Travel Bac Ha
The total population of the Bac Ha District in Lao Cai Province is estimated to be 50,000 people. It is an understatement to call the district capital of the same name anything other than; sleepy. But the quiet little town of Bac Ha comes booming to life for a few hours every Sunday morning when it holds its weekly market. Located 13 miles (22 km) south of the Chinese border, the Sunday market has become something of a tourist attraction attracting both Vietnamese and Western travelers in addition to the several thousand minority ethnic people who attend the market every week.
Fourteen of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups can be found in the hills, mountains and valleys of Bac Ha District. Making up 44% of the total population, the Hmong, locally know as Flower Hmong, are easily identifiable by their brightly colored and intricately decorated clothing adorned with flower-like patterns. On market day many of the ladies put on their most elaborate costumes which are simply stunning to say the least.
The trading starts early, at 6 a.m., peaks about 10 and by noon most people are headed back to their villages, many on foot, with bamboo baskets full of rice and other basic staples. Amazing arrays of products are sold here including foodstuff such as meat, produce and rice, clothing and household goods. As many of the shoppers here are farmers a wide selection of agricultural equipment from hand and power tools to pumps and machinery is also available.
Fourteen of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups can be found in the hills, mountains and valleys of Bac Ha District. Making up 44% of the total population, the Hmong, locally know as Flower Hmong, are easily identifiable by their brightly colored and intricately decorated clothing adorned with flower-like patterns. On market day many of the ladies put on their most elaborate costumes which are simply stunning to say the least.
The trading starts early, at 6 a.m., peaks about 10 and by noon most people are headed back to their villages, many on foot, with bamboo baskets full of rice and other basic staples. Amazing arrays of products are sold here including foodstuff such as meat, produce and rice, clothing and household goods. As many of the shoppers here are farmers a wide selection of agricultural equipment from hand and power tools to pumps and machinery is also available.
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Flower Hmong woman selling corn wine, Bac Ha Sunday Market, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
A good portion of the market’s eastern side is dedicated to the trading of livestock including pigs, chickens, ducks, goats and household pets. Overlooking the squealing pigs, on a bit of hill, are the big guys, the water buffalo. In many parts of Southeast Asia the buffalo have been replaced by tractors and are kept mostly as a nostalgic status symbol. But not in this part of Vietnam where they are still yoked to handmade wooden plows and used to till the soil of the rice terraces. It is amazing that these enormous yet gentle animals are as important to rural farmers today as they were centuries ago.
Visiting tourists need not feel left out; there are plenty of locally made handicrafts for sale at both fixed stalls and by vendors wandering through the crowd. When the shopping is finished there are plenty of places to sit and people-watch while enjoying freshly made snacks and glasses of “cafe sua da”, a rich dark iced coffee sweetened with condensed milk.
Since the market starts early in the morning and peaks before noon, many travelers opt to arrive in Bac Ha Saturday afternoon and spend at least one night. There are a number of budget hotels in the town, most of which are within a five-minute walk of the market. Besides the Sunday market, there is a small Saturday night market in the same location. Bac Ha offers trekking opportunities to nearby villages such as Ban Pho.
Visiting tourists need not feel left out; there are plenty of locally made handicrafts for sale at both fixed stalls and by vendors wandering through the crowd. When the shopping is finished there are plenty of places to sit and people-watch while enjoying freshly made snacks and glasses of “cafe sua da”, a rich dark iced coffee sweetened with condensed milk.
Since the market starts early in the morning and peaks before noon, many travelers opt to arrive in Bac Ha Saturday afternoon and spend at least one night. There are a number of budget hotels in the town, most of which are within a five-minute walk of the market. Besides the Sunday market, there is a small Saturday night market in the same location. Bac Ha offers trekking opportunities to nearby villages such as Ban Pho.
traveltoasiaandback.com - An elderly Flower Hmong woman, Ban Pho Village, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Ban Pho Village
In addition to its lively markets, Bac Ha offers visitors the opportunity to trek to numerous ethnic minority villages. One of the most popular is Ban Pho, located just over one mile (2 km) from the center of Bac Ha town. A trek to Ban Pho Village is a great way to spend an afternoon as it is an easy walk which does not require a guide. The area’s friendly inhabitants, mostly Flower Hmong , are hard working farmers who tend the lush fields surrounding the village. Ban Pho can be reached by walking along highway 159, a well marked paved road which will lead visitors through green fields and into the center of the village. Continue on past the village and climb the hills above for an impressive view of the area.
traveltoasiaandback.com - Hoang A Tuong Palace, Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Bac Ha Palace
Besides the market and local villages Bac Ha has one other tourist attraction. Completed in 1921 the Hoang A Tuong Palace, also known as the Bac Ha or Hmong King Palace, is the former home of wealthy land owner Hoang Yen Chao. Supported by the French colonial government the Hoang family owned the majority of the areas fertile land and had trade monopolies on virtually everything. Like much of the colonial era architecture found in Southeast Asia the palace, now a museum, is a fusion of eastern and western design.
