O Quy Ho Pass & Rong May Glass Bridge
Đèo Ô Quy Hồ · Cầu kính Rồng Mây
A 2,000-metre pass, the first of Vietnam's “Four Great Passes.” It crosses the highest point of the road between Lao Cai and Lai Chau, with a cloud-sea viewpoint and a glass bridge built on a cliff.
O Quy Ho Pass sits about 18 km northwest of Sa Pa on the 4D national highway, at an elevation of about 2,000 metres. It marks the border between Lao Cai and Lai Chau provinces. Of Vietnam's “Four Great Passes” in the northwest, it is the longest (about 50 km) and the highest. The road winds up from the Sa Pa side, crosses the pass, and then drops steeply toward Lai Chau. The name comes from a local legend about a bird called “O Quy Ho” whose cry is mournful. The “Gate of Heaven” (Cổng Trời) viewing platform at the pass overlooks the northern slopes of the Fansipan range and the deep valleys below. On clear days the clouds roll below your feet, and the view at sunset is especially spectacular. Small stalls by the pass sell grilled corn, skewered meat, and bamboo-tube rice. In winter, snow and icicles sometimes appear here. It is one of the few places in Vietnam where snow can be seen, and visitors flock here at such times. The Rong May Glass Bridge (Cầu kính Rồng Mây) near the pass opened in 2019 and is the tallest glass bridge in Vietnam. Visitors ride a transparent lift 300 metres up the cliff, then walk a U-shaped glass walkway of about 60 metres suspended over a valley at an elevation of 2,200 metres. The views look down on the valley and the highway. Admission costs about VND 400,000–450,000. Other attractions include a zipline and a drop-tower ride. Opening hours are roughly 07:30–17:30. The viewing platform is free. Getting there: Renting a motorbike from town takes about 40 minutes. The mountain road has many bends and steep grades, so it is for experienced riders only. You can also hire a car or join a shared group tour. The pass is usually combined with Silver Waterfall and Love Waterfall as a half-day tour. Notes: The pass is 5–8°C cooler than town and very windy, so bring a windproof jacket. On foggy days there is no visibility, and you will see no view from the glass bridge either. On rainy or snowy days the mountain road is dangerous, and motorbike riding is not recommended. You must wear shoe covers to walk on the glass bridge.
Opening hours
Shankou viewing platform open all day; glass bridge 07:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Love Waterfall
- Silver Waterfall
- Fansipan
- Cat Cat Village
- Sa Pa Stone Church
- Sa Pa Lake
- Ta Phin Village
- Sa Pa Market