The people behind Fansipan Sapa Cable Car Services and Tourism LLC (Vietnam), at Sa Pa, Lao Cai, Vietnam, applied for a Guinness World Records title in order to call attention to their innovative masterpiece of engineering. Successful, they recently received an official certificate recognising the 6,292.5 m (3.91 miles) system as the Longest non-stop three-rope cable car in the world.
The transportation system has the Greatest elevation difference by a non-stop three-roped cable car, taking passengers up a breath-taking 1,410 m (4625 ft 11.7 in) into the mountains.
The cabins can hold 30-35 travellers and the journey between the two stations takes about 20 minutes (one way), whereas previously it would take people one or two days to reach the peak of the Indochina Summit mountain on foot.
Construction of the record-breaking Fansipan Sapa Cable Car began in November 2013 and has cost approximately 4.400 billion dong (136,725 GBP).
Designed by architect Bill Bensley, the striking travel system is inspired by traditional Northwestern tribal patterns.
Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Mr. Hoang Trung Hai spoke at the launch: “Fansipan Cable car project not only helps develop Lao Cai and Fansipan to become a tourist attraction for everyone, but also creates employment for the local people, which will contribute largely to the social-economic development of the province in particular and the Northwestern region as a whole … With all challenges overcome to have this inaugural day, Fansipan Sapa Cable Car has become an entity of pride.”
