Buzz
The Pho Cao market bustles with activity as people come and go.
Situated along National Highway 4C, Pho Cao is a highland commune in Dong Van district, Ha Giang province. Characterized by its golden stilt houses and inhabited by four ethnic groups – the H'mong, Han, Dao, and Pu Peo – Pho Cao boasts rose gardens and fields of buckwheat, adding to its allure. Noteworthy is the unique early morning market, convening every six days, serving as a hub for cultural exchange among the 17 ethnicities residing in this border area.
The Atmosphere of Pho Cao Market
The Ha Giang market convenes early, shrouded in the ethereal veil of dawn mist, as the sun begins to peek over the mountain range, casting its first rays upon both people and landscape, warming the surroundings. The dissipating mist gives way to the morning sun.
Even the empty spaces on the hillsides become part of the market.
The Pho Cao market operates on a rotating schedule throughout the week. It's a bustling scene with diverse participants: local ethnic minorities and tourists alike. The array of goods, colorful garments, and unfamiliar faces immediately captivate upon arrival.
My companion is capturing moments at the market.
A man sits roadside, selling his wares.
Delicacies of the Market
A market without its delectable offerings from Ha Giang is incomplete. Among them are the multicolored sticky rice cakes, symbolizing the five elements - Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, each fragrant and pliable. Then there are the golden sponge-like cakes, cut into thick squares, delightfully chewy. There's the 'man tao cake' - a specialty of the Chinese community - made from fermented wheat flour. There's the sweet and fragrant wild sugarcane, embodying the essence of the forested mountains. There are trays brimming with snacks 'made in China'. There's pho in bowls, steaming hot noodles, and the traditional Mong hotpot.
Square-cut sponge cakes.
Steaming hot 'man tao' cakes.
Intermingled white and golden sticky rice baskets.
Assorted snacks labeled as 'Made in China'.
Crowds flocking to buy sugarcane.
The 'Stone Highlanders'
The 'Stone Highlanders' attend the market as a habitual part of their lives, an integral aspect of their existence. The market and the people of the stone highlands are intertwined, inseparable. Some come to earn a living, others to socialize, purchase essentials for the week, or engage in heartfelt conversations with friends. Some come to rendezvous with their partners. All converge at the Pho Cao market.
An elderly woman beams with joy as she sells her goods.
Twin toddlers trailing after their mother at the market.
The contemplative expression of a Hmong woman.
I encounter little ones following their mothers, or grandmothers, in the early market. Some stand waiting for their relatives to finish shopping, munching on watermelon, while others are taken by their mothers for breakfast. Some join their grandmothers, immersing themselves in the bustling atmosphere of the market. These children from the rocky highlands, with their big innocent eyes, cute chubby faces, and vibrant clothes, seem like beautiful strokes in the canvas of the Pho Cao market.
A baby in a yellow shirt munching on watermelon.
A baby in a pink shirt with big round eyes.
A little boy waiting for his mother at the market.
A little girl watching over the goods for her mother.
A little boy being coaxed by his mother to eat pho.
The adorable ethnic girl.
The intriguing aspects of the early market
The Ha Giang market captivates people with its fascinating and unique features, as well as the profound sentiments of the mountainous people.Children from the highlands accompany their mothers to the early market, some even sit 'alone in a row'... on their faces is a blend of joy and a hint of premature 'maturity'.
A little girl selling fruits with her mother.
A baby selling colorful sandals.
The 'ritual' of putting on a necklace.
The market offers a diverse range of goods: agricultural products, handmade items crafted with care by ethnic people, artisanal products specific to each region, and even Chinese imports... That morning at the market, we enjoyed exploring each stall, with the most intriguing being one selling necklaces containing medicinal herbs believed to cure all ailments. When worn around the neck, the seller recites a few phrases in some ethnic language.
The miraculous healing necklaces.
Highland beans sliced into large pieces.
Honeycomb sandals sold by weight.
The 'money exchange' stall surrounded by a crowd.
Everyone dresses up to participate in the Pho Cao market - it's like a joyful occasion, a weekly festival for the ethnic people. They carry everything on their backs, bringing everything from chickens to squealing pigs, from dresses, scarves, necklaces, to sharp knives, wristwatches, freshly picked vegetables from the garden... They barter with each other: selling this, buying that.
Neatly arranged watches.
Stalls selling various herbs.
An elderly Hmong woman selling chickens.
Tiger bones for medicinal purposes.
Stalls selling various spices like chili, ginger...
The vendor is bundling incense.
The early market bustling with buyers and sellers.
Our story
Waking up at 5 a.m., getting ready, then driving from Dong Van to Pho Cao to catch the early market, my brother and I were excited by the lively atmosphere and the colorful array of goods at the market.
Our breakfast consisted of a hearty bowl of beef pho for just 20,000 VND per bowl. Ha Giang pho is special, made from rice flour, steamed and fermented for a long time in large steaming pots, then dried before being cut into small strands. The pho stalls were packed with people, smoke billowing. We finished off with a 1,000 VND ice cream stick.
Our bowl of pho.
The bustling, smoky pho stalls.
I came across a family enjoying delicious pho, with twin boys each having a large bowl. The stalls, the customs, the incomprehensible ethnic languages... all fascinated me. Lost in the early Pho Cao market or lost in the unique cultures of the highland ethnic groups.
Parents and children sitting down to eat pho.
Things You Should Know
A 'receding market' is a market that rotates weekly, with each week shifting one day later than the previous week. For example, if the market meets on Sunday this week, it will meet on Saturday next week, then Friday the following week, and so on...You should check the schedule for 'receding markets' found only in the highlands of Ha Giang:
Lung Phin Market: Day of the Dragon - Day of the Monkey.
Sa Phin Market: Day of the Snake - Day of the Pig.
Pho Bang Market: Day of the Rat - Day of the Dragon.
Pho Cao Market: Day of the Horse - Day of the Dog.
Markets start very early and end around noon.
Someone once recited poetry amidst the Pho Cao market like this:
When visiting the rocky plateau, make sure to immerse yourself in the early morning markets of Ha Giang!
Author: Nguyen Thi Kim Chi
* This article is part of the Mytour Golocal program.
Mytour Golocal is a blog program introducing beautiful destinations across Vietnam. It's a fantastic opportunity to promote local tourism to everyone. For each qualified article, you'll receive 800,000 VND and a chance to become a contributor with Mytour. For more information about the program, visit: https://www.Mytour/en-gb/golocal
