Where am I again?
Region: Northwest Vietnam> Province: Lao Cai>Location: Bac Ha
Bac Ha sights and attractions
The Flower H'mong - The main attraction
Description
There's no disputing that the Flower H'mong themselves constitute the main attraction in a visit to the region. Coming from countries where two women would usually be horrified to show up at the same party wearing the same dress, it's hard to imagine a society where every woman has agreed to dress almost exactly alike from as far back as anyone can remember. Each girl makes her own outfit herself, and it takes about two weeks to make every 20cm of brocade -- it's a display of patience designed to prepare them for marriage to Flower H'mong men, just in case they wind up being one of those guys we saw stumbling around, blind drunk on corn whiskey, at noon.
The dynamics of 'in-group identity' aside, the Flower H'mong garb has a practical purpose, at least nowadays. The Flower H'mong inhabit both sides of the Chinese and Vietnamese border. They are largely undocumented, and are permitted to circulate freely in their traditional stomping grounds. Their distinctive attire says, I am a Flower H'mong. I was here before you put up your silly border. Don't tell me where I can and can't go. As a result, in addition to the goods they craft themselves, the Flower H'mong do a steady business in Chinese goods brought over (tax free) from the other side, and even residents of Sapa will make a trip to Bac Ha just to pick up at little special something unavailable elsewhere, and at a good price.
Markets - So many markets, so little time
Description
There are three main markets of interest to travellers, and more for those looking to branch out. They all get going at about 08:00 and start packing up at noon, so a good market visit from Sapa starts very early in the morning (usually a 06:30 departure) or includes an overnight and a visit the next day.
Can Cau Market
This Saturday morning market, 19km north of Bac Ha town, is one of the most interesting and authentic, though you'll still see a lot of westerners snapping photos when the tour buses arrive between 10:00 and 11:00. It's set in a beautiful valley only about 4km from the Chinese border, giving it a much more remote, frontier feeling than the market in Bac Ha, which is otherwise similar.
Here, Flower H'mong offer a wide variety of handmade goods -- much of the clothing you'll see them wearing is on sale here, as well as bags, scarves, and knick-knacks that seem to be targeted a bit more towards westerners. Doll collectors will definitely want to check out some of the local product, which we imagine would be impossible to get anywhere else in the world. But there are practical wares as well, particularly baskets, wooden saddles, and plowshares. Bible fans should take note that the curved, triangular plow-heads for sale are usually made from old bomb casings -- literally, weapons into plowshares! Score one for Isaiah, chapter 2, verse 4.
The locals love their meat, so the food stalls here are lined with vendors displaying steaming hocks of boiled beef, which you can order up a la carte, or in some noodle soup. The Flower H'mong are also known for their rice wine made from corn and fermented with Hong My seeds. It can be quite potent -- a few cups at noon, and you'll have no trouble sleeping on the bus ride back. Livestock trading goes on early in the proceedings -- mostly cattle, water-buffalo, goats, horses and dogs. If you arrive on a tour out of Sapa you may be too late to see this, but if you're staying overnight in Bac Ha, you'll see the same goings-on at the market there. If you've already seen a number of town markets on your trip through Vietnam, rest assured that there is something much different about a real, tribal market in the countryside, and there's good reason to go out of your way to see one. However, but for the location, the Can Cau market is very similar to the one in Bac Ha town, so you can get by on seeing one or the other.
Bac Ha Market
This Sunday morning market is easily visited on a daytrip from Sapa or Lao Cai, or after an overnight in Bac Ha, for those staying over after seeing the Can Cau market. The timing works out well for local businesses, who count on feting flocks of foreigners every Saturday night. Sunday morning, the market is just a short stroll from your hotel, but it's just as authentic, and very similar in many ways, to the one in Can Cau. Since the market is in town, goods range from the traditional, handmade wares also available in Can Cau, to more practical purchases trucked in from China. We saw one woman selling a variety of Chinese greens, and alongside them, a breast pump. If you miss the livestock trading at Can Cau, get up early to see it here. The food stalls sell mostly stewed beef, but we saw an enormous wok that was cooking up a batch of Tang Co, which is the local word for thit ngua, which is better known to us as horse meat. The Tang Co style entails that every edible bit of a horse be put into one pot, so if you sit down for a sample, be prepared for the 'offal carnage' of it all. It's easy to spot, just follow your nose. Horse meat smells surprisingly like... uh... well, a horse.
