Muong Khuong Village

There are also many ethnic minority people come from the other side of the border, who often bring cheap Chinese made commodity to add to the variety of goods for sales at the market. Beside a collection of most popular commodity such as clothes, vegetable, food, farming tools, animals… which can be found in other market in the regions, some local specialties can be found at Muong Khuong Market including resin, incense made from tree bark, and medicinal herb for treatment together with acupuncture.

Our one day trip to Muong Khuong from Sapa or from Lao Cai for those clients taking Saturday night train from Hanoi offers not only a chance to join the ethnic locals at this impressive market but also many opportunities to pay visiting to near by villages and admiring stunning scenery around the region.Bordering with Chinese Yunnan Procince, Muong Khuong is a district of Lao Cai Province which is home to a diversity of ethnic minority groups including H’mong, Zao, Nung, Pa Zi and Tu Zi. Located at the center of the township, Muong Khuong Market, the most important market of the local ethnic peoples takes place on every Sunday, is always crowded with some thousands minority people from early morning.

The H’mong and the Zao peoples, especially women are always wear their best colorful traditional costume and take the largest number. The Tu Zi and Pazi are of minor number but their traditional costume are of special model with dark color and high top hats.

* Muong Khuong is 50km from Lao Cai, 1.5 hour to drive and 87km from Sapa, which takes approximately 2.5 hours.

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Muong Hum market

From Lao Cai station to North-west about 45 kms is Muong Hum market, which has preserved nearly intact its life - style, imbued with culture tradition. Muong Hum market convenes on every Sunday is a place where local people including the Giay, Dao, White H'mong and Ha Nhi meet and communicate. The town is awakening by human and horses sounds and colored by the costume worm by local people come down from mountain around. 

Those who live in the upper reaches of the mountains such as the Mong or Red Dao come down to sell specific products such as cardamom and mountain plants. On the day, the elderly often have heart - to - heart talks while young people are absorbed in intimate chats or fix on their wedding date. In Muong Hum, it's worth taking a sip of the local brew - here it's paddy rice brandy from the Dao village of San Lung. It's become quite a famous tipple.

Much more can speak about Muong Hum market. This peaceful mountainous area has in itself numerous traditional cultural features that are well reflected in festivals.

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Can Cau Market

Virtually every Saturday of the year, people of eight different ethnic minority hill tribes gather with their animals and agricultural products at Can Cau market high in the north - western mountains near Chinese border - and the vast of majority of them travel there on foot, the same way they have done for hundreds of years. Because of the great diversity of tongues and cultures commonly found here, people generally communicate by sign language so the market is eerily silent. Can Cau market occupies five steeply terraced fields beside the road from Bac Ha to Si Ma Cai in the mountainous north western province of Lao Cai.

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Lung Khau Nhin Market

Lung Khau Nhin Market is a small market hiding itself amongst the mountains and forests of the far north Vietnam. Although not being so big or famous among visitors as Coc Ly and Can Cau, Lung Khau Nhin market, be side a normal shopping place, play an important role to spiritual life of local ethnic peoples Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Zay, and especially to those who come from very small ethnic groups such as Pa Zi, Tou Zi, Tou Lao who live in small and isolated villages around this corner of the country, come for meeting, socializing…

Although not being so big or famous among visitors as Coc Ly and Can Cau, Lung Khau Nhin market, be side a normal shopping place, play an important role to spiritual life of local ethnic peoples Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Zay, and especially to those who come from very small ethnic groups such as Pa Zi, Tou Zi, Tou Lao who live in small and isolated villages around this corner of the country, come for meeting, socializing…Lung Khau Nhin brings an interesting view into the life of Vietnam hill tribes. As it is for years, weekly market is something important and meaningful to the life of local people who live in remote area. Once getting close to the lovely Flower Hmong, Tay, Dao peoples, you will for sure, feel our land as a place of the specia It is very ideal when driving toward the market in the early morning via the beautiful beautiful landscape of North west region.

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Cao Son market

Cao Son Market is located on the territory Cao Son Commune, Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province. To go to market, visitors can follow several routes. However, if tourists want to have the opportunity to be a yacht on the river and peace in their natural beauty as romantic, friendly situation: on the sun, under the water and both sides of the river northwest of majestic mountains and forests green smooth one color, inviting visitors to participate in the online travel river flowing: Bao Chew - Cao Son.

