Coc
Ly Market
Tourists
should not ignore Coc Ly Market in Sapa, Lao Cai - A special market in the Northwest
Vietnam with
its colourful ethnic people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La and Dao Tuyen who
gathers to buy and sell.
Sapa region is not only famous for beautiful
landscape, it is also to be known as culture destination, that features would
be easy to be find in regular markets of Coc Ly market which take place one a week
Tuesday morning, where hilltribe people sell and purchasing daily life
material, exchange farming experience and meet friends. From Coc Ly market
travelers will take boat ride along the river of Chay, enjoy sightseeing man
and natural landscape long the river’s bank, short break to visit ethnic
minorities of Tay.
Can
Cau Market
Tourists
will be very impressed with Can Cau market which is one of the most fascinating
open-air markets in Lao Cai province, North West Vietnam.
It's 20km North of Bac Ha and just 9km south of the
Chinese border. Visitors are generally H'mong groups from highland villages.
The local H'mong are the famous variegated or Flower H'mong due to the
intricate and colourful nature of their costumes, and their colourful dresses
makes is a beautiful sight. Almost every Saturday around 8 different minorities
are represented at the market. Travel is often made by horseback as a way of
carrying the heavy loads to and from market. Can Cau market also attracts a
large number of Chinese traders, evidenced by the booming dog trade here.
Bac
Ha Market
Bac Ha Market is well-known for its
naturally sub-tropical scenery. Visitors travelling to Bac Ha are
opportune to understand the local traditions and customs, taste local
specialties, meet nice people and know a land code-named: white plateau.
With average temperature of 19°C, Bac Ha is
specifically identified by each mount, each house and naturally-made carpet of
white plum-flowers in spring. There are 14 ethnic minorities and the Mong
ethnics count for 47% then the Dao, Tay, Nung, Phu La... Mountaineers take care
of their horses as their properties, means of transport and close friends.
Besides plums, Bac Ha is reputed for its alcohol
(made of maize). Maize is grown on high mountains, its low in productivity but
high in nutrition. To make alcohol, it's fermented with Hong My seed (the local
only plant). Bac Ha alcohol is well-known due to its source of water. So it's
surely believed never to have faulted one in Bac Ha market. Visitors can see
the locals selling their own alcohol without feelings to be cheated.
Brocades are for sales in the market or in shops or
by street-vendors. There are hand-made or manufactured products. It takes a
village-girl even half a month to make a brocade of 20cm long. Their skirts or
costumes cost them long time to make. Their dresses express their patience,
skills. Visitors can see the girls making brocades right in the market.
Traditional values and identities are
well-maintained in the market. Such markets as Bac Ha, Coc Ly
have really become rendezvous for visitors at home and abroad. There is almost
no bargaining or competition here. Sales girls look quite naive, sincere. They
go to the market mainly to meet people and exchange funs. Especially, there is
a horse market in town-centre, each market-day there are almost 100 - 200
horses for sales or exchange.
Mong or Tay or Dao ethnics’ minority girls and boys,
with their best dresses on, go to the market to relax and meet their friends.
At sunset, they leave with a promise to see again.
Cao
Son Market
Cao Son market is simply set in a fascinating
nature and surrounded mountains which covered by lush plantation and terraced
rice paddies and cornfields.
Most the participants are Flower H’mong, Black Zao,
Nung, Tu Di, Pa Di ethnic form villages in the surrounding region but many come
from China to add more colors to the market. Cheerful and smiling faces are
found everywhere at the market place and the people behave to each other like
close friends meeting again after long time away. It is easy to realize women
from different groups through traditional costumes they wear while men’s dresses
are similar.
The market session takes place only once a week on
Wednesday. Individuals and groups of ethnic minorities start flocking to the
market from early morning.
Like some versions of other upland areas, Cao Son
market is divided into several areas:
The area which sells specialities of mountain and
forest here such as vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, wood ear, honey, wine, corn,
rice and other household appliances, jewelry … All of them are concentrated in
a zone, arranged beautifully by each item. These are sophisticated products
which show skillful talent of Mongolian woman, women, and women leaves Phu Dao
in planting flax, keeping fiber, weaving, dyeing and embroidering flowers their
flowers.
The area, which attracts attention the most, is the
area of selling the livestock and poultry such as cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs,
horses… Air in this area is really bustling.
Next is the area for the ethnic dishes. Here,
visitors will be easily attracted by the seductive flavors from certain types
of cuisine such as “thang co”- a pan mixing buffalo meat, horse meat and beef …
of Mong people, slightly spicy tastes some natural wines.
Coming to Cao Son market, tourists will have the
chance to enjoy interference cultures of some ethnic groups living in villages
along the Chay River in Muong Khuong district. Moreover, a trip here to the market
in combining with exploring and visiting the villages nearby is a special offer
to those who dare to forget modern facilities of city life and dedicate time
and energy to the discovery of the local traditional values.
