Bac Ha is one of the attractive destinations in the North of Vietnam, with a mild climate all year round, majestic unspoiled landscape, and friendly local people. Especially, Bac Ha is also famous for markets imbued with local identities. Let’s explore three well-known markets in Bac Ha with Handspan Travel Indochina!

This article will give you more detailed information about these markets below.

Bac Ha Fair

• Address: Bac Ha Town, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province

Bac Ha Fair, taking place every Sunday from 04.30 a.m. until 05.00 p.m., is one of the markets in Bac Ha you should not miss. This fair is not only the largest in Bac Ha but also in the Northwest area as well. If you want to explore the whole market, come here in the early morning. 

Bac Ha Fair

Coming to Bac Ha Fair, you can catch up with various stalls where the Hmong, Dao, Thai, Tay, Muong, etc., meet and exchange. The market has four areas: the cattle and poultry trading area, an area for selling groceries, a place selling brocade, jewelry, wool, and a food area with Lao Cai specialties. Walking around the fair, you can find from agricultural products to necessary items for the life of local ethnic people, like knives, pickaxes, and shovels. Especially, colorful brocade products are the primary selling items here. You can see many large and small stalls right from the entrance selling colorful hand-embroidered bags, purses, towels, hats, and dresses. These products are souvenirs you can buy to bring home.

Food area at the Bac Ha Fair

Thang Co at the Bac Ha Fair

Selling plum at the Bac Ha Fair

Local people selling agricultural products Bac Ha Fair

Brocade products stalls at the Bac Ha Fair

Besides, the cattle and poultry trading area located at the end of the market is also exciting. Local people bring chickens, pigs, and buffaloes from home to the market to exchange and trade. You can find different kinds of buffaloes at different prices, depending on the purpose of farming or meat. Besides buffalo, Bac Ha Fair also has an area selling unique and precious dog breeds only in Bac Ha. 

Buffalo market at the Bac Ha Fair

Local people selling dogs at the Bac Ha Fair

Also, trying local specialties is among the exciting experiences at the fair. The cuisine of the market is exceptionally unique. You should not miss trying Thang Co, which includes horse, beef, pork, and buffalo meat. Sour pho, men men, corn cakes, seven-color sticky rice, and corn wine are also featured dishes in the market. 

Let’s visit the fair and immerse yourself in the crowded atmosphere here. For more detailed information about Bac Ha Fair, please visit our article: Visiting Bac Ha Fair - One of the unique fairs in Vietnam’s Northwest area.

Coc Ly Fair

• Address: Coc Ly Commune, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam

Coc Ly Fair, held every Tuesday, is also among the outstanding markets in Bac Ha. The fair is surrounded by the Chay River and the majestic mountains. Although Coc Ly Fair is not as large as the Bac Ha Fair, it is extremely meaningful to the Mong Hoa, Black Dao, and Nung people here. Coming to the fair, you will catch up with local people in their traditional costumes with delicate patterns and textures.

Coc Ly Fair

Like other markets in Bac Ha, Coc Ly Fair is also divided into different areas: Bac Ha specialties and local agricultural products, housewares or jewelry, brocade products, cattle, and poultry. Let’s walk around the market and visit the featured areas below.

Local agricultural products area

Visiting this area, you will find many products that meet the daily needs of the locals, such as vegetables, herbs, shiitake, wood ear, honey, corn wine, rice, etc. Local people bring their available goods to exchange with each other. 

Local agricultural products at the Coc Ly Fair

Brocade products area

This area is always attractive to women and children with colorful brocade products made by local women. Walking around this area, you can find souvenirs to bring home. 

Brocade products at the Coc Ly Fair

Selling food area

The food area is indispensable in any market in mountainous regions. Coc Ly Fair’s food area is always crowded with locals and tourists talking and exchanging culture. There are many Bac Ha specialties here, such as boiled black pork, Thang Co, black chicken, Bac Ha corn wine, etc.

Let’s visit Coc Ly Fair and immerse yourself in the unique and rich traditional cultural space here!

Lung Phinh Fair

• Address: Lung Phinh Commune, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam

Located about 10 kilometers from Bac Ha Town’s center, Lung Phinh Fair, taking place every Friday, is also among the markets in Bac Ha you should not miss. The Giay, Phu La, and Mong people meet at this fair and exchange goods. Besides local people in Bac Ha, Lung Phinh Fair is a familiar market for people in the neighboring districts, such as Si Ma Cai and Xin Man (Ha Giang). 

Lung Phinh Fair

Lung Phinh Fair

The market is divided into food, ethnic wine zones, livestock and poultry areas, and selling vegetables, cardamom, brocade products, and other items. The food area consists of three rows of corrugated iron roofs. Coming to this area, you can try many local dishes, such as Phu La people’s sour pho, Mong people’s Thang Co, etc. Just some steps from the food area, you will find different wines made by ethnic minority people, especially the Ban Pho corn wine. 

Local specialties at the Lung Phinh Fair

The area selling livestock and poultry is the most crowded at the Lung Phinh Fair. You will catch up with local people selling buffalo, cow, pig, goat, dog, horse, chicken, etc. Besides, there are rows of vegetables, cardamom, rice, confectionery, brocade products with delicate patterns, and household appliance stalls, such as hoes, plow blades, knives, etc.

In conclusion, Bac Ha Fair, Coc Ly Fair, and Lung Phinh Fair are three notable markets in Bac Ha. Now, it’s time to arrange your itinerary and drop in those fairs. If you would like to book a Bac Ha tour package for a complete experience in Bac Ha or combine Bac Ha with any other destination, please do not hesitate to contact our Handspan team.