About Lao Cai

Lao Cai Province is mainly known for its Sa Pa and Mount Fansipan. But there are many other marvelous cities within this province to explore such as Bac Ha with its frequent local markets, Y Ty ribboned by clouds, and O Quy Ho Pass around Hoang Lien Son Mountain Range.


Thrilling landscapes along with splendid rice terrace scenes during harvest seasons are what make Lao Cai so captivating. Tourists also have the chance to immerse in the diverse ethnic minority cultures here.

Best Time To Visit Lao Cai

The weather in Lao Cai is ideal the most from September to October, when you can watch breath-taking rice terraces in Sapa, Y Ty, and Den Sang. From June to August, the weather is cool and when the plum season begins. From December to February, the mountains can experience snowfalls. In March, the scenery is extremely beautiful with plum peach forests blooming from Sa Pa to Muong Khuong and Can Cau.

Spring
(Feb - Apr)

Scattering drizzle

Mist spreads across the pass

Plum blossoms bloom throughout Bac Ha

It's getting warmer

Going to the colorful market

Summer
(May - Jul)

Yellow sunshine and blue sky

Sunny days and cool nights

Peaches and plums hanging on the branches

The season of sweet fruits

The roads are covered in green

Autumn
(Aug - Oct)

Golden sunshine pours honey

The night mist hanging

Nice and cool weather

Silky yellow rice carpet

Bustling and colorful markets

Winter
(Nov - Jan)

Extremely cold

Mist, clouds and rain blend together

Frost on the top of the mountain

Best time for trekking and cloud hunting

Transport

You can easily get to Lao Cai by bus, private car, or train. Regular buses and luxury vans from Hanoi usually take about 5 to 6 hours and drop off at the city center. For adventurous travelers, motorbikes are a great way to soak up the nature's beauty. 

Explore Lao Cai

'Floating place' on the Y Ty road in the ripe rice season

Located on the DT 156 route from Lao Cai city to Y Ty commune, the bend section of A Lu commune (Bat Xat district, Lao Cai province) in recent days has become a destination that causes a "fever" because of its surreal, picturesque scenery. Hoang Van Huy (in Hanoi, currently working as a tourist in Cao Bang – Ha Giang) said that he took photos of the impressive bend on the occasion of his trip to explore Y Ty on August 19.  Photo: Hoang Dieu De When moving through this area, seeing the enchanting natural scenery, Huy used a drone to record beautiful moments from above.  "The air here is fresh and cool, and the landscape is wild that makes me immediately attracted to it. When I arrived, the rice fields along both sides of the road had turned yellow, emitting a pleasant fragrance," the young man recounted. According to the young man's share, near the bend there is a landmark marking the location 7km from Y Ty. If you have the opportunity to move through this road, you can stop to take pictures at some beautiful terraced fields or check-in the "sunset tree" not too far away. "I asked the local people and learned that around the end of the 8th lunar month, the rice here will ripen evenly. Therefore, if you come here at this time, visitors can admire the road and the golden season at the most beautiful time," Huy suggested. Video: Hoang Dieu De Although it is the first time to set foot in this bend, 9X finds the surrounding scenery overwhelming, with its own beauty. He commented that this place deserves to become a new destination that attracts travel enthusiasts to experience a different golden season in the Northwest, in addition to familiar places such as Nam Cang (Sa Pa) or Muong Hum (Bat Xat) in Lao Cai. To get to the bend on the DT 156 route, if departing from Sa Pa town, visitors move in the direction of Ban Xeo, Muong Hum to A Lu commune. In addition, visitors can also follow the route from Lao Cai city to Kim Thanh and Trinh Tuong then to Lung Po and to A Lu commune. Both of these roads have a total length of about 90km. Photo: Hoang Dieu De Around August and September of the lunar calendar, many terraced fields in Bat Xat district begin in the ripe rice season, turning bright yellow, attracting many tourists to visit. Not only Y Ty is a famous "cloud hunting" place, visitors who come here on this occasion can combine to explore the picturesque rice fields, enjoy the pleasant fresh air. However, this is also the time when many mountainous areas experience rain, floods and landslides, tourists need to pay attention to the weather forecast to have a safe trip, ensuring convenient travel to tourist destinations. Photo: Hoang Dieu De In addition, the number of visitors to Lao Cai in particular and the Northwest in general in the ripe rice season is very large, especially on weekends, so visitors need to contact accommodation facilities in advance to book accommodation or hire local guides to assist if needed. Source: VNN

Nature & Adventure 06/09/2024

'Floating place' on the Y Ty road in the ripe rice season

The winding road is hidden among the terraced fields in the ripe rice season, making many tourists passing by here surprised by the surreal, picturesque scenery in Lao Cai.

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These days, coming to the mountains of Sapa, everywhere is smoky, everywhere is fragrant with the fragrance of new rice. A ripe rice season has returned to the beautiful Northwest region.
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Located more than 30 km from Sa Pa town (Lao Cai), Nam Cang has not developed tourism, not many people know about it, so the scenery is still untouched. Most of the visitors here are domestic tourists and go on their own.
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