Located
in North-West Vietnam, 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 apatit, 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 Sapa. So
that Lao Cai owns a treasure of valuable and rare genes, making up 50%
rare floras in Vietnam.
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.
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 (Sapa), 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 Sapa, a unique natural tourist site. Many new
married couples like spending their honeymoon in Sapa because of good
weather and romantic sightseeing. Visitors to Sapa 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 Sapa ancient rock field.
Taken place every Saturday night, Sapa Market is an attractive place
for visitors who are keen on exploring traditional cultures.
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 Located
300km from Hanoi, Lao Cai can be reached by car or train. There is
National Highway No.70, 279, 4D linking Lao Cai to Yen Bai, Lai Chau
and Ha Giang, China in turn. There are two trains depart from Hanoi
daily to Lao Cai.