[7] Lào Cai and Sa Pa are two important cities within the province at the border with China; the former is well known as key trading post and the latter is hill station famous for tourism, in the Northwest region of Vietnam.

[6][8][9] Lào Cai has many historical sites, natural caves and produces agricultural specialties such as Bắc Hà plums.

In a 1929 survey conducted in the area, the vegetation (flora) and fauna (mammals) recorded by the French biologist Delacour who accompanied Theodore Roosevelt were unique to the region in northern Vietnam.

Because of this it was called Lão Nhai (老街, literally Phố Cũ, Old Town), in Hmong language it is pronounced as "Lao Cai".

The word Lào Cai is sourced to "Lao Kai" which appeared as Jean Dupuis led a naval expedition up the Red River and in 1879 published the Map of Tonkin, in which the location was marked as "Lao-kai, residence du Chef des Pavillone noirs" (residence of the Head of Black Flag Army).

[14] As the province is mostly mountainous, it experiences a dry cold climate from October to March, while the tropical monsoon is rainy season, which lasts from April to September.

In the northwest of the province is Phan Xi Păng (also called Fansipan; elevation 3,143 metres (10,312 ft), snow covered during winter season), Vietnam's highest mountain.

[10] The Hoang Lien National Park has only 12 square kilometres (4.6 sq mi) of forest left as a result of anthropogenic pressure over centuries.

Grass, bushes and small trees are seen on the land which are devoid of forests, and large areas are used for cultivation; ginger plantation, as a cash crop is widespread.

[10] According to a 1929 survey conducted in the area, the fauna (mammals) recorded by the French biologist Delacour who accompanied Theodore Roosevelt were: the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebuiosa), leopard (Panthera pardus), tiger (panthera tigris), binturong (Arctictus binturong) and black gibbon (Hylobates concolor), the stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides), and Asiatic black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus).

The Chinese, as allies of the Khmer Rouge invaded North Vietnam with the aim of "teaching the Vietnamese a lesson" to withdraw from Cambodia.

China decided to withdraw completely after less than a month and claimed that ‘the gate to Hanoi was open’ and that ‘their punitive mission had been achieved’.

On the way back to the Chinese border, the PLA destroyed local infrastructure and homes, looted equipment and resources including livestock, weakening the already destabilised post-Vietnam War economy of Vietnam's northernmost provinces.

[20][21] The border town of Lào Cai, which lies along the Red River and is the provincial capital has now prospered due to trade with China and is a booming city with a community of millionaires.

Traditional economic activities such as agriculture and forestry remain important, but the province has also been attempting to develop foreign investment in the area.

Cross-border trade with China is also a growing source of income, as is tourism centred on trekking up the peak of Fansipan, Vietnam's highest mountain.

In recent years the government of Vietnam has encouraged reforestation in the province, because of the importance of wood for fuel and development and for environmental reasons.

Tree planting has been ordered particularly in Sa Pa. With more than 20 ethnic groups, Lào Cai is a melting pot of cultures and history.

[10][38][39] Lào Cai is one of the few mountainous provinces with well-developed transport networks consisting of roads, rail and waterways.

[40] The provincial city is connected by road, rail and river transport links with Hanoi on its northwest (340 kilometres (210 mi)) and to Yunnan province in China.

Plans for a high-speed rail link between Hanoi and Lào Cai has been investigated by the Ministry of Transport and the Asian Development Bank.

It has now become popular and a novel experience among both Chinese and Vietnamese as a tourist destination, particularly a "sexualized and sensualised" border town of Lào Cai.

Lào Cai is popular among Chinese travellers (males, in particular) who are said to be "obsessed with Zhao Xiaojie ("looking for misses") for its sex market.

"[8][42] A popular motorbiking route among tourists that covers the mountainous region of the province known as the "Tonkinese Alps", is to start from the White Thai villages, Sơn La, historic site of Dien Bien Phu and terminating at Sa Pa.[8] Sa Pa is one of 21 national tourism areas in Vietnam.

Sa Pa is at an altitude of 1,200–1,800 metres (3,900–5,900 ft), has a mild climate throughout the year, lush, forested and mountainous scenery, waterfalls and is a hub of cultural activities of various ethnic minorities in the region, such as the Hmong and Dao people used to gather during the weekly market to "attend an ephemeral "Love Market" where young men and women chose partners to marry.

A good time to visit Sa Pa would be when rice fields in different green shades are being harvested in the fall season (September to November).

[44] Lào Cai has many historic sites, natural caves and produces agricultural specialties such as Bắc Hà plums.