Fair is fair Cao Son of ethnic Mongolian, Phu leaves, Black Dao and Han live in the four largest district of Muong Khuong. Per week for just one session meeting on Wednesday.

When the market session, right from early morning, across the street saw all go wrong from the people who are connected to the market. They take into groups, each group, in pairs and each person is the one. People found the bearer, who used the horse to breathe in, the market is down by motorcycles, bicycles ... Skirt shirt around xinh, the cells were spread like mushrooms on top of young women Mong, Dao ... with subtle patterns, colors showy, creates paintings full of lively and attractive.

Cao Son market as more beautiful by people, goods and natural landscape. The immense space, vast mountains, very small people ... They impartial buying, selling, exchanging goods with each other. Rice buyer, the buyer brocade, buyers vegetable, fruit, people enjoy some specialty dishes upland ...

Like some versions of other upland areas. Cao Son market is divided into several areas:

The bold flavors found with mountains and forests such as vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, wood ear, honey, wine, corn, rice Princess, household appliances, jewelry ... concentrated into a zone, arranged beautifully by each item. The context he has colors, emerged a series of sell-side brocade with showy colors, more vivid graphics. These are sophisticated products shown skillful talent from planting flax, enough fiber, weaving, dyeing the embroidered flowers of Mongolian woman, women, and women leaves Phu Dao.

But most attention is still selling the livestock and poultry such as cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, horses ... Air in this area really bustling, buyers, who sell, standing, sitting and scattered the purchase agreement with each other.

A few hundred meters of area for the ethnic dishes. Here, visitors will be easily overwhelmed by the seductive flavors from certain types of cuisine such as pan of aromatic immediate problem winning buffalo meat, horse meat and beef ... of Mongolia, slightly spicy spicy yeast concentration levels of some wines nations such as corn liquor Hibiscus Bangkok, Bangkok language ... The bustling atmosphere and attractions that visitors will have to stop, sit down and enjoy the ethnic cuisine of them.

To market a version Cao Son have the chance to enjoy interference cultures of some ethnic groups living in villages along the river flowing on the territory of Muong Khuong district. Besides, visitors also have the opportunity to travel on the river boat and go sightseeing on both sides of river..

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Coc Li market

Coc ly is a small village on the Chay river inhabited by the Flower H'mong Minority people. The Flower H'mong traditionally wear a distinctive and bright coloured costume. They are a gentle, softly spoken people who live in the steep mountainous country close to the Chinese border. Because Coc Ly is more remote than Sapa, the dress and way of life is more traditional than in the large centers.

The market deals in fruit, vegetable, pork and chickens, in addition to colourful fabrics and items of traditional dress. There is a buffalo sale in progress and many of these placid animals are tethered close to the market. Buffalo are still widely used in the growing process, especially in the mountainous regions. Horse are an important form of transport in the North West and a quite a few, sturdy ponies were tied to tree around the market. The horse carry a light timber frame on their back to carry produce to and from the market. This Tuesday market is about 35km from Bac Ha. You can get here via a fairly good road, or by road and river; First Choice or hotel in Bac Ha can organise trips.

There are no dancing or singing, but Coc Ly Market in Lao Cai Province always turns colorful and festive on Tuesdays, when ethnic people gather there to buy and sell goods, dine and drink, or just wander to enjoy the ambience of the montagnard market.

Many ethnic traders from Bac Ha and other parts of Lao Cai Province dress up in colorful costumes and bring horses, chickens, buffaloes, vegetables or whatever they can sell to the festive market in the wee hours, and will not return home until 1pm.

Certainly, what catches the eyes of visitors most are the different colors of the costumes worn by ethnic people and the handicrafts they sell at the market, about 50 kilometers from Lao Cai City in the northern province.

You can see young and old Hmong women, wearing skirts and hats with different types of embroidered flowers, crowding the market during the opening hours of Coc Ly. Scarves, clothes, decorations and other items made of tho cam (ethnic fabric) on sale also add color to the bazaar by the Chay River.

The colorful items are put on sale not just for locals but also tourists, particularly foreigners. However, you should remember to bargain when you want to buy your favorites, and the items at the booths located at the start of the path you walk on always have higher prices. Keep walking toward the end of the traditionally ethnic market until you find a real bargain.

A good idea is to stroll every corner of the once-a-week bazaar as you listen to unexpected conversations, see nice surprises and learn how ethnic people sell and buy farm produce, life necessities and other things.