Sapa
Love Market
Sapa
is also famous for its love market, which takes place on Saturday evenings. The
love market of Sapa used to be the place to find a partner to get married. With
the tourism, the real love market does not take place anymore. Currently you
can only see a representation of the love market. Do not miss it anyway if you
are staying here a Saturday night. Young Red Dzao hill tribe used to come to
Sapa to sing songs to the opposite sex. Girls sang the songs hidden in the
dark, when a boy found them, and if they matched together, they disappeared
into the forest for three days. Some of them got married after that.
While Dao women are indeed highly industrious, the
men, it seems, prefer to spend most of their time drinking, smoking opium or
sleeping, only occasionally slapping the rump of a lethargic bovine moving more
slowly than they are. Few of their songs, though, are about drinking, smoking
opium, sleeping or slapping rumps.
Currently you may spot some young locals singing in
the dark, but they are not looking for a partner, they are looking for you.
They will sing a song, and ask for a tip afterwards.
Every Saturday, the picturesque mountain village of
SaPa comes alive with shoppers who know what they want: love. They travel from
near and far to size up the goods of the day, hoping something will tickle
their fancy.
Tall or short, sweet or sultry, they are all on the
market, looking for love. Love markets (cho tinh) take place in the northern
mountain provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Son La. A rare opportunity to mix,
mingle and find a match, they are often a not-to-be-missed social event. For
many young villagers, the love fests are a vital marital resource, given that
many live in villages where all the inhabitants are blood relatives.
Here’s how it goes: singles strut their stuff
through the market, hoping they will be lucky enough to be asked out on a date.
What follows is not as simple as dinner and a movie – amorous couples must
abide by the ways and mores of their ethnic nationality.
Unlike the steady flow of sensuality at Sa Pa, some
loves must stand the test of time. Khai Vau market in Ha Giang province takes
place only once a year, on March 27 in the lunar calendar, a date known as
Phong Luu (Prosperity Day), which gives the market its name of Cho Phong Luu (market
of Prosperity). According to legend, the market’s beginnings date back to the
unrequited love between a young boy and girl. They met in Meo Vac, but as they
were from different tribes, were forbidden to be together.
In true Shakespearean fashion, a bitter quarrel
erupted between the families, and the couple was forced to end the affair.
Unable to bear the thought of never seeing each other again, they decided to
meet on the same day every year in Khau Vai. Today, the site of the forbidden
rendezvous is home to the love market.
The market is not just for marriage hopefuls. In
this rural area, it is also the social event of the year, where old friends
meet up and new ones are made. No matter their age, everyone looks forward to
the chance to chat over sticky rice, grilled cassava or rice dumplings.
Although the market does not officially start until March 27, the celebrations
begin the evening before. March 26 is a night of song and dance, the
performances expressing fervent wishes for eternal love. Romantic melodies fill
the night air.
There is one day in the year
I dedicate to you
I have no gold or silver
Just my true love
Come with me if you believe in me
The dancing and singing continue into the early
hours, often persuading men and women into each other’s arms. That first
magical night, some are lucky enough to leave the market with their new
partners and walk hand in hand through the forest. But others are simply
nervous: tomorrow is the big day, after all. Many have waited months for the
chance to find their soul mate. The day of the Market of Prosperity is alive
with different moods: happiness at meeting old friends, anxiety as others wait
to meet someone new.
Whether they find a partner or not, the happy
memories of the day linger in the minds of many of these mountain people. And
anyway, there is always next year because the goods are always ripe at this
market.
Muong
Hum Market
Muong Hum located in Bat Xat district, about 50km
far from Lao Cai. Muong Hum Market is set on open flat land at the bottom of a
large and scenic valley by a small river and surrounded by terraced rice
paddies. It is often empty and quiet on the other weekday, waken up and busy on
Sunday. This market is well-known as one of the most interesting Sunday market
in Lao Cai province and possibly a good alternative trip to Bac Ha market for
visitors thanks to the very large variety of the ethnic minority peoples to
attend and quite easy to be distinguished through their traditional clothes.
The flower H’mong wear thick embroidered yellow and red skirts and blouses
while the Red H’mong prefer thinner red embroidered patterns on light batik
background; In contrast, the Black H’mong in dark indigo with just some
decorative motive at the end of the shirt sleeves and round the neck. Red Zao
and Zao Tuyen wear black trousers and shirts with fine yellow embroidery motifs
and pay much attention to the decoration to their headgears including silver
chains and bells. There are also many Zay, Tay and Ha Nhi people joining the
market who wear less colorful clothes but no less beautiful.