LAO CAI PROVINCE OVERVIEW |
| Geography |
Demographics |
Telephone |
Capital: Lao Cai
Region: North eastern
Area: 6,357 km2
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Population: 565,700
Density: 88.99/km2
Ethnicities: Kinh, H’Mong, Tay, Dao, Thai... |
Calling code: 020 |
| Town and Districts |
| Districts: Muong Khuong, Bat Xat, Bac Ha, Bao Thang, Sa Pa, Bao Yen, Van Ban, and Si Ma Cai. |
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| General Information
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The province of Lao Cai is located in the north west of the country and 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 topography of Lao Cai is very diversified with rivers, high mountain peaks, steep and high mountain passes, deep streams and wide valleys. Lao Cai is home to some vast expanse of primeval forests with several kinds of rare timber plants such as po mu ( fukiena), lat hoa (chukrasia tabularis), and cho chi. It is also the habitat of many kinds of medicinal herbs and rare animals including deer, wild boar, tigers and others.
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LAO CAI PROVINCE PEOPLE |
| The population of the Lao Cai province is a mosaic of ethnic groups. There are 24 ethnic minority groups, each of which has its own language, culture and traditions. This cultural wealth is explained by the diversity of landscapes and of land available for farming. History also offers clues as to why the highlands in the Lao Cai province served as a refuge for certain ethnic groups during political unrest like the Taiping rebellion in 19th-century China.
The seven most numerous ethnic groups in the Lao Cai province account for over 90% of the whole population. The following groups are found: the Kinh (the true Vietnamese) 35%, the Hmong 22%, the Tay 14%, the Dao (Mien) 13%, the Thai 9%, the Nung 4.5% and the Giay 4.3%. The other ethnic groups: the Phula, Hani, Latis, Tu Di, Pin Tao, Tu Lao, Pa Di, Sapho, Lolo and the Xa Mang are sometimes represented only by a few villages and a few hundred individuals
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GETTING IN - OUT
LAO CAI PROVINCE |
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Lao Cai town is located 350km from Hanoi and can be reached by car or train. There is National Highway No.70 and 279 linking Lao Cai to Yen Bai, Lai Chau and Ha Giang. There are several trains running from Hanoi to Lao Cai and vice versa.. |
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GETTING AROUND
LAO CAI PROVINCE |
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LAO CAI PROVINCE RESOURCES |
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. This also festinates 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.
Flora
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.
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TRAVEL TIPS |
Climate
The province is endowed with both tropical and moderate climatic conditions. Average temperature in high mountainous areas is recorded at between 18 degree Celsius and 28 degree Celsius. It is between 20 degree Celsius and 22 degree Celsius in the lowland. In such high mountain slopes such as Sapa temperature can drop to 0 degree Celsius and even snow flakes. |
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LAO CAI PROVINCE ECONOMY |
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Lao Cai like many provinces in the northern highlands, is less wealthy than many other provinces of Vietnam. The GDP per capita is generally given as being around US$185. Traditional economic activities such as agriculture and forestry remain important, but the province has also been attempting to develop foreign investment in the area. Cross-border trade with China is also a growing source of income. |
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