Lao Cai

Area: 6,383.9 sq. km.
Population: 674.5 thousand habitants (2015).
Capital: Lao Cai City.
Districts (8): Muong Khuong, Bat Xat, Bac Ha, Bao Thang, Sa Pa, Bao Yen, Van Ban, Si Ma Cai.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), H'Mong, Tay, Dao, Thai...

GEOGRAPHY

Located in North-West Viet Nam, Lao Cai is surrounded by Yunna (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.

Lao Cai's terrain is divided into main kinds following: valley, low and high mountainous. With 3,143m in height, Fansipan is considered the highest peak of the Indochina Peninsula. The province has 107 rivers including Red, Chay and Nam Mu rivers... The province also owns 31 types of mineral, of which apatite, cooper, iron are most valuable.

The remarkable feature of Lao Cai is biologic diversification. There are 2,000 kinds of flora, 442 kinds of birds and animals... of which 60 kinds of animals only found in Lao Cai, 9 kinds of floras only found in Sa Pa. So that Lao Cai owns a treasure of valuable and rare genes, making up 50% rare floras in Viet Nam.

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 Sa Pa.

 

TOURISM

Lao Cai preserves lots of special cultural and historical sites. Outstanding vestiges is ancient stone engrave area with picture of map, handwriting, people thousand years ago in Muong Hoa Valley (Sa Pa), Pho Rang vestige. There are many beautiful caves like Thuy Tien (Bat Xat), Ta Phoi (Cam Duong), Tien-Trung Do (Bac Ha), Xuan Quang (Bao Thang).

Lao Cai is very proud of Sa Pa, a unique natural tourist site. Many new married couples like spending their honeymoon in Sa Pa because of good weather and romantic sightseeing. Visitors to Sa Pa in summer can feel the climate of four seasons in one day. They enjoy discovering other interesting places including Ham Rong Mountain, Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo forest, Ta Phin Cave and Sa Pa ancient rock field. Taken place every Saturday night, Sa Pa Market is an attractive place for visitors who are keen on exploring traditional cultures.


Lao Cai City


In addition, 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.

 

ETHNIC GROUPS

Lao Cai has a colorful culture of 27 ethnic groups. They are Kinh, H'Mong, Tay, Dao, Thai, Giay, Nung, Phu La, Ha Nhi, Lao, Khang, La Ha, Muong, Bo Y, Hoa, La Chi, San Chay, San Diu, Khmer, Lo Lo, Ka Doong, Pa Co, E De, Gie Trieng, Gia Rai, Cham, Ka Tu. The life of minority people groups base on planting rice on the paddy, on the fields in the mountains or on terraced field.

Festivals here are very special including Pray for good crop, Spring Mountain, and Long Tong festivals. There are many merry games such as nem con, tug-of-wars, cockfights.

 

TRANSPORTATION

Lao Cai City is 340km from Ha Noi. There is National Road N°. 70, 279, 4D linking Lao Cai to Yen Bai, Lai Chau and Ha Giang, China in turn.


Train: Tourists often take night trains from Ha Noi to Lao Cai and vice versa.

There are some comfortable carriages in SP trains between Ha Noi and Lao Cai:

SP1& 2: Fansipan Express, Tulico Express, Hara, Royal Express, Pumkin Express

SP3 & 4: Orient Express, Green, Victoria Express, Sapaly Express

The train stops at Lao Cai City; to reach Sa Pa, you need to travel about 38km during an hour more by shuttle buses, car or motorbike.


Bus and minibus:

- Buses between Ha Noi and Lao Cai run daily and take about 3.5 hours following Noi Bai - Lao Cai Highway, departs from Ha Noi’s My Dinh Bus Station.

- Minibuses run regularly between Sa Pa and Lao Cai from 5am to 5pm.

- Minibus from Lao Cai to Bac Ha (110km), three times daily.

- Minibus from Sa Pa to Bac Ha, take about  2.5 hours. On the way back, it is possible to stop in Lao Cai and catch the night train back to Ha Noi.

ALBUM
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
WHERE TO STAY
ATI - Sa Pa Rose Valley Resort

Add: Village No.1, Muong Hoa Road, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 056/ 3872 237

Aristo International Hotel

Add: 28 Yet Kieu St., Lao Cai city

Tel: (84-214) 3826 668

Sapaly Lao Cai Hotel

Add: Nguyen Hue St., Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 3666 222

Muong Thanh Grand Lao Cai Hotel

Add: 86 Thanh Nien St., Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 3778 888

Muong Thanh Sa Pa Hotel

Add: 44 Ngu Chi Son St., Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3887 755/ 3887 766

Victoria Sa Pa Resort

Add: Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 522

Red River View Hotel

Add: 178 Le Dai Hanh, Kim Tan Ward, Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 366 9966

Dang Khoa Sa Pa Hotel

Add: 75 Xuan Vien St., Sa Pa Town

Tel: (84-214) 3502 111/ 3872 999

Sunny Mountain Hotel

Add: 10 Muong Hoa St., Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3787 999

Buu Dien Sa Pa Hotel

Add: Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 244

Sa Pa View Hotel

Add: No.41, Muong Hoa Road , Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3872 388

Bamboo Sa Pa Hotel

Add: 18 Muong Hoa St., Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 075/ 3871 076

Binh Minh Hotel

Add: 39 Nguyen Hue St., Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 3830 085

Sao Mai Hotel

Add: Bac Ha Town, Bac Ha Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3880 288

Cau May Hotel

Add: Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 293

Bamboo Sa Pa Hotel & Tour

Add: Cau May St, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 075/ 3871 214

Fansipan Hotel

Add: Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 398

Auberge Dang Trung Hotel

Add: Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 243

VPS Hotel

Add: Thac Bac, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 389

Cat Cat Hotel

Add: 46 Fansipan St, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 946

WHERE TO EAT
Anh Dao Restaurant

Add: Cau May St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Buffalo Bell Restaurant

Add: Fan Si Pan Road., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3873 455

Camillia Restaurant

Add: 22 Tue Tinh St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 455

Little Sa Pa Restaurant

Add: 18 Cau May St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 222

Observatory Restaurant

Add: 39 Xuan Vien St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 019

Grecko Restaurant

Add: 4 Ham Rong St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 504

Tay Bac Quan Restaurant

Add: 61 Ham Nghi St., Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 3845 688

Thanh Loan Restaurant

Add: 9 Nhac Son St., Lao Cai City

Tel: (84-214) 3842 736

Bich Nhi Restaurant

Add: Sa Pa Dist.

A Quynh Restaurant

Add: 15 Thach Son St., Sa Pa Townlet, Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 555

Hoa Sua Restaurant

Add: Group 10 Thac Bac St., Sa Pa Dist.

Tel: (84-214) 3871 766