Coc Ly Market
This is the least visited of the popular markets, which runs on Tuesday mornings and is frequented by H'mong, Dzao and Nunh minorities. It's smaller than Bac Ha or Can Cau, but the attraction here is that a visit can be combined with a boat trip along the Chay river. It's 20km by road from Bac Ha, and Lao Cai is 48km further on, so it's easily visited en route.
Other markets
So many markets, so little time. We've heard tell of, but haven't had a chance to visit, markets called Lung Khau Nhin on Thursdays, Lung Phin and Xin Man (Coc Pai) on Sundays, and judging by our map, there are more markets to be explored. See the table below, and plan your selection of market around your schedule, if you're on a tight one.
Tuesday: Coc Ly Market
Thursday: Lung Khau Nhin (south of Muong Khuong)
Saturday: Can Cau
Sunday: Bac Ha, Lung Phin, Xin Man (Coc Pai), Muong Hum (northwest of Sapa)
Tours and treks - Loads of options
Description
If you don't book ahead in Lao Cai or Sapa, you can arrange something on arrival here at Green Sapa Tours which is in the Hoang Yen Bar and Restaurant, across from the Sao Mai Hotel. They were nice enough to give us a breakdown of prices for some of their tours, but don't expect absolute precision -- this is just to give you a rough idea.
Half-day treks
Trek to local minority village
Walking trek from Bac Ha to the Flower H'mong Village of Ban Pho, US$3 per person.
Village trek with waterfall option
Walking trek from Bac Ha to the Hmong Village of Thai Giang Pho, then on to either the Tay village of Na Lo, or a trek to a waterfall, US$10 per person, minimum group of four.
Full-day treks -- minimum group of four.
By road and foot to Phula and H'mong villages, market visit Sundays
Transport to Lung Phinh, short hike to a Phula village, by transport again to the H'mong village of Ta Van Chu, by foot down to Ban Pho and back to Bac Ha. US$15 per person. If you go on a Sunday, this will include a visit to the Lung Phinh market.
Coc Ly Market by road and boat.
On Tuesdays only, transport by jeep to Coc Ly market, patronised by the H'mong, Dzao and Nunh minorities, and after a visit, a boat trip down the Chay river and a jeep back to either Lao Cai or Bac Ha. US$18 per person.
Can Cau Market
Saturday only, transport to the Can Cau market with a side trip to Lung Phinh and a short trek to a Phula minority village. US$15 per person.
Sunday only, head northeast 40km trip by car to the Xin Man market (H'mong, Yah, Nunh and La Chi minorities) in Coc Pai near the Chinese border with a short trek along the way. US$22 per person.
Two days, one night, no minimum
Remote markets
Wednesday departure only
Day 1: By transport to the Cao Son market, then on to Muong Khuong town for a night in a hotel
Day 2: By transport to the Lung Khau Nhin market, return to Lao Cai
US$70 per person
Can Cau Market via trek and homestay
Friday departure only
Day 1: On foot to the H'mong village of Ban Pho, and then on to Ta Van Chu (also H'mong). Homestay one night.
Day 2: Continue on foot to Can Cau market, transport back to Bac Ha
A six-day trek that does much of the above and more is on offer for US$250 per person, minimum of four.
Sapa Green Tours: Hoang Yen Bar, Across from the Sao Mai Hotel, Bac Ha. T: (020) 212 710;(0912) 005 952. hoangvutours@hotmail.com