Sa Pa is fastest-growing destination in Asia in 2025
VGP - Sa Pa in the northern province of Lao Cai climbed 15 places, from 66th to 51st, in the list of the top 100 destinations in Asia in 2025 by the online travel platform Agoda.
According to Agoda, Sa Pa was the fastest-growing destination in Asia in 2025, based on the number of international guest room bookings during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.
The increase was significantly higher than that of other destinations in the fast-growth group, which recorded rises of only 6 to 13 places. This was also the strongest performance among Vietnamese destinations featured in Agoda's rankings.
Specifically, the other seven representatives of Viet Nam in Asia's top 100 included Phu Quoc, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hoi An, Nha Trang and Da Lat.
This result was driven mainly by strong growth from Southeast Asian and Asia–Pacific markets. India led the surge in accommodation search growth at 207 percent, followed by the Philippines (115 percent), Australia (104 percent), and Taiwan (China) (76 percent).
Earlier, Sa Pa was listed among the top eight mountain and small town destinations in Asia for 2025 by digital travel platform Agoda, becoming the only representative from Viet Nam to make the ranking.
Agoda described Sa Pa as a destination where terraced rice fields and ethnic minority villages create a striking cultural and natural landscape. Visitors are drawn by the unique cultural identity of local ethnic groups like Mong, Dao and Tay, while the dramatic Hoang Lien Son mountain range, crowned by Fansipan, the "roof of Indochina" offers breathtaking scenery.
With an altitude of more than 1,500 metres, Sa Pa enjoys a cool climate year-round. Each season brings its own character: plum and peach blossoms in spring; the green of young rice fields in summer; golden terraced valleys in autumn; and misty, sometimes snowy winter days that are rare in tropical climates.
Traditional upland markets and vibrant local festivals add to the appeal, giving visitors opportunities to explore handicrafts, cuisine, and age-old customs. Such cultural richness, combined with natural beauty, has helped Sa Pa earn its place among Asia's most attractive mountain destinations.
In 2025, Sa Pa welcomed more than 4.3 million visitors./.
