Lao Cai runs on UTC+7 every day of the year, with no daylight saving time.
Lao Cai and your time
Lao Cai at a glance
| Country | Vietnam |
|---|---|
| Region | Lao Cai |
| Time zone | Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh |
| UTC offset now | UTC+7 |
| Daylight saving time | Not observed |
| Coordinates | 22.49° N, 103.97° E |
Which time zone Lao Cai uses
The clocks in Lao Cai follow Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh and keep UTC+7 through every season. No daylight saving time has been recorded here since 1970.
Lao Cai is on the same time as the rest of Vietnam, including the capital, Hanoi.
Clock changes in Lao Cai, 2026 and 2027
No clock changes are scheduled in Lao Cai for 2026 or 2027.
Lao Cai time compared with major cities
A 9:00 AM start in Lao Cai is 9:00 PM (previous day) in New York, 1:00 PM in Sydney and 6:00 PM (previous day) in Los Angeles.
| City | Time now | Difference now | In January | In July | Shared office hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York (United States) | --:-- | 12 h behind | 12 h behind | 11 h behind | None |
| Los Angeles (United States) | --:-- | 15 h behind | 15 h behind | 14 h behind | None |
| London (United Kingdom) | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 6 h behind | 1 h |
| Paris (France) | --:-- | 6 h behind | 6 h behind | 5 h behind | 2 h |
| Dubai (United Arab Emirates) | --:-- | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 3 h behind | 5 h |
| Mumbai (India) | --:-- | 1 h 30 min behind | 1 h 30 min behind | 1 h 30 min behind | 6 h 30 min |
| Singapore | --:-- | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 1 h ahead | 7 h |
| Tokyo (Japan) | --:-- | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 2 h ahead | 6 h |
| Sydney (Australia) | --:-- | 4 h ahead | 4 h ahead | 3 h ahead | 4 h |
| UTC | --:-- | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 7 h behind | 1 h |
Lao Cai never changes its clocks, but many of these cities do. Where the January and July columns disagree, the gap shifts when the other city moves to or from daylight saving time.
Shared office hours is the part of a 9 AM to 5 PM local working day that both cities have in common. Weekends are not taken into account.
Daylight in Lao Cai
Today
| Sunrise | --:-- |
|---|---|
| Sunset | --:-- |
| Day length | -- |
| Solar noon | --:-- |
Being in the tropics, Lao Cai sees little change in day length: the longest day (13 hours 31 minutes) is only 2 hours 45 minutes longer than the shortest (10 hours 46 minutes). Sunrise stays between 5:19 AM and 6:46 AM all year.
Daylight through the year in Lao Cai
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | March 20 | 6:09 AM | 6:15 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| June solstice | June 21 | 5:20 AM | 6:51 PM | 13 h 31 min |
| September equinox | September 23 | 5:53 AM | 6:00 PM | 12 h 7 min |
| December solstice | December 22 | 6:40 AM | 5:25 PM | 10 h 46 min |
When the sun is highest in Lao Cai
Lao Cai lies close to the centre of its time zone, so the sun is highest at about 12:05 PM on standard time, close to clock noon.
Cities near Lao Cai
Distance is not the same as time: Wenshan City (China) lies just 102 km (63 mi) away, yet its clock is 1 hour ahead of Lao Cai.
| City | Distance | Time now | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lai Chau | 54 km (33 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Bắc Quang | 92 km (57 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Wenshan City (China) | 102 km (63 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
| Hà Giang | 111 km (69 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Nghĩa Lộ | 113 km (70 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Mengzi (China) | 115 km (72 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
| Thuận Châu | 120 km (75 mi) | --:-- | Same time |
| Gejiu (China) | 128 km (80 mi) | --:-- | 1 h ahead |
More cities in Vietnam
All time zones and cities in Vietnam
Plan around the time in Lao Cai
- Convert a time to or from Lao Cai: pick a date and time and see it in every city on your list.
- Add Lao Cai to your world clock to keep it next to your own time.
- Find a meeting time that falls inside office hours in Lao Cai and the other cities you work with.
- Open a full-screen clock for your own time zone.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Lao Cai in?
Lao Cai uses the Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh time zone, which is UTC+7 all year.
Does Lao Cai use daylight saving time?
No. Lao Cai stays on UTC+7 all year, so the time difference to places without daylight saving time never changes.
What is the time difference between Lao Cai and New York?
Lao Cai is 12 hours ahead of New York in January and 11 hours ahead of New York in July, because New York moves its clocks for daylight saving time and Lao Cai does not.
Is Lao Cai on the same time as Hanoi?
Yes. Lao Cai and Hanoi both use UTC+7 right now.
How long is the longest day in Lao Cai?
About 13 hours 31 minutes, around the June solstice. The shortest day, around the December solstice, has about 10 hours 46 minutes of daylight.
Time zone rules: IANA tz database, version 2026e. Place names and coordinates: GeoNames. Sunrise and sunset are calculated from the coordinates and can differ by a minute or two from local almanacs.