mm of rain a year, and 70–80% of it falls between April and September (source). The dry season runs from October to March, but the cold months bring their own fog.
Spring and autumn
These are the two windows for a clear summit. Trekkers do best from mid-September to mid-December and from mid-March to mid-May. Pack warm layers in any season. The summit is about 10 °C colder than town.
Summer rain
June to August is warm on top, at 15–25 °C, but rain and fog are both high. Trails turn to mud and leeches come out. Bad weather can close the cable car at short notice, so keep a spare day.
Winter cold
December and January are dry and cold, with heavy fog. The summit can freeze, and frost or snow is possible in January. Wikivoyage records snow falling in Sa Pa town in 2011.
Busy days
Cable car queues run 1–2 hours at weekends and on Vietnamese holidays:
- Tết, the Lunar New Year
- 30 April to 1 May
- 2 September, National Day
Weekday mornings before 09:30 are the quietest. If you are building a Sa Pa itinerary, put the cable car on a weekday and keep a spare day for weather. Trekkers should read the route comparison for the trail season.
