We arrived in Lao Cai this morning. Lao Cai is the border town with China. Our hotel in Sapa had booked transfers for us, and the idea of the bus driver seemed to be to cram as many people as possible on to the bus.

As a border town, Lao Cai seems to be a large trading hub. Being in the mountains, the weather is cooler.

After a further climb up the mountains, we arrived in Sapa, and a lodge on the side of a mountain, overlooking a deep valley. This is the home of the Hmong people, who have trekked this region for centuries.