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A Flower Hmong woman selling buffalo at Bac Ha Sunday Market, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Travel to Bac Ha
Reaching Bac Ha is easy as numerous buses and privately run vans regularly make the two-hour trip from the bus station in Lao Cai City for 60,000 VND. Buses in Vietnam are generally clearly marked with their destinations, so it is fairly easy to flag them down as they pass by Lao Cai’s railway station.
In the recent past there was no direct bus service from Sapa to Bac Ha. Travelers would first take either the public bus from Sapa center (30,000 VND), or a van or mini-bus from Sapa’s main bus station located at the “new market” (30,000-50,000 VND) to Lao Cai city. Once in Lao Cai city travelers would then catch a second bus or van for Bac Ha.
As tourism in the area increases more vans and buses are making a direct trip between Sapa and Bac Ha. Currently there are several buses departing every afternoon at 01:30 PM from the bus station in Sapa town. The journey takes every bit of three hours and costs 150,000 VND.
Bac Ha can be visited as a day tour from Sapa by joining a tour group or organizing private transportation but this makes for a long day which will include a solid six hours of driving.
In the recent past there was no direct bus service from Sapa to Bac Ha. Travelers would first take either the public bus from Sapa center (30,000 VND), or a van or mini-bus from Sapa’s main bus station located at the “new market” (30,000-50,000 VND) to Lao Cai city. Once in Lao Cai city travelers would then catch a second bus or van for Bac Ha.
As tourism in the area increases more vans and buses are making a direct trip between Sapa and Bac Ha. Currently there are several buses departing every afternoon at 01:30 PM from the bus station in Sapa town. The journey takes every bit of three hours and costs 150,000 VND.
Bac Ha can be visited as a day tour from Sapa by joining a tour group or organizing private transportation but this makes for a long day which will include a solid six hours of driving.
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Flower Hmong ladies sell vegetables at Can Cau Saturday Market, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Can Cau Saturday Market
Located 12 highway miles (19 km) north of Bac Ha, the small village of Can Cau hosts a smaller version of the Bac Ha market every Saturday morning. Overlooking a beautiful valley blanketed in rice terraces and corn fields, the market is spread out over a fairly large area. Situated along highway 153, it feels less crowded, and until recently had fewer tourists then the market in Bac Ha. Since many of the vendors are selling there wares on the highway itself, it is easier to move around and take photographs.
Much like Bac Ha, Can Cau market attracts the colorfully dressed Flower Hmong people who both buy and sell fresh produce, livestock, farming equipment and all sorts of clothing and household goods. In the very back of the market is a long curved path where vendors sell handicrafts, trinkets and souvenirs to a growing number of tourists.
The trip from Bac Ha to Can Cau takes about forty minutes, so we recommend getting an early start. The market can be reached by bus or motorcycle taxi; a one way moto ride costs 100,000 – 150,000 VND. Another option is to hire a motorcycle taxi and after seeing the market make a tour of the surrounding area. Drivers can be arranged through hotels to do a six to eight hour sight seeing tour for around $30 USD.
To reach Can Cau by bus, take any of the local ones marked "Lào Cai - Bắc Hà - Si Ma Cai". These buses pass directly in front of the market which happens to be on the main road between Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai. Since buses make frequent stops, the journey takes at least one hour. The cost, each way, is 30,000 VND.
Much like Bac Ha, Can Cau market attracts the colorfully dressed Flower Hmong people who both buy and sell fresh produce, livestock, farming equipment and all sorts of clothing and household goods. In the very back of the market is a long curved path where vendors sell handicrafts, trinkets and souvenirs to a growing number of tourists.
The trip from Bac Ha to Can Cau takes about forty minutes, so we recommend getting an early start. The market can be reached by bus or motorcycle taxi; a one way moto ride costs 100,000 – 150,000 VND. Another option is to hire a motorcycle taxi and after seeing the market make a tour of the surrounding area. Drivers can be arranged through hotels to do a six to eight hour sight seeing tour for around $30 USD.
