I - How to travel to Bac Ha market from Sapa town?
This market is located in the Bac Ha town, Bac Ha district, Lao Cai city - 135km far from the Sapa town. Thus, in order to travel from Sapa to the market, you can choose some of the transportation as follow:
Travel by motorbike - Source: Internet
Motorbike
Travel time is about 4 hours. The price of motorbike rental in Sapa ranges from 80,000 - 100,000 VND/motorbike/day ($3.5 - 4.36). The road from Sapa to Bac Ha market has gentle slopes, one side is a mountain, one side is a valley with winding terraced fields. Some motorbike rental addresses in Sapa that you can refer to:
Duc Cuong motorbike rental shop
- Address: 45 Le Van Tam street, Sapa town
- Phone number: 038 315 3598
Mr. Chinh motorbike rental shop
- Address: 44 Fansipan street, Sapa town
- Phone number: 0988 628 515
Bus
The following bus picks you up in the area of Sapa town and drops you off right near the market. Ticket price is about 80,000 - 100,000 VND/person ($3.5 - 4.36).
Bac Ha - Sapa bus
- Departure time: 1:45pm
- Phone number: 0985 035 978
II - What to experience at Bac Ha market Vietnam?
This is the largest fair market in the Northern region of Vietnam, with numerous stalls built of bamboo and wood. You may definitely find some images on the market of romantic lovers wearing traditional colorful costumes or a group of mothers carrying a bamboo bag on their back... Previously, the market was situated on a gentle hillside. However, this fair market is now more modern and secure, with four sections: food, brocade items, farm products, and livestock.
1 - Food area
In your Bac Ha market tour, you should not miss a single stop to the food section. Because you may taste a wide variety of unusual and delicious foods here. The crucial element is that the majority of them are made from local ingredients.
Thắng cố, Sour Pho and Khâu nhục - Source: Internet
Thắng cố
Thang Co is a specialty of the H'Mong minority in Vietnam, prepared from horse flesh, hog, beef, or buffalo meat and seasoned with a variety of traditional spices such as excellent fruit, cinnamon, earth field, and so on. Everything is cooked in a large pan until the meat softens and combines with the spices and other ingredients to produce a wonderful flavor.
Sour Pho
People say that if you have not tried sour Pho, you definitely have not been to Bac Ha market. This recipe's key ingredients are: pho noodles, pickles, chopped green vegetables (basil, lettuce,...), sliced lean meat, roasted peanuts, broth, and so on. When eating, a little chilli ketchup can be added to enhance the flavor. Pho noodle is a somewhat crimson-colored noodle created from Huong sticky rice. The sour Pho broth features a complex and one-of-a-kind recipe. After boiling, the water is poured into a saucepan and a small bit of sugar is added to generate color. After it has cooled, mix in some bananas and eggs. Next, the local then wraps the top of the kettle in a nylon layer to organically ferment the soup in approximately 15 days. The broth has a yellow of red sugar, sweetness of sugar, and a sour flavor from fermented banana after the fermentation phase,...
Khâu nhục
Khau nhuc is widely sold in Bac Ha market. This is a difficult and complicated dish, and also the traditional food of the Tay people of Bac Ha. The meat used in the dish must be pork from the black pig, blended with a variety of additional components such as pickled, five spice powder, and unique forest leaves inherited from the elders. Khau Nhuc is typically served with colored sticky rice, banh khuc, rice cake, or banh chung.
Grilled chicken with mắc khén
Grilled chicken with mắc khén - Source: Internet
Because of its excellent taste, this famous dish is quite popular in Bac Ha market. Grilled chicken with mac khen is cooked using local chicken and a variety of aromatic spices such as mắc khén, herbs, salt, lemon leaves, ginger, and lemongrass. Minced mac khen, salt, and herbs are also used in the sauce,...
Rainbow sticky rice
Rainbow sticky rice in Bac Ha market is a delicious blend of natural tastes and the pleasant scent of leaves that transports you to the Northwestern region of Vietnam. The rice comes in seven different colors: red, crimson, blue, green, blue yellow, and yellow. This delicious meal is typically served with grilled meat or sesame seeds.
2 - Brocade goods and jewelry area in Bac Ha market Vietnam
Because of the bright and creative products displayed in front of each booth, the brocade goods and jewelry zone is undeniably one of the most appealing places in the market. When you visit the brocade area, you will most likely find numerous handmade brocade goods created by the local people. The weaving process is quite advanced, and it takes a master weaver to produce a high-quality result. Bac Ha market is a spot where you can buy many special souvenirs such as custom-made brocades, headbands, or adorable handbags, as well as silver jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. In addition, the price ranges from a few hundred vnd to several million vnd .
3 - Area selling all kinds of pets and livestock
Bac Ha Market is well-known for selling hundreds of buffaloes and horses on a big scale. Furthermore, this market provides rare and valuable Highland bobtail dogs, which are highly sought after by many pet owners.
It may interest you: Top best local markets in Vietnam
4 - Agriculture and domestic products area in Bac Ha market
People from various towns in Bac Ha and the surrounding area come here to trade, bringing many items such as agricultural products and agricultural implements. Furthermore, valuable medicinal plants such as Panax stipuleanatus, rare mushrooms, Fallopia multiflora, Morinda officinalis, Female ginseng,... are sold here. These herbs are rich in nutrients and may be used as a cure. There are also numerous traditional instruments on display, like horns, bamboo flutes, and so on.
III - Where to go after Bac Ha market?
Normally, visiting this market usually takes about 2-3 hours. After enjoying the food in the market and buying and selling, you can take a visit to the following outstanding tourist spots:
Bac Ha temple
On the 10th of February in the lunar calendar every year, the Bac Ha temple ceremony is held. The event is divided into three parts: an incense offering ceremony, a male sacrifice ceremony, a female sacrifice ceremony, and a palanquin procession.
Bac Ha temple is located 350m from Bac Ha market - Source: Internet
The major event will include a dance performance, stick pushing, cock fighting, tug of war, and chess.
- In 2022, the Bac Ha temple ceremony will take place on March 12, 2022
- In 2023, the Bac Ha temple ceremony will take place on March 1, 2023
Meo king palace or Hoang A Tuong palace
Meo King's palace, constructed in 1914, covers an area of up to 4000m2. It's design is a mix of Asian and Western elements, with a closed rectangular layout. Walking around the palace on the steps, you will pass through a large garden to the main residence, which has two levels, each of which may be 420m2 broad.
Hoang A Tuong palace is 1km from Bac Ha market - Source: Viet Fun
This is the location for socializing, working, and family activities. The main home is distinguished by its arc-shaped doorways and carefully and intricately painted patterns on the walls, which are both distinctive and attractive.
Bac Ha valley of flora
The valley here includes more than 200 species of flowers and provides a magnificent picture with colors in the center of the highland, 2.5km from Bac Ha market. The flower valley, in particular, blooms every season and during all four seasons, especially the orchid. Furthermore, the locals plant a variety of different flowers such as hydrangea, lily of the valley, auspicious, nightingale jade, and so on. Summertime, from May to August, is when all of the flowers in Bac Ha Valley are at their most magnificent.
We have given fascinating facts on the Bac Ha market Sapa Vietnam in this article. Localtravelidea hopes you can travel easier and more pleasant with the above information.
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— Giang Pham
