Cao Bang

Cao Bang is a province located in the North-East region of Vietnam. Sharing borders with China on the north and east sides, it also adjoins Bac Kan and Lang Son provinces on the south side, and Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces on the west side. As a result, Cao Bang’s location enables it to be involved in many phases of the country’s history and to be an important administration unit nowadays.

When to go

Cao Bang has a temperate climate with 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The average temperature is 25 - 28oC (77 - 82oF) in summer and 16 -17oC (60.8 – 62.6oF) in winter, during which snow sometimes falls on high mountains such as Trung Khanh or Tra Linh.

The topography of the province is somewhat complicated because of many mountains, hills, rivers, and waterfalls, but in general it is mostly mountainous. That’s why traveling back and forth by car is pretty hard. However, the inter-transportation services (such as buses) there are quite convenient. Besides, xe om (motorbike taxi) is another popular yet exhilarating way to get around the city.

What to see

There are many ethnic groups living in Cao Bang, whose plentiful traditions and beliefs create the province’s diverse culture. Among all of them, the Tày group is probably the biggest group, making up a large proportion of Cao Bang’s population. This unique ethnic community has own handwriting and special culture which is showed in many festivals such as Vi and Then singing. Many other festivals can be found in Cao Bang as a characteristic of other ethnic groups.

Where to visit

Having a cool weather and a plethora of beautiful sights, Cao Bang is a wonderful place to discover. Tourists can easily be entertained there by visiting the famous Thang Hen Lake in Tra Linh, Ban Gioc Waterfall or Mguom Ngao Cave in Trung Khanh, etc. In addition, as headquarters of the Vietnam army before the August 1945 Revolution, Cao Bang has several historical sites in which Ho Chi Minh lived and worked such as Pac Bo Cave, Coc Bo Cave, Lenin Stream, and Khuoi Nam Stream, etc. All of them are no doubt the favorite destinations of many modern travelers.