Lao Cai province is centered on the city of Lao Cai itself. It is divided into eight districts: Muong Khuong, Bat Xat, Bac Ha, Bao Thang, Sa Pa, Bao Yen, Van Ban, and Si Ma Cai.
Lao Cai Province is located in the north of the country. It borders the provinces of Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Son La, and Lai Chau, as well as the province of Yunnan in the People's Republic of China.
Lao Cai is a mountainous region. In the northwest of the province is Phan Xi Pang (a.k.a. Fansipan), Vietnam's highest mountain. The province is bisected by the Red River, the most significant river of northern Vietnam, which flows out of China towards the capital Hanoi. Much of the province is heavily forested. The temperature generally ranges between 18c and 28c, although lowland areas tend to have less variation than mountainous areas.