Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [307]
The far north | The northwest |
Lao Cai
Follow the Red River Valley northwest from Hanoi, and after 300km pushing ever deeper into the mountains, you eventually reach the border town of LAO CAI, the railhead for Sa Pa and a popular route into China for travellers heading to Kunming. It exudes none of the trading frenzy of other border towns and even its market, the only point of interest apart from the border itself, is a small, local affair peddling medicinal leaves, roots and bark from the surrounding forests as well as cheap Chinese imports. Vietnamese traders head over the border to Hekou market, a mass of ramshackle huts clearly visible across the river; coming the other way, but in smaller numbers, are groups of Chinese day-trippers.
The far north | The northwest | Lao Cai |
Practicalities
Most people arriving from Hanoi will pitch up at Lao Cai train station, located next to a post office on the east bank of the Red River, nearly 3km due south of the Chinese border. The bus station is 400m along Phan Dinh Phung, which runs directly opposite the train station; note that almost nobody arrives by bus from Hanoi, as the road is in a wretched state.
If you want to head into town, follow the road north from the station towards the border and after 2km you reach Coc Leu Bridge, spanning the river to link up with the bulk of Lao Cai Town over on the opposite bank. Immediately across the bridge, the town’s market is on the left. To get to Lao Cai’s one and only ATM, continue up the hill from the bridge for 150m and turn left at the first set of traffic lights. To reach the border, continue north past the bridge for another kilometre. Getting about Lao Cai is most easily done by motorbike; hordes of xe om shuttle between the train station and frontier or across to the bus station.
For those travelling on to Sa Pa, a slew of tourist buses (40,000đ) meet the Hanoi train in the early morning for the ninety-minute journey to Sa Pa Town. Local buses (25.000đ) also run from here and the nearby bus station, though times are highly irregular. Xe om (from 80,000đ) are always on the prowl, though this is not the best way to tackle the switchback climb if you’re a sensitive traveller. Note that there have been several thefts on the night train between Hanoi and Lao Cai and reports of pickpocketing on Hanoi’s station platform. It’s also worth noting that you can take a motorbike onto the train with you for around $10: if you can, get help from a Vietnamese speaker to fill in the necessary from.
The far north | The northwest | Lao Cai | Practicalities |
Accommodation and eating
There’s little reason to linger in Lao Cai itself and if you are simply passing through after getting the night train, you can freshen up with a shower ($2 including towel and soap) at the Hotel Terminus (020/383 5470), opposite the station. If you need to stay overnight, try the Thien Hai (020/383 6666, www.thienhaihotel.com; US$31–50), immediately on your left as you exit the train station. The best option on Phan Dinh Phung, the road heading away from the station, is the huge Viet Hoa Guesthouse (020/383 0082; US$11–20), though it looks far grander from the outside than it is inside.
The ground-floor restaurant at the Hotel Terminus serves up cheap and tasty dishes in a convenient location, while the food stalls opposite the train station are also good. The tenth-floor cafe of the Thien Hai is the place to hang out over a coffee, while waiting for the train.
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The far north | The northwest | Lao Cai | Practicalities | Accommodation and eating |
Onward travel to China
The border crossing into China is via the Hekou Bridge border gate (daily 7am–10pm), on the east bank of the Red River. Queues are longest in the early morning, when local traders get their day pass over to Hekou. There are no Chinese trains to Kunming, as the line has been out of service for many years due to flooding and landslides. However, it is possible to make your