To reach Can Cau by bus, take any of the local ones marked "Lào Cai - Bắc Hà - Si Ma Cai". These buses pass directly in front of the market which happens to be on the main road between Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai. Since buses make frequent stops, the journey takes at least one hour. The cost, each way, is 30,000 VND.
traveltoasiaandback.com - Coc Ly Tuesday Market, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Coc Ly Tuesday Market
Coc Ly is a tiny village located approximately 18 kilometers west of Bac Ha town. Inhabited primarily by Flower Hmong people, the village hosts a market every Tuesday morning. Although the market is roughly half the size of either Bac Ha or Can Cau markets, it is very popular with tourists who visit as part of organized tour groups from Bac Ha, Lao Cai or Sapa. One of the main reasons for visiting this market is the stunning scenery of the surrounding area. The 40 minute drive from Bac Ha, up a narrow, winding country road, is simply spectacular. Unfortunately, there are no buses or mini-buses running to Coc Ly. Transportation options are limited to hiring a car, renting a motorbike motorcycle taxi (xe ôm in Vietnamese) from Bac Ha town.
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Flower Hmong girl selling veggies at Bac Ha Sunday Market, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam
Sin Cheng Wednesday Market
Located 22 highway miles (35 km) northwest of Bac Ha the market in Sin Cheng is held every Wednesday morning. Similar to the market in Coc Ly, it is small but very lively. Like all of the markets in Bac Ha, the local Flower Hmong women and girls dress in their best costumes. There is a good sized area where water buffalo are bought and sold in addition to the usual chickens, ducks, and pigs. The 60-minute drive from Bac Ha town offers spectacular views of the district’s highest peaks. There is no public transportation to Sin Cheng; the closest place to find a bus is 5 miles (8 km) away in Si Ma Cai. Most tourists visit the market as part of an organized tour. Transportation options are limited to hiring a car, renting a motorbike motorcycle taxi (xe ôm in Vietnamese) from Bac Ha town.
traveltoasiaandback.com - San Chai Market, Xin Man District, Ha Giang Province, Vietnam
San Chai Friday Market
Straddling the borders of Vietnam and China, the Friday morning market held in San Chai is actually in the Xin Man district of Ha Giang Province. However, the few western tourists who visit this isolated area do so from Bac Ha. The 21 miles (34 km) drive town offers visitors spectacular views of the districts highest peaks and deepest valleys.
The market itself is rather small when compared to the more well-known ones in Can Cau or Bac Ha Town, but it is truly unique for a number of reasons. Its location on the banks of the Song Chay River, a natural border between Vietnam and China, provide more postcard views of awe-inspiring scenery. The final leg in the journey requires a brief boat trip across a Vietnamese tributary of the Song Chay. The bustling market is situated on an unguarded stretch of border with vendors from both nations lining the roadsides. They sell their wares to the local Flower Hmong population who simply wander back and forth between the two countries.
Most markets in northern Vietnam have a certain kind of country fair atmosphere. Local minority ladies dress in their very best costumes. Men gather to drink and chat, children eat ice cream while shopping for clothing and toys. A favorite pastime at the San Chai market is gambling, which is generally illegal in Vietnam.
Here you will see games of chance popular in neighboring Yunnan Province. A particularly popular game involves betting on the outcome of large dice decorated with elephants, roosters, tigers, fish etc. The game can be played by anyone, simply place Dong or Yen notes on your animal of choice and watch the dice roll.
Unfortunately, there are no buses or mini-buses running to San Chai. Transportation options are limited to hiring a car, renting a motorbike or taking a motorcycle taxi (xe ôm in Vietnamese) from Bac Ha town.
The market itself is rather small when compared to the more well-known ones in Can Cau or Bac Ha Town, but it is truly unique for a number of reasons. Its location on the banks of the Song Chay River, a natural border between Vietnam and China, provide more postcard views of awe-inspiring scenery. The final leg in the journey requires a brief boat trip across a Vietnamese tributary of the Song Chay. The bustling market is situated on an unguarded stretch of border with vendors from both nations lining the roadsides. They sell their wares to the local Flower Hmong population who simply wander back and forth between the two countries.
Most markets in northern Vietnam have a certain kind of country fair atmosphere. Local minority ladies dress in their very best costumes. Men gather to drink and chat, children eat ice cream while shopping for clothing and toys. A favorite pastime at the San Chai market is gambling, which is generally illegal in Vietnam.
Here you will see games of chance popular in neighboring Yunnan Province. A particularly popular game involves betting on the outcome of large dice decorated with elephants, roosters, tigers, fish etc. The game can be played by anyone, simply place Dong or Yen notes on your animal of choice and watch the dice roll.
Unfortunately, there are no buses or mini-buses running to San Chai. Transportation options are limited to hiring a car, renting a motorbike or taking a motorcycle taxi (xe ôm in Vietnamese) from Bac Ha town.