Lao Cai

Lao Cai Province

Lao Cai is a city in northern Vietnam, capital of Lao Cai Province. It is located at the confluence of the Red River and the Nam Ti, about 354 km northwest of Hanoi, adjoining the border between Vietnam and China. Since the opening of a highway, the time to get there from Hanoi is about 4 hours.

The number of ethnic minorities (25 different groups) has created the unique identity of Lao Cai, making it a region abundant in cultural identity, tradition and custom.

Lao Cai is thus the essential starting point for most excursions to the mountains of northern Vietnam and to the mountain towns of Sapa and Bac Ha to meet their inhabitants.

The best time to visit Lao Cai

Lao Cai is influenced by tropical climate and monsoon, but due to the complex topography, climatic characters vary depending on the altitude and the period.

The best time for your trip to Lao Cai is from September to March, this is the dry season. If you arrive in Lao Cai from January to March, you can observe the blossoming peach blossoms. September is harvest season, when the landscape is covered in the color yellow as far as the eye can see.

The province enjoys tropical and moderate climatic conditions. The average temperature is between 20ºC and 23ºC in the plains.

What to see, what to do…?

With the stunning beauty of famous scenic spots like Sapa, Bac Ha, Bat Xat, Muong Khuong, Lao Cai province hopes to become an ideal tourist destination as there are, in addition, about 107 rivers in the area.

Lao Cai is also a favorable land for the development of precious medicinal plants. Also, this land is gifted with a biological treasure with 2000 types of flowers, 442 types of birds and animals. Many of them can only be found in Lao Cai, nowhere else in Vietnam and all over the world.

Top 6 activities to do in Loa Cai:

Take the night train from Hanoi.
Go to the Coc Leu market (be careful, given the proximity to China, most goods are made in China).
Go to the village of Phin Ho, located on the mountain of Hoang Lien Son, and which still remains virgin.
Admire the Bay waterfall, surrounded by the primary forest of Liem Phu belonging to the Hoang Lien Son nature reserve.
Gather in the many temples.
Take a photo of yourself on the border bridge with China.