Lao Cai has a favorable location, being a "bridge" on the Kunming economic corridor (China - Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong - Quang Ninh (Vietnam)) with rich resources, diverse culture with 25 ethnic groups. The province possesses Sa Pa national tourist area with a history of formation and development of over 110 years, outstanding and unique tourism resources and more than 50 historical relics, scenic spots and a mild climate all year round. Specially, Fansipan peak with the height of 3,143m is known as the roof of Indochina, together with the most magnificent terraced fields in the world, etc. All of these form an invaluable resource, a great advantage for Lao Cai to develop tourism, including green tourism.

The homestay business model is increasingly expanding to serve tourists.

Along with many types of tourism in Lao Cai, the trend of “Green tourism” is increasingly attracting the attention of businesses, people working in tourism and tourists. Natural factors such as forests, climate, landscapes combined with indigenous culture, traditional architecture and safe living environment that ensures hygiene are the foundation and premise for green tourism to develop. To fulfill those criteria, it is necessary to first depend on people’s awareness in protecting the natural environment and positive development direction.
In Lao Cai, while there are few truly green tourism models, the existing ones are primarily grassroots initiatives. These models have been developed through a process of experimentation, focusing on understanding tourist needs and drawing on experiences from both domestic and international travel. By studying global green tourism trends, these models have been able to find their own unique niche.
In Ta Phin Commune, Sa Pa Town, a green tourism model was formed a few years ago and is being promoted effectively, which is Ta Phin Stone Garden tourist destination, managed and operated by Ta Phin Green Cooperative. Ta Phin Stone Garden is a tourism service product of Ta Phin Green Cooperative, Sa Pa with the participation of 10 members. Ta Phin Stone Garden eco-area with an area of over 12 thousand square meters is designed and planned into closed tourism service product chains. The architecture of the resting areas is in the traditional style of local ethnic groups. In the rooms from the reception area to the resting area, the cultural characteristics of the indigenous ethnic groups are decorated, creating closeness when tourists come to use the service. This place is designed and renovated without breaking the existing natural landscape structure. Interspersed with the thorny million-year-old rocks growing throughout the garden are lush green vegetable beds that are planted and cared for to ensure safety to serve the needs of on-site accommodation of visitors. Added throughout the rock garden are ancient rose gardens, dahlias, and hydrangeas that are in full bloom all year round. The special experience that the owner of this place wants to bring to visitors is the ecological environment, natural landscape associated with the cultural characteristics of the region and local ethnic minorities.
Ta Phin Rock Garden Ecological Area has closely linked tourism products and services with the preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural values of indigenous ethnic groups. Every week, there is a team of artisans performing traditional arts of the Red Dao and Mong ethnic groups, and there are activities to preserve and conserve ancient books in Nom Dao script.

Preserving and developing handicraft products, associated with green tourism products in Muong Kem Village, Nghia Do Commune, Bao Yen District .

Not only in Sa Pa, Nghia Do commune of Bao Yen district is also a land with rich and diverse eco-tourism and cultural tourism resources, notably the Tay ethnic village with unique ancient stilt house architecture, beautiful natural landscape, vast fields stretching as far as the eye can see, and majestic mountains. Identifying tourism as one of the special strengths for economic development, in recent years, the Party Committees and authorities of Bao Yen district and Nghia Do commune have focused all resources, maximized local internal resources, invested in developing community tourism, eco-tourism associated with conservation, promoting cultural values, heritage, effectively exploiting existing tourism potentials and so on in order to gradually turn cultural heritages into invaluable tourism assets and resources...
In Lao Cai, there are currently dozens of tourist spots, tourism models and products developing under the trend of sustainable "Green Tourism" in localities such as Nghia Do of Bao Yen district, Y Ty of Bat Xat district, Coc Ly, Ban Lien, Ta Van Chu of Bac Ha district and many tourism models in Sa Pa. The models associated with agriculture, forests, rivers and streams, indigenous cultural identity have been and are being formed, attracting the attention of the tourism industry and tourists.
Lao Cai is implementing the construction and development of tourism in the direction of "Green, clean, beautiful, civilized, friendly tourist destination", aiming to make Lao Cai a leading high-quality tourist destination, especially nature experience tourism, adventure sports, resorts and ethnic cultural tourism in the top mountainous region in Southeast Asia by 2030.
The plan for green tourism development and growth in Lao Cai province in 2024-2025 and orientation to 2030 also identifies tourism development with a sustainable path, covering the green growth foundation, maximizing the contribution of tourism to sustainable development goals. Lao Cai sets the goal of attracting social resources to invest in green tourism development, mobilizing the active participation of local communities and tourists to respond to green tourism products and green tourism services; building a green lifestyle, promoting sustainable tourism development associated with preserving and promoting cultural heritages and fine traditional values of ethnic minorities.
The locality strives to develop and organize 05 or more green tourism products; 100% of newly recognized tourist destinations apply green standards and plant flowers and trees that suit the characteristics and climate conditions of each locality (encouraging endemic and local-appropriate flowers and trees).
The promotion program "Green, clean, beautiful, civilized, friendly tourist destinations" is implemented 100% in all National tourist areas, tourist areas and provincial tourist spots; 100% of green cultural tourist spots, green community tourism, green rural tourism, green eco-tourism in the whole province are introduced and promoted on the province's platforms; 100% of tourism management agencies, tourism businesses, and tourism service establishments are trained and guided to implement the set of evaluation criteria and the ranking system for green growth; 60% of laborers are trained in tourism vocational skills to ensure sustainable tourism career development.
Raising awareness of authorities at all levels, people and especially domestic and international tourists for the development and growth of " Lao Cai Green Tourism".