Lào Cai

Lào Cai is the capital and largest city of Lào Cai Province in the North Western Region of Vietnam. It is located on the banks of the Red River in the north of the province, next to the border with China.

The city and its surroundings has a population of 160,623. The city is an important trade and transport city, being the closest provincial capital to the border. It is the terminus of the Red River Railway in Vietnam, however it continues to Kunming in China.

The city is the final stopping point from Hanoi to Sapa, a popular hill station.