It's two hours to Lao Cai and another hour and 38km more up the winding mountain road to Sapa. None of it should be done in the dark, as the mist makes the mountain road even more treacherous.

Take the road to Sapa in clear weather and bright daylight, and you're in for a real treat.

For some good morning coffee and breakfast noodles, there's a popular trucker stop on the edge of town, heading towards Lao Cai. It has a pleasant seating area under a stilt house, and, in the evenings, drunken truckers for your dinner entertainment.

Across the street from the internet is a place that sells draft Anchor Beer for 4,000 VND per mug, and basic Vietnamese dishes.

Orientation
Highway 70 makes a right-angle turn at Phong Rang after crossing a bridge. Most of the town itself is on the Yen Bai side of the bridge, but we found one place to stay on the road leaving town towards Lao Cai.