Bac Ha Town and Bac Ha Market

Located 66 km to the east of Lao Cai City in Sapa where the roads soar upward is the town of Bac Ha or what some people call “Little Sapa”. But with an elevation much lower than its bigger kin, the weather is much more pleasing which a lot of travelers take full advantage of especially during weekends. The town fills up with both tourists and locals alike especially during Sundays when the Bac Ha Market is in full swing. This weekend market where the vibrant Flower Hmong take centerstage has been a mainstay for over a century now and their traditions have remained the same for generations, making for a splendid visit for those looking to immerse in culture or do engage in commerce.

Not all of the produce in the market can be considered for tourists though as cattle, horses, goats, and dogs are peddled but is an interesting sneak peek at what life is for the locals. What tourists could take home with them are the colorful textiles that are one of the market’s main attractions and could be referred to as a textile paradise as the bright colors and patterns are easy to locate and take up a large portion of the market.

Though often teeming with tourists, it has largely remained a local market so don’t expect to find any pizzas but you will most likely find something more interesting and delicious at times and when there do check out the local corn cake soup, colorful sticky rice, and an ethnic fried donut made with taro root and filled with mung beans.