After visiting the market, which is the most fresh and unspoiled market of the region, offering a wide range of different colorful ethnic minorities such as Flower C'mon, Black Dao, Tay , Fula, Lachi, Sandui and Nung....there will be an exciting boat cruise winding you through a breathtaking, out of this-world landscape where the mountain grow from water presenting their most hidden mysteries, including caves and tiny minority ...A picnic lunch box can be prepared for your most convenience....

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Sapa Market

Sapa Market is in Sapa Town, Sapa District, Lao Cai Province. This market of the H'Mong and Red Dao minorities takes place every Saturday night. The market is a place for trading and exchanging local goods and products, as well as a meeting place for young people who seek partners by singing love songs and playing pan-pipes and mouth organs.

When the sun goes down, the H'Mong and Red Dao boys and girls cluster together in groups of five to ten. Looking and smiling at each other, they sit side by side in the dim yellow light and sing and talk through the night. When they have met their soul mate, they exchange gifts and make plans to see each other again the following week.

This cultural activity has a long history and is still significant in the modern life of the minority people. The Sapa Market is an attractive place for visitors who are keen on exploring traditional cultures.

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Bac Ha Market (On Sunday)

Bac Ha is famous for its Sunday market, it is a trading centre and meeting place for couples, friends, and relatives every Sunday.Every Sunday, Bac Ha hosts the biggest fair near the mountainous highlands and the Chinese border.

The market was very crowded, local products for sale or barter are carried on horseback. Besides the usual items like pigs, cows, chickens, and ducks, the Bac Ha market sold dogs. As dogs were available as cuts of meat, they were also available live, right next to the live pigs, chickens, and other livestock.

Rounding the corner and pungent fumes of alcohol accosted our senses of smell, from corn whiskey, a Bac Ha specialty. The potent moonshine is decanted by vendors from large white plastic jugs to used bottled water containers. If you doubt the ability of a vendor's hooch to peel paint or light your senses on fire, you can try a shot for free.

At the fair, adventurous gastronomes can try thang co blood porridge, a popular dish of the H'Mong and other local people

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Ham Rong Mountain

Ham Rong Mountain, which is situated in the center of Sapa town, is a remarkable tourist attraction. Legend has it that once upon a time there were a couple of dragons so mad in love that while a biblical flood was rising but they didn't know. When they awoke, it was too late for them to escape from the flood so they were washed away separately. Even now, turned into stone, but due to be natural instinct, the female (Ham Rong Mountain) always looks towards her lover in the west, the Hoang Lien Son mountain range.

Shaped like a dragon’s head in the clouds, Ham Rong Mountain is nearly 2000 meters high with green trees and colorful flowers almost all year round. Most tourists visiting Sapa do the exciting climb up to the mountain. Recently, this tourist site has been upgraded, in which there will be traditional art performance show for tourists when visiting Ham Rong. The path leading up to Ham Rong Mountain consists of many stone steps and a winding trail higher up will help to see small streams lazily run through bushy foliages. About mid­way, visitors will find themselves in an orchid -garden with more than 400 species of colorful blooms. Standing on the highest point of Ham Rong Mountain, tourists will have a breathtaking view over the romantic Sapa town.

Ham Rong in spring is filled with colorful flowers blooming along the way through. The poetic and grandiose Ham Rong is said to be a fairy land of Sapa for its natural beauty as well as rich cultural value.

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Thac Bac waterfall

Located about 15km away from Sa Pa town, next to road 4D from Sapa to Lai Chau, it takes only 30 minutes by car or motorbike, you’ve come to the Silver Falls, one of 10 most beautiful waterfalls in Lao Cai, Vietnam.

The clear blue sky day, standing at a height of 2,200 m Hoang Lien Son range, visitors will see the distance is a stream with more than 100 meters high, remove the white flow year round. So people here give the name Silver Falls waterfall.

When approaching the falls, visitors out front, above the vapor, as dense as the flying cloud partially obscures the falls. At the foot of the waterfall, because of flowing water to create foam as white cotton ball. In the rainy season, water flows down from above resonance, majestic. Sunlight sparkling water. The beauty, purity, majestic blend together. Climb the 30 meters high from the foot of the waterfall, visitors will feel like a waterfall pouring towards me, cool.

