Lao Cai

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Lao Cai would be considered a fine destination in its own right if Sapa had not stolen its thunder. Goods and services are in ample supply, eating and lodging is of decent quality, it's a transport hub, and it's crossed by leafy, sleepy sidestreets that are good for a wander.

Lao Cai is a border town, but without that typical remote 'outpost' feeling you get with such spots. It's just a short walk away from its sister city Hekou on the Chinese side -- you'll pass through here if you are headed to or from the Chinese city of Kunming, 470km to the north.

Lao Cai's central location makes it an ideal staging area for treks and daytrips to the attractions elsewhere in the province -- though, obviously, almost everyone opts for a more lopsided stay in the tourist magnet, Sapa, 38km to the southwest by road. The train line from Hanoi terminates here, making it the gateway to Sapa for most travellers.

If Lao Cai looks kind of new to you, that's because it is. The town was largely flattened by the Chinese during their invasion of 1979 and the international border crossing here did not re-open till the early 1990s. What you see today, including many of the glorious concrete egg-carton-style buildings, is just 25 years old.

Another of Lao Cai's big selling points is its fleet of little white electric cars. Easily recognisable as the white buggies that roam golf courses the world over, in Lao Cai they've rolled off the greens and onto the streets in a somewhat touching attempt to lure tourists to linger longer than a few hours.

We're beginning to think more travellers should take the bait.

Crossing the border
The Lao Cai / Hekou border is open every day from 07:00 to 22:00. Some nationalities, including Australians and some Europeans, can buy one-month Chinese visas on the spot on the Vietnamese side of the border for US$45 -- processing takes an hour. But Brits, Americans and a list of others have to get visa'ed up in Hanoi. Be sure to check with the Chinese embassy before you arrive at the border, and it probably makes sense to arrive with a visa in your passport in any case. Going the other way, of course, no visa on arrival is available. The number for the visa office at the border is: (0913) 388 890. For more info, try contacting Binh Minh Travel, which seems to have the visa concession on the Vietnam side.

Text and/or map last updated on 21st August, 2009.

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Fresh off our Asia travel forum

Here are some discussions off the Travelfish forum, perhaps related to Lao Cai. You can find the full forum here.

Topic	Replies	Views
Cost of Hanoi-Lao Cai train tickets In Vietnam: by ngg18, last reply by prisonbreak	7	758
Flying to Hanoi and taking night train to Lao Cai on the same day. In Vietnam: by ngg18, last reply by Puggles	3	428
Lao Cai train station - a warning. In Vietnam: by travellerwill, last reply by DLuek	2	917
Lao Cai to Hanoi train bookings? In Vietnam: by 9deuce, last reply by halethi	2	964

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