Lào Cai, Mountain province in northwestern Vietnam
Lào Cai is a province in northwestern Vietnam that stretches across mountain valleys, rivers, and highland areas along the Chinese border. Fansipan rises in the southern part of the province and forms the highest point in the country.
The region served as a border trading post during colonial times and received its status as an administrative unit in 1889. The construction of the railway line to Yunnan promoted trade between Vietnam and China over several decades.
Weekly markets take place in mountain villages where people from highland groups sell handwoven textiles and handmade silver jewelry. Many families grow rice on terraced fields and maintain farming methods passed down through generations.
Travelers should bring warm clothing since temperatures in mountain areas can drop at night even during summer months. The best time to visit falls between September and November when rice terraces turn golden.
A railway line near the border town runs directly into China's Yunnan province and carries freight trains daily. The area also holds large deposits of minerals that are mined for both local industry and export.
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