Construction of a domestic airport for Sa Pa, a popular tourist town in northwestern Vietnam, could begin this year.
The Lao Cai province, home of the tourist destination, has mooted the plan with backing from several ministries, the Thanh Nien news reported.
The proposed project could begin in the third quarter of this year if it is endorsed by the government, the report said, adding the province planned to use the airport for flight connections with other Vietnamese cities including Ho Chi Minh City and Danang.
Sapa is a small town about 1,600 metres above sea level with markets serving ethnic minority groups in northwestern Vietnam.
The place is popular especially for tourists from Thailand and other countries. The best way to go to Sapa is to take one of several overnight trains from Hanoi in a 380km trip that takes about eight hours.