Bac Ha Foot

Taken on: 31st January, 2010. Copyright: All Rights Reserved - See matthewpesce's page of Flickr

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It's something of a shame, because to the east of Lao Cai city lies the other half of the province. The ground soars upwards again, to the peaks of the Chay River Massif, where the town of Bac Ha is to be found, 66km by road, at 700m above sea level.

Bac Ha is a 'little Sapa', and while it's much less developed for tourism, it's in an ideal location for off-the-beaten-track treks to visit colourful weekly markets. The Can Cau and Bac Ha markets, in particular, feature local scenes that have been going on every week for generations, where cattle, horses, goats and dogs are bought and sold, as well as many traditional goods like saddles and plowshares, along with elaborate textiles, handbags and other trinkets made by the local tribespeople, the Flower Hmong. Their intricately woven daily costume is one of the main drawing points in itself. This is an incredibly beautiful part of Vietnam.

It's a very convenient place to explore the surrounds, and basing ... Read our complete Bac Ha travel guide

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