Sapa is famous for spectacular landscape, wonderful villages of the ethnic groups, the rice terrace, and especially, the busy and unique markets. Let’s discover the most famous markets in this picturesque town, so that you will have a detailed look at the incredible culture of the locals here.
Bac Ha Market
Bac Ha Market is located in Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, which is 70 kilometers from Sapa town. This market is regarded as the largest and the most colorful market in the Northwest region. You have to pass the beautiful valleys, go through tortuous paths to come to this market. For the ethnic groups, they have to wake up in the early morning or the night before to carefully prepare for their trading goods in the next morning.
Bac Ha Market provides almost every products of the highland such as vegetables, foods, spices, plough, pick, and even the toothpick, and thread. The foods at this market are very special and delicious. It is a pity if you do not try them. Drinking a cup of aromatic corn wine, or enjoying the hot “thang co” dish, etc. are must-do things when coming to Bac Ha Market.
Sapa Love Market
Sapa Love Market is also famous for its love market, which takes place on Saturday evenings. The love market of Sapa used to be the place to find a partner to get married. With the tourism, the real love market does not take place anymore. Currently you can only see a representation of the love market. Do not miss it anyway if you are staying here a Saturday night. Young Red Dzao hill tribe used to come to Sapa to sing songs to the opposite sex. Girls sang the songs hidden in the dark, when a boy found them, and if they matched together, they disappeared into the forest for three days. Some of them got married after that.
Can Cau Market
Can Cau Market is located in Can Cau Ward, Si Ma Cai District. This market is usually held along the streets, right under the spectacular rice terrace. The major traders of Can Cau Market are Mong Hoa and Giay people, however, the method of trading is the same as the Dao’s one. This market only opens on Saturday and Sunday every week.
Can Cau Market is divided into separate areas. It also provides you with a wide range of products such as vegetables, herbs, spices, utensils, and brocade products. Besides, there are also many food stalls serving traditional dishes, which also attract a lot of locals and tourists.
Muong Hum Market
The Muong Hum market is about 45 km from north-western Lao Cai Town, passing over the complex of Muong Vi caves and grottoes and Xeo village. This market has preserved nearly intact its lifestyle, imbued with cultural tradition. Muong Hum market convenes on every Sunday is a place where local people meet and communicate.Muong Hum is a large and important market in the northwest region of Lao Cai Province. Very different from Bac Ha and Sapa market which lye inside the district townships, Muong Hum Market is set on open flat land at the bottom of a large and scenic valley by a small river and surrounded by terraced rice paddies. It is often empty and quiet on the other weekday, wake up and busy on Sunday.
Coc Ly Market
Coc Ly Market is a market of the ethnic groups, who is living in the Northwest of Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province. This market is usually located near the viaducts passing through Chay River. It is only held on Tuesday every week.Coc Ly market is also divided into many separate areas. At this market, you can find products and goods, which are mainly specialties of the forest such as vegetables, herbs, Shiitake, Cloud ear fungus, honey, rice, utensils, clothes and brocade products. All of them are displayed on the nylon canvas, which is placed on the ground.
Source Internet
