Climbing Fan Xi Pang: The Highest Peak in Indochina

The story of how I climbed Fan Xi Pang, the highest mountain in Vietnam, is, to say the least, unique.

It was 2019, and after several trips where I had gained some confidence (I was 22 at the time), I decided to backpack through Southeast Asia with my good friend Diana. We traveled through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Another friend, Tom, joined us for part of the journey.

It was 2019, and after several trips where I had gained some confidence (I was 22 at the time), I decided to backpack through Southeast Asia with my good friend Diana. We traveled through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Another friend, Tom, joined us for part of the journey.

The Spontaneous Plan

We were drinking tea at a local family’s house where we were staying. It was a remote village we had reached after a two-day trek from Sa Pa. While looking at the landscape and philosophizing about life, we found ourselves staring at the mountain in front of us. It was massive, green, and imposing.

I asked the family if it was possible to climb it. They said yes and told us they knew a guide who could take us the next day. With zero research and zero prior knowledge, we were driven in an old 4×4 to the base of the mountain the following morning to meet our guide, named “Yo.”

Diana, Tom, a guy named Aaron (whom we met at the homestay and wanted to join the adventure), and I set off.

The Climb: Ladders and Jungle

What a wild ascent. There were sections with a path, sections without one, and thousands of stairs. And by stairs, I mean climbing ladders—propped against the rock, old, and without ropes. It was incredibly intense!

Our guide was so small she barely reached Tom’s waist. She spoke almost no English; she just smiled at us. She was charming and tough as nails, climbing in the traditional clothing of her village.

After 7 or 8 grueling hours, we reached the false summit, which was shrouded in fog.

The Shock at 3,100 Meters

Suddenly, there was concrete—actual pavement. And an arch. And a temple. And Buddhist music. And so many people dressed in street clothes. What?! We couldn’t understand a thing! As we moved forward, the fog began to clear, revealing even more: asphalt stairs, temples perched much higher up, small statues, and giant Buddha statues.

It felt surreal; I don’t think I’ve ever been more blown away in my life. It turns out that Fan Xi Pang was famous for these constructions at over 3,100 meters high and because a cable car had recently been built (on the other side of the mountain) that reached the false summit. We knew nothing! People were looking at us strangely—of course, we were the only foreigners and the only ones who had climbed up through the jungle… hahaha!

Needless to say, we made it to the very top, and our adorable guide, Yo, gave us a completely unexpected certificate for reaching the summit. It remains one of the strangest and most epic days I’ve ever experienced. What has been built on that summit is beyond description—peace, nature, and Buddhist faith, all merged into one.

The descent was brutal; night fell, and we were starving. But there’s nothing a good bowl of noodles can’t fix. What a crazy adventure.