Lao Cai - Sapa: cycling off the beaten track

This is an extremely beautiful, off the beaten track but steep way to cycle from the Lao cai train station (where the night train from Hanoi stops) to Sapa Town. First you cycle parallel to the Chinese border for about 20 km. This is the easy, flat part of the trail. Then you start climbing towards Sapa. The first half of the climb is unsealed road, but the second half has recently been paved. Take all the water and food that you need.