Buzz
Every Sa Pa traveler makes a beeline for the markets to select unique souvenirs like traditional clothing and local produce. Market visits also reveal many distinctive aspects of the local people. Some famous rural markets in Sa Pa include Bac Ha Market, Tinh Market, Can Cau Market, and Muong Hum Market.
Dazzling Can Cau Market
Can Cau is a unique market located in Can Cau commune, Si Ma Cai district, Lao Cai province. It brings together the Mông Hoa, Giấy, and Dao ethnic groups every Saturday and on holidays and festivals throughout the year. Can Cau Market is a favorite among tourists exploring Sa Pa due to its distinctive and singular characteristics.
The market area resembles terraced fields cascading along the mountain slope, connected by a unique red dirt road stretching 153 kilometers, linking the town of Bac Ha to the town of Si Ma Cai. Three sections feature local products, including traditional textiles, embroidered fabrics, medicinal herbs, and fruits. The remaining two sections offer food, handicrafts, and household items. Descending towards the valley, approximately 50 meters from the market, lies another terraced field known as the buffalo market.
In the early misty morning, people from Mông Hoa, Giáy, and Dao ethnic groups from various villages gather here, bringing woven products, agricultural produce, and livestock for sale at the market.
The market is divided into distinct zones for various goods such as fruits, agricultural produce, livestock, herbs, and vibrant traditional crafts. Only when you are on-site can you truly experience the lively and authentic atmosphere of this market. Besides the exchange of goods, the market is also a meeting place for ethnic minority communities and a venue for young men and women to form connections.
Additionally, another distinctive aspect of the highland flavor that the Can Cau market offers is the culinary section with a variety of Sa Pa specialty dishes available at rustic dining spots that never fail to attract visitors. All of these elements contribute to a vibrant atmosphere. Travelers will find it impossible to resist the billowing smoke rising from every corner.
Each eatery specializes in a simple dish such as victory soup, highland pho, boiled pork, pig armpit theft, corn wine... Among all the specialties of Sa Pa, victory soup attracts the most diverse clientele, including both local and international tourists. This dish blends up to 27 types of spices and includes pork, beef, buffalo meat...
Traveling to Sa Pa and visiting the Cán Cấu market, tourists not only learn about the history of a long-standing market in the highlands of Sa Pa with vibrant colors but also have the opportunity to understand the daily life of the highland people. In addition, visitors get to enjoy unique Sa Pa specialties prepared by ethnic minorities while sipping a glass of apple cat wine.
Unique in the Mường Hum market
The Mường Hum market is nestled under the valley, adjacent to the clear water stream, surrounded by towering, picturesque mountains. The charming weekend market along the Mường Hum stream is a meeting place, a hub for exchange, trade, and enjoyment for the Hà Nhi, H'Mong, Hoa Giay, Dao Do ethnic communities...
The market area exudes a lively atmosphere, bustling with the vibrant ethnic costumes worn by local girls. Thai girls don pink and green ao dai; H'Mong girls don orange and green dresses; Dao people dress elegantly, with intricately red headscarves folded down to their ears.
The most popular and distinctive items at the Mường Hum market are the handmade products – specialties of Sa Pa. These handicrafts, crafted with delicate skill by the H'Mong and Dao ethnic groups, truly stand out.
Products include cute watermelon-shaped hats, colorful scarves, stylish shoulder bags, and fabric bracelets with vibrant patterns. At the Mường Hum market, visitors can choose some handicrafts as Sa Pa souvenirs for friends and family – small gifts that carry the distinctive meaning of the local ethnic people at the Sa Pa destination.
All these elements come together to create a truly unique and enticing Mường Hum market, attracting both domestic and international tourists to the Sa Pa travel destination for exploration.
Cao Son Market – An Ideal Spot in Sa Pa
Cao Son Market belongs to the ethnic groups of Mong, Phu La, Dao, and Black H'mong living in the four largest villages in Muong Khuong district. The Cao Son market session takes place every Wednesday.
From early morning, along every road, you'll see people from neighboring villages heading to the market. They come in groups, using various means of transportation – some carry goods, others use horses, motorcycles, bicycles to get to the market.
Like other highland markets, Cao Son Market is divided into different sections. Items with the highland flavor, such as vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, corn wine, are grouped together. Sa Pa specialties like handicrafts and beauty-related jewelry form a separate designated area.
However, the biggest attraction for tourists is the livestock and poultry area, as the atmosphere here is vibrant and bustling with enthusiastic buyers and sellers. About 200 meters away is the food zone, offering dishes from ethnic people. Visitors will be truly captivated by the tempting flavors of some of the Sa Pa dishes specialties here.
Stepping foot in Sa Pa for tourism and visiting Cao Son market is an opportunity for tourists to immerse themselves in the unique cultural diversity of ethnic minorities along the Chay River highlands. It's also a chance for tourists to admire the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river and gain a deeper understanding of the daily life of the local ethnic communities.
Traveling to Sa Pa, visitors can enjoy both the romantic, dreamy beauty of Sa Pa and dive into the vibrant, colorful Sa Pa markets, experiencing joyful stories and the lively atmosphere of Sa Pa.
