1,200 athletes participated in the "Sa Pa Water - pouring Season 2026" race.
On the morning of May 17th, the "Sa Pa Water - pouring Season 2026" race took place in Ta Van commune, Lao Cai province, attracting approximately 1,200 participants. The event coincided with the beginning of the rainy season, when the terraced rice fields in the Muong Hoa valley are covered in water, creating a characteristic landscape of the Northwest highlands.
From around 5 a.m., the central area of Ta Van commune became bustling with the presence of numerous athletes, tourists, and local people. In the cool weather of the high mountains, the athletes warmed up, checked their equipment, and prepared for their journey to conquer the running routes through terraced rice fields, villages, and the characteristic hilly and mountainous roads of Sa Pa.
1,200 athletes participated in the "Sa Pa Waterfall Season 2026" race.
The rainy season in Sa Pa usually begins around May each year. This is the time when locals bring water into the rice fields to prepare for the new planting season. The terraced rice fields, reflecting the sunlight, create a landscape that attracts many tourists and photographers. The organizers said this is also the reason the race is held at this time, to combine sporting activities with promoting local tourism.
According to the organizers' design, the races pass through many beautiful routes in Ta Van commune and the Muong Hoa valley area. Along the way, athletes cross flooded rice fields, suspension bridges over streams, and also pass through many villages of ethnic minorities.
The route ran through many villages of ethnic minority groups.
Along the route, many locals stood cheering, watering, and supporting the athletes. The vibrant atmosphere of the race added a highlight to the weekend's tourism activities in the area.
This year, the race attracted many amateur athletes, running clubs, and tourists who chose to combine sports participation with a travel experience. Many families also participated in the shorter distances to explore the highland landscape.
Along the way, the athletes crossed flooded rice fields.
Dung, an athlete from Muong Khuong commune, Lao Cai province, shared: “The course here has many steep sections, making it quite challenging, however, the scenery is beautiful. Running during the rainy season, seeing the terraced rice fields stretching out and breathing in the fresh air gives everyone extra motivation to complete the distance.”
The race was organized to promote the image of ecotourism, local culture, and natural landscapes of the area. Through the event, the locality hopes to introduce to tourists the beauty of the rainy season alongside the rice harvest season, which is already familiar to many visitors when coming to Sa Pa.
The race was organized to promote the image of ecotourism, local culture, and natural landscapes of Sa Pa.
According to the organizers, the development of tourism activities linked to outdoor sports is being expanded by the locality in the coming time to diversify tourism products and create more opportunities for service development for local people.
The race concluded at noon on the same day with a medal ceremony for the athletes who completed the distance. This also marked the beginning of the 2026 summer tourism season in Sa Pa.
