Killing Sa Pa softly with... construction planning

Sa Pa in the memory of many people was a small tourism town with natural beautiful landscapes. But, Sa Pa today might surprise you with its rapid yet asynchronous changes.

Visiting Sa Pa these days, you can see clearly that the unique beauty of Sa Pa is now replaced by noise and dust from a number of construction sites and piles of construction materials scattered here and there along streets.

Piles of construction materials scattered here and there along streets

Is construction killing silently Sa Pa?

For example, the Sa Pa Cultural Market and Coach Station projects has been lasting for 12 years. Other ongoing projects are turning the town into a place hostile to people due to dust and pollution.  

Head of the Sa Pa Urban Economic Division Dinh Tuan Hung explained that under the Sa Pa master plans 2012 and 2016, the town is extended to 5,525 ha, twice bigger than the old one, to become a city of third class by 2020.

Construction projects under the master plan have brought about unwanted impacts on local environment and tourist landscapes, Hung said.

The road to a local village. Photo: BaoLaocai

Many visitors to Sa Pa are disappointed with urban development.

"Sa Pa is no longer Sa Pa that I have known before," said Nguyen Thanh Binh, a visitor from Hanoi.

A "massive construction site" with numerous new hotels and resorts. Photo: CafeF

According to the Head of the Sa Pa Urban Economic Division, the expansion of the town is necessary to promote Sa Pa to a city of third class. Regarding the degradation of local roads, Sa Pa district authorities are currently implementing a project to renovate all pavements in Sa Pa town.