Go to the top operators that are standing in the rain as spring: The water gently caress the cool air on the skin makes all the weariness vanished. This is also a tourist destination most attractive, most impressive to visitors can save the beautiful pictures on a trip to explore Sa Pa.

The grandeur of the falls, pure air, floral blend of Hoang Lien forest … all stays unforgettable feeling in the tourist’s mind.

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Y Linh Ho village

Y Linh Ho village is a picturesque few minutes walk from Sapa Town. Set within a valley with a towering mountain peak at one end, Y Linh HO village is alive with the daily life of the Black Hmong people. In Y Linh Ho village there are different cultures living in harmony.

Whether you choose to stay overnight in a Y Linh Ho homestay or just visit for a day, we can organise a tour for you through the surrounding villages and countryside. As you set off on foot at an easy pace your guides will point out and explain features of their world and answer your questions. You may see animals both working and wild, meet locals working the field, see traditional housing, the hot bath complex or go for a long walk through the rice paddies and mountain views.

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Ban Ho Village

Ban Ho Village, located more than 26 kilometers away from the famous resort town of Sapa

Ban Ho Village, home to the Tay minorities and perhaps the most picturesque of the whole Challenge.

Situated alongside a turquoise fast flowing stream, it will be possible to take a little rest from a trek on one of the large boulders at the streams edge. You can also take a little time to explore this village before pushing on over the suspension bridge and trekking through ride fields to the Red Dao village of Nam Toong.

Even though Ban Ho is not too far from the center of Sapa Vietnam not many tourists have visited the village because of the tough approach road, which is under construction and slippery in the rainy season.

However, the village is also accessible by driving from Sapa to Su Pan Village and then trekking 10 kilometers to Ban Ho. Topas is one of a number of tour operators who offer this one-day package, with cost determined by the number of participants.

Ban Ho Village, Ban Ho is worth the somewhat difficult journey to get there, as the village rewards visitors with stunning views of unspoiled sites and an opportunity to discover the daily activities of the ethnic people Tay.

On the way to the waterfalls, which were named by locals after seeing fish jumping out of the water in the old days, visitors will pass brooks gently running down bamboo cylinders that locals use to channel the water into their terraced paddy fields, wooden houses perched on the sides of rolling hills and wild flowers.

When they emerge from the water in the dry season the boulders and stones along the Lavie Stream are artworks that resemble different figures, depending on the imagination of viewers. In the rainy season from May till September visitors can see water flowers created by the splashing water running into the boulders.

The trails and roads from Ban Ho also lead to the quiet Red Dao Village of Nam Toong and other ethnic communities, where trekkers can enjoy the best of Northern Vietnam, such as deep valleys, amazing mountains and simple people.

Motorcycles can be hired in Sapa at US$8 a day to travel to the Muong Hoa Valley, where more than 200 stones have been discovered, all carved with simple and complicated images of different patterns, as well as scenic villages of ethnic groups.

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Cat Cat Village

Cat Cat Village is 2km from Sapa Townlet, Sapa District. This is an age-old village of H'Mong ethnic group remaining unique customs and practices that are lots in other villages

Visitors to Cat Cat have an opportunity to admire a lively and colorful picture. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H'Mong women use plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll a round and smooth section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable.

In addition to the brocade weaving craft, many residents in Cat Cat are good at manipulating gold and silver jewelry. Their products are fairly sophisticated, especially jewelry for women.

Tourists to Cat Cat are most attracted by its unique customs, including the custom of pulling wife. A man can ask his friends to lure a girl he likes to his house and keeps her there in three days. During these days, if the girl agrees to become his wife, a wedding will be held. However, the girl can happily go home after three days if she does not like him.

Traditional houses of H'Mong people in Cat Cat have three rooms with three doors and covered with po mu wood roof. In the house there are three columns that stand in round or square stones. The walls are made from sawn timber. The main door is always closed and only opens when people in the house organize important events. Altar, inlaid floor containing food, places for sleeping, kitchen and receiving guests are indispensable parts of the houses.

Visitors to Cat Cat Village can discover countless unique features of H'Mong

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Ta Van Village

Ta Van is located in Lao Cai province, about 5 kilometers from Sapa town. Ta Van village, which is home to the Giay ethnic minority group, is situated within the area of Muong Hoa valley. Normally, when booking a trekking tour to Muong Hoa valley, tourists will trek through Ta Van and Lao Chai village. Ta Van is also a popular stop for those who would like to experience a memorable home stay in a local Giay people’s house and share the dinner with them as a member of their family.

 

Ta Van village is set within a picturesque valley with amazing natural landscape and friendly local people. The area is well-known for its colorful ethnic minorities. Staying with a local family for  one night will be an unforgettable experience, especially for foreign tourists since they will have chance to witness the special cultural characteristics of local people. Most tourists visit the village for its great scenery as well as unique cultural features which can not be found in other regions in and outside Vietnam.

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Lao Chai Village

Lao Chai is a village of black H'Mong ethnic group. Located 7 Kms from Sapa, it is quite approachable from Sapa for a travellers who do not have much time. View from air, Lao Chai lies in between mountains and grass hills, with houses that look like colossal mushrooms on all sides, at 2,660m above the sea-level. All the houses are alike in construction, normally with 2 rounds, the inside and the outside. The walls are 40 - 45cm thick and  4,5 - 5m high, in between there are small stones. Each house is 65- 80m2 large, 4 roofed and covered with dry grass, without veranda. There is a main door and two side doors, inside wall there are also 3 doors and behind these doors are the kitchen, then bedrooms of the family members.

 

Visitors to the village are able to enjoy the traditional musics of boys and girls playing the game 'hire and seek in a blanket' and exchange songs overnight even after the festival, the boy can bring the girl they played with to their home and marry her. In this village which you will have a welcome feeling  at any house of the hospitable people there. You can interact them, learn about their culture and customs.

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Sapa overview

At the height of 1,600m above sea level, the average temperature of the area is 15-18oC. It is cool in summer and cold in winter.Located 38km from Lao Cai City, Sapa is a mountainous district of Lao Cai Province. Sapa District is very well-known with Sapa Townlet, a beautiful and romantic resort.

 

Visitor to Sapa in summer can feel the climate of four seasons in one day. In the morning and afternoon, it is cool like the weather of spring and autumn. At noon, it is as sunny and cloudless as the weather of summer. And it is cold in the evening. With no advance warning of a thunderstorm short and heavy rains may come at noon on any summer day. Subsequently, a rainbow appears, transforming Sapa into a magic land, which for years has been a constant source of poetic inspiration, lights up the whole region.

The best time to witness the scenic beauty of Sapa is in April and May. Before that period, the weather might be cold and foggy; after that period is the rainy season. In April and May, Sapa is blooming with flowers and green pastures. The clouds that settle in the valley in early morning quickly disappear into thin air.

Sapa has many natural sites such as Ham Rong Mountain, Silver Waterfall, Rattan Bridge, Bamboo Forest and Ta Phin Cave.Sapa is also the starting point for many climbers and scientists who want to reach the top of Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m. Hoang Lien Mountain Range is also called the Alps of the North Sea area since Fansipan Mountain is not only the highest peak in Vietnam, but also in the Indochina Peninsula. The pyramid-shaped mountain is covered with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially at high elevations.

The first thing you notice when approaching the resort town are some detached wooden mansions and villas perched on a hill top or hillside, behind thick pine forests and almost invisible on this foggy morning. Old and new villas with red roofs now appear and now disappear in the green rows of pomu trees, bringing the town the beauty of European towns.

Fresh and cool air in Sapa is an idea climate condition for growing temperate vegetables such as cabbage, chayote, precious medicinal herbs, and fruit trees such as plum, pear...

Sapa is home to various families of flowers of captivating colours, which can be found nowhere else in the country. When Tet, the Lunar New Year Festival, comes, the whole township of Sapa is filled with the pink colour of peach blossom brought from the vast forests of peach just outside the town. Sapa is regarded as the kingdom of orchids. Here, orchid lovers are even amazed by the choice, when trekking in the forest filled with several hundred kinds of orchids of brilliant colours and fantastic shapes, such as Orchid Princess, Orchid of My Fair Lady's Shoe. Some orchids are named after lovely singing birds such as the canary, salangane's nest, and more.

Sapa is most beautiful in spring. Apricot, plum and cherry flowers are splendidly beautiful. Markets are crowded and merry, and are especially attractive to visitors. Minority groups come here to exchange and trade goods and products. Market sessions are also a chance for locals to promenade and young men and women in colorful costumes to meet, date or seek sweethearts.

Visitors to Sapa will have opportunities to discover the unique customs of the local residents.

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