Lao Cai Vietnam, the most popular travel destination offers not only a huge collection of trekking tours in Vietnam, but also many mountain bike tours, highland market discovery, ethnic culture, homestay experience. Some of well known places of Lao Cai province include Sapa, Bac Ha market, Fansipan mountain.
Lao Cai Vietnam Map
Lao Cai is a province of the mountainous Northwest region of Vietnam bordering the province of Yunnan in China on the north, Lai Chau Province on the west, Ha Giang Province on the east and Yen Bai, Son La provinces on the south.
Located 300km from Hanoi, Lao Cai can be reached by car or train. Most of tourist trains leave Hanoi at night, arriving Lao Cai early morning the following day. The car journey is now only 5-6 hours thanks to the Express highway Hanoi – Lao Cai.
Lao Cai and Sapa are two important cities within the province at the border with China; the former is well known as key trading post and the latter is hill station famous for tourism, in the Northwest region of Vietnam. Lao Cai is also the capital of Lao Cai Province and shares border with the city of Hekou, in the Yunnan province of Southwest China. This border town was closed after the 1979 war with China, since reopened in 1993, has become a major tourist centre between Hanoi, Sapa and Kunming (China).
Lao Cai what to see
Lao Cai still preserves lots of cultural and historical sites. One of outstanding vestiges is the ancient stone in Muong Hoa Valley (Sapa). There are many beautiful caves such as Thuy Tien (Bat Xat), Ta Phoi (Cam Duong), Tien-Trung Do (Bac Ha), Xuan Quang (Bao Thang).
Sapa is the most popular travel destination of the province. Many new married couples like spending their honeymoon in Sapa because of good weather and romantic sightseeing. Coming to Sapa in summer you can feel the climate of four seasons in one day. Discover interesting places including Ham Rong Mountain, Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo forest, Ta Phin Cave and Sapa ancient rock field.
Bac Ha Market hosts the biggest fair near the mountainous highlands. It is a typical weekly activity for the H’Mong and other minority groups living in the locality. In Cat Cat Village many H’Mong residents are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry.
It is festinate to travel from Lai Chau to Lao Cai following National Highway No. 4D because of scenery along roadsides and impressive sight of Hoang Lien Son Range. This way attracts to people liking the adventure and discover on bicycle, too.
Lao Cai Weather
Lao Cai has typical mountainous climate. The dry season lasts from October to March, it is cold. And the rain season is from April to September. Annual average temperature is 23oC. Specially, sometime, there is snow in Sapa.
