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Bac Ha ethnic market
Country: Vietnam
Province: Lao Cai
District: Bac Ha

Tinh Lao Cai Holiday Weather today


Date/time of update: November 5, 2024, 1:30 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Overcast Clouds

Temperature: 17.79°C
Temperature feels like: 17.4°C
Minimum Temperature: 17.79°C
Maximum Temperature: 17.79°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1022hPa
Humidity:68%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 1.44m/sec
Wind Direction: 50 degrees
Cloudiness: 89%
Sunrise: 2024-11-04 11:10:23
Sunset: 2024-11-05 10:24:46

Bac Ha is a district of Lao Cai Province in north-western Vietnam. For long, Bac Ha has been overshadowed by Sapa, a popular tourist attraction only 100km away.

Bac Ha Sunday market
The ethnic minorities gather of a market once a week every Sunday morning

Overview

Some travellers to Sapa would take a day trip to Bac Ha for the colorful ethnic market on Sunday morning, when virtually all local ethnic groups get dressed up in their traditional costumes and travel to town for trading and for socializing. Bac Ha still preserves the untouched natural and cultural beauty.

Bac Ha Sunday market
Hmong ladies bring chickens and agricultural produce to the market

Nowadays, Bac Ha is getting more attractive to the travellers who would like to stray from the well-beaten paths and touristy areas. There are various tours around Bac Ha ranging from trekking tours, motorcycling tours or easy sightseeing holidays.

Mountains at Bac Ha
Mountains at Bac Ha

The trekking tours here provide you with ample opportunities to take in the breathtaking natural beauty and to take travel photos which are not often seen by other travellers. There are decent hotels with basic facilities in town. In the villages, there are ethnic families providing homestay experiences to the visitors.

Bac Ha Sunday market
Broom sellers at Bac Ha Market

Geography

The plateau of Bac Ha has the average altitude of over 900m above sea level with cool climate all year round.

Mountains at Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province
Mountains at Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province

People and Population

The district is inhabited by 14 different ethnic minorities such as the Flower Hmong, the Phu La, the Tay, Nung, Dao... All of them maintain a lifestyle relatively off the mainstream society.

Bac Ha Sunday market
Joss-stick sellers at Bac Ha

What to See, Tourist Attractions in and around Bac Ha Town

1/ Ethnic Sunday Market

The ethnic market on Sunday morning from 0630 A.M to 1200 P.M provides you with an opportunity to engage in the local life of different local ethnic groups who travel to the market by horse, on foot from early in the morning... They go to the market not only for trade, but also for socializing and even for meeting with their potential soul mates.

The colorful ethnic market on Sunday morning at Bac Ha
The colorful ethnic market on Sunday morning at Bac Ha

 

Bac Ha Sunday market
Shoe stand

2/ Hoang A Tuong Residence

Hoang A Tuong was the chieftain of Bac Ha during the French rule in Vietnam. His residence was built in 1914 and completed only in 1921 with architecture like those of castles in Europe.

Former Residence of Hoang A Tuong at Bac Ha Town, Lao Cai Province
Former Residence of Hoang A Tuong at Bac Ha Town, Lao Cai Province

 

Former residence of Hoang A Tuong
Former residence of Hoang A Tuong

3/ Ethnic villages

Just outside of Bac Ha Town, you can have a walking tour to Na Lo Village (1km) and Pho Village (4km). Further from the town, there are Ta Trung Do Village (Tay), Ta Van Chu Village (Hmong), Lung Phinh,...

Thai Giang Pho Village at Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province
Thai Giang Pho Village at Bac Ha, Lao Cai Province

The local communities here are just friendly and curious about foreign travellers visiting their village. Some villagers have taken part in courses on sustainable tourism and are good enough in making your stay with their family a great experience.

There are several lovely ethnic villages around Bac Ha some require a couple of day trekking
There are several lovely ethnic villages around Bac Ha some require a couple of day trekking

Things to Do, Travel and Tours in Bac Ha

1/ Trekking

Paradissa offers trekking adventures around Bac Ha with accommodation at hotels in the town or with homestay at various ethnic villages. The tours can range from 1 night to 3 nights.

There are great trails connecting one village to another which offer lovely hiking experiences
There are great trails connecting one village to another which offer lovely hiking experiences

2/ Boat trips to visit ethnic communities

The Chay River offers boat trips to some ethnic villages around Bac Ha.

The Chay River at Bac Ha District in Lao Cai Province
The Chay River at Bac Ha District in Lao Cai Province

Accommodation in Bac Ha

There are no luxury hotels in Bac Ha. In the town, there are decent hotels with basic facilities. For those who embark on trekking adventures in the region, you can have a great homestay experience with the local ethnic families.

Map of Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province
Map of Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province

How to get there

Bac Ha Town is 70km from the provincial capital of Lao Cai and 43km from Pho Lu Town. From Hanoi, you can take the road trip to Bac Ha which is 370km, the drive is 9 hours with good road condition.

Alternatively, you can take the overnight train and get off at Pho Lu Train Station for further road trip to Bac Ha.

Pho Village (Flower Hmong) in Bac Ha
Pho Village (Flower Hmong) in Bac Ha


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