Bac Ha Market – Top Cultural Exchange Area in Sapa

Are you planning a trip to Bac Ha Market Sapa Vietnam? However, do you know much about this market? Today, Sun Getaways Travel would like to introduce you to Bac Ha Market Sapa travel guides. Let’s figure it out together!

Bac Ha Market Introduction

Bac Ha Market, situated in northern Vietnam, is a large and lively Sunday market in Sapa. This market attracts thousands of visitors coming to discover a bunch of local products as well as experience ethnic minority cultures here.

Read more >>> Embrace the Beauty: 6 Reasons to Explore Sapa, Vietnam

Bac Ha Market Guides for Travelers

Location

Located inside Bac Ha Town, Bac Ha Market is about 95 kilometers from Sapa city center, which means it will take about 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to the market. You will pass various Sapa tourist attractions such as Ham Rong Mountain or Bac Ha Sungate on the road. If you have time, you can drop by these spots and take some beautiful photos.

How to get to Bac Ha Market?

How to get to Bac Ha Market from Sapa? There are different ways for you to get to this market. However, before getting there, you should reach Hanoi first and then book another vehicle to go to Sapa. In Sapa, you can rent a car, or a motorbike, or take a taxi, or a bus to Bac Ha Market Lao Cai.

Read more: How to Get to Sapa Vietnam? Best Travel Guide and Tips for Tourists

What are Bac Ha Market’s opening hours?

Normally, Bac Ha Market Vietnam will take place every Sunday from the early morning to between 12:00  and 15:00. It is quite flexible for tourists to arrange their tour plan and add this place to the top list of must-visit locations in Sapa.

Best time to visit

Because the market does not open all day, you should visit the market soon to ensure there are still products for you to buy. Moreover, do not get there too soon because the stalls have not been prepared yet! The best to get there is from 7:00 to 9:00 because this is the peak hour when the market is bustling. And you can still enjoy the vibrant vibe here.

• Contact us via Sun Getaways Facebook or call via the hotline at +84 974.381.597 to get the best schedule for your Sapa tour. Follow these posts to get more information:

Top things to do in Bac Ha Sunday Market

Explore Bac Ha Market

Known as one of the biggest markets in Northern Vietnam, the market possