ETHNIC MARKETS

The famous Sunday market runs from dawn to 3pm, but it's best to arrive before 10am, when it's in full swing. It brings together more than a dozen ethnic groups. It's a riot of color, dominated by the multicolored costumes of the Hmông fleur women. The products exchanged depict the harsh life of the mountain minorities and the cultural and economic universe of the villages: handicrafts, brocade, forging implements, Chinese knick-knacks... Livestock, horses, goats, black pigs, birds and dogs - some of the so-called Bac Hà dogs, which resemble teddy bears, can fetch relatively high prices - are reminiscent of the Salon de l'Agriculture. At the Bac Hà market, visitors are right up the cows' asses, and it's an enchantment. The market is also an opportunity for young people, who during the week are isolated in the highland villages, to chat. Middle-aged men, on the other hand, tend to overindulge in the dive bottle (a corn liquor distilled by hand), and the journey home can be a difficult one. A nap on the side of the road is often necessary, and the wife, resigned Penelope, sits on the day's purchases, which may include farm animals not renowned for their patience, forced to wait for a delayed awakening.

Other markets are held throughout the week, within relatively easy reach by hiring a motorcycle or using the services of tourist agencies.

Côc Ly Tuesday market: 20 km south-west of Bac Hà, on the banks of the Chay River. It is in full swing between 9 and 11 a.m.

Cao Son Wednesday market: 60 km northwest of Bac Hà, near the Chinese-Vietnamese border.

Sin Cheng Wednesday market: 40 km northwest of Bac Hà. A small, relatively unspoilt market.

Lung Khâu Nhin Thursday market: 80 km north of Bac Hà. A small market close to the Sino-Vietnamese border that has retained its authenticity.

Ta Cu Ty Tuesday and Friday market: 40 km northeast of Bac Hà, in a landscape of rice terraces, where the villages have retained their traditional character.

Can Câu Saturday market : 20 km north of Bac Hà, in a valley surrounded by rice terraces.

Pha Long Saturday market : 80 km north of Bac Hà, near the Chinese-Vietnamese border.

Lung Phin Sunday market: in a village 12 km northeast of Bac Hà. Smaller and much less touristy than its big brother in the village.