Bac Ha is located 70 km, northeast of Lao Cai City and take about 2 hours by road; 105 km from Sapa and takes 3 hours to go by road.

Opened every Sunday at the center of Bac Ha township, this is the biggest ethnic market in Lao Cai Province and probably among some most interesting ones in the northern mountains. Some thousands peoples from ethnic groups including Black Zao, Tay, Phu La and Flower H’mong wearing their best traditional clothes attend the market to turn it into a kind of festival. Commodity sold at the market is varied from embroidered clothes, handicraft, farming produces, food… to poultry and cattle such as vegetable, spices, chili, chicken, cat, piggy, doggy… At the market place, after finishing their shopping, peoples gathered into groups at footstalls or restaurants enjoying “Thang Co” – a kind of H’mong traditional specialty, drinking corn wine and talking cheerfully.


There are many trees around Bac Ha, and in the spring the countryside is white with blossoms.Some hundred meters away from the main market place is the buffaloes and horses market. It is really interesting to see the buyers carefully searching to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the animals before buying because a buffalo or horse is a real important property in their farming work.

The best time to join the market is from 09.00 to 12.00 but it is fascinating to spend few hours earlier to see the people along the trail to the Bac Ha Market.