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One of the gateways
to China, Lao Cai lies at the end of the train
line on the Chinese border. The border crossing
was closed during the 1979 war between China and
Vietnam and was only opened in 1993. Its
reopening has transformed Lao Cai into a major
hub for travelers journeying between Hanoi,
Kunming and Sapa, about 38 kilometers away, whereby the
river separates Vietnam from Hekou, China and a
bridge is built to enable easy access for
visitors.
Apart from the Viet
(Kinh), other smaller ethnic groups living here
include the H'mong, Tay and Dao. In the
mountainous area, the average temperature is
between 180C and 200C
while it is slightly higher in the lowlands and
tours are being organized to these rural areas
which also acts at its tourist attractions.
During the winter,
the picturesque snowcapped mountain peaks are
not to be missed while blooming peach flowers
can be seen during spring. One of the famous
places of interest here is Fansipan which is the highest
peak in the country located in the Hoang Lien
Mountains. Trekking has been a popular activity
here and among the popular tourist areas for
sight-seeing are the Cau May, Thac Bac and Tram
Ton Pass.
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