The province of Lao Cai is located in the magnificent highlands of Vietnam’s northwest. This region has some of the most beautiful and sweeping vistas in the country, making it a must-see for any adventurous traveler. Lao Cai has something for everyone, whether you’re looking for cultural events, outdoor activities, or simply a scenic respite from the rush and bustle of city life. In this blog post, I’ll provide 13 of the best Lao Cai tourist attractions to help you plan the perfect vacation.
Sapa Stone Church
| Quality rating: 4.3/5 (Google Review) Address: Sapa Town, SaPa, Lao Cai Hours of operation: 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. all days of the week Ticket price: Free Pros: The church was designed with an ancient and unique style Cons: Quite crowded on weekends |
The stone church, constructed in 1895 by a French architect, is regarded as a symbol of the foggy Sapa town – one of the best places to visit in Vietnam. With an area of up to 6000 m2, this church was built entirely of hewn stone in the Roman Gothic style. If you have the chance to visit Lao Cai, you should not pass up this fascinating tourist site. From Sapa, you can also try to conquer the Fansipan peak, which is located between Lai Chau & Lao Cai.
Muong Hoa valley
| Quality rating: 4.4/5 (Google rating) Address: Muong Hoa, Sapa town, Sapa, Lao Cai Price: Free Pros: Beautiful natural scenery, the people are friendly and hospitable. Cons: The road to the valley is difficult to travel. |
The Muong Hoa valley is 10 kilometers southeast of Sapa. It is a peaceful and quiet place with large terraces and rolling hills. This place is regarded as a tourist haven. This is one of the most visited Lao Cai tourist attractions in the end of summer, when the rice are ripe and the whole valley turns into golden color.
Hoang A Tuong Palace
| Quality rating: 4.1/5 (Google Review) Address: 257 Ngoc Uyen, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Ticket price: 20,000 VND Pros: Large space, unique architecture Cons: There is a bit difficult to get to the mansion |
Hoang A Tuong Palace began construction in 1914 and was completed in 1921. With 7 years of construction, it is very luxurious and palatial. This mansion combines Asian and European architecture to create a one-of-a-kind style. Because of its prime location and good feng shui, Hoang A Tuong’s palace has withstood the test of time.
Bac Ha flower valley
| Quality rating: 3.8/5 (Google Review) Address: Thai Giang, Thai Giang Pho, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Many beautiful views, fresh air Cons: The road to get there is rough. |
When visiting the Flower Valley, you can breathe in the fresh air from the green corn and rice fields. Also, the space is full of color as there are so many flowers in bloom, which makes everyone who goes there feel very excited.
Bac Ha Temple
| Quality rating: 3.9/5 (Google Review) Address: DT153, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Ancient architecture, long history Cons: Crowded on holiday |
The next name in the list of Lao Cai tourist attractions is Bac Ha Temple. Bac Ha Temple was built in ancient architecture to worship the Vu brothers in an area of 5 hectares. Bac Ha Temple has been around for a long time and has had a big spiritual and cultural effect on the people of Lao Cai Province.
Fairy Cave
| Quality rating: No reviews yet Address: Bao Nhai Commune, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province Ticket price: Free Pros: Magnificent scenery, cool climate Cons: Rough road |
When coming to Fairy Cave, you will go by boat on the Chay River, which offers you a chance to experience a poetic primeval forest on the bank. This cave also gives visitors a comfortable sense of relaxation thanks to its cool climate. To sum up, Fairy Cave has both poetic landscapes and interesting natural features.
Bac Ha market
| Quality rating: No reviews yet Address: Bac Ha Town, Lao Cai Province Ticket price: Free Pros: A wide range of items and dishes Cons: Quite crowded |
When you go to this market, you can try many of the local dishes and buy souvenirs from the people who live there. You can also enjoy dishes such as Pho, horse Thang Co – buffalo Thang Co, colored sticky rice, corn cakes, sticky rice cakes, etc.
Muong Khuong market
| Quality rating: No reviews yet Address: DT153, Muong Khuong, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: A wide range of items and dishes Cons: Quite crowded |
Muong Khuong market, held every Sunday morning, is the largest in Muong Khuong ward. This is the place where Nung, Mong, and Thai ethnic groups go for exchanging and trading. Coming to Muong Khuong Market, you can feel the lively and friendly atmosphere.
Lung Pau Cave
| Quality rating: No reviews yet Address: Tung Chung Pho, Muong Khuong, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Beautiful scenery inside the cave Cons: A bit hard to find |
Due to its location, which is deep within the limestone mountains, Lung Pau Cave is not well known to many people. This cave has existed for four thousand years. Inside the cave, there are some tools made of stone from prehistoric times and other special tools from the feudal period.
Lao Cai international border gate
| Quality rating: 4.3/5 (Google rating) Address: 195 Phan Boi Chau, Lao Cai City, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Beautiful scenery Cons: Quite crowded |
This is the international border crossing between Vietnam and China. The two countries are only separated by a river named Nam Thi. On the Chinese side of the gate is Hekou, which is an autonomous county in the south of Yunnan Province. This is the destination of many tourists, especially Vietnamese, which is why it has many shopping centers and stores.
Lao Cai Station
| Quality rating: 4.0/5 (Google rating) Address: Group 26A, Lao Cai City, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Beautiful scenery Cons: Crowded |
The train station is also a representation of Lao Cai’s characteristics. Lao Cai Station is a well-known tourist attraction, so you can get a lot of check-in photos when you go there. The station is located on Khanh Yen Street, Pho Moi Ward, Lao Cai City. This station is the gateway to Lao Cai and many other provinces in Vietnam.
O Quy Ho Pass
| Quality rating: 4.7/5 (Google Review) Address: Son Binh, Tam Duong, Lai Chau, Lao Cai Ticket price: Free Pros: Ample space; provides good view of the entire area of Sapa Cons: The pass is quite dangerous. |
People say that O Quy Ho Pass is one of the longest, most dangerous, and most beautiful mountain passes in the north. There’s a myth that a meeting between a fairy and a woodcutter named O Quy Ho took place at this place.
Thuong Temple of Lao Cai
| Quality rating: 4.5/5 (Google rating) Address: Lao Cai Ward, City. Lao Cai, Lao Cai Province Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. all days of the week Ticket price: Free Advantages: Peaceful and tranquil atmosphere Cons: The way to the temple is quite difficult. |
Thuong Temple, which is also called Saint Tran Tu, was built during the Le Dynasty. It is a shrine to Hung Dao Dai Vuong—Tran Quoc Tuan, a respected commander.
The temple, which is on Mai Linh Mountain, looks very grand as it was built in the Chu Cong style. This is a place you should not miss when coming to Lao Cai.
Read more:
- First trip to Lao Cai? All you need to know.
- Best 17 Lao Cai Hotel Hotspots: Where Comfort Meets Culture
Don’t get hungry in Lao Cai, read our latest post about 9 Best Lao Cai Foods Worth Enjoying & Best 8 Lao Cai Restaurants for Experiencing Authentic Local Cuisine
With 13 popular Lao Cai tourist attractions to explore, this article is sure to provide you with some new ideas for your trip to Lao Cai. So, start planning your next adventure and experience all that Lao Cai has to offer.
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