Overland Travel Across Borders: A Tale of Two Frontiers
Hekou Lao Cai Sapa Rail in Karst Trade Blend
The 1,297-kilometer border between China and Vietnam is a frontier shaped by over a thousand years of complex history, from dynastic rule to modern conflict and booming trade. It is a land of dramatic limestone karsts, terraced rice paddies, and bustling border towns. Your crossing here is a passage between two powerful and historically intertwined nations.
Friendship Pass Pingxiang Dongxing 1979 Conflict Boom
You have three main crossing points. The most westerly is at Hekou (China) – Lao Cai (Vietnam), a key crossing for both road and rail traffic and the gateway to the popular mountain town of Sapa. In the center, the Friendship Pass at Pingxiang (China) – Dong Dang (Vietnam) is another major route. On the coast, the crossing at Dongxing-Mong Cai serves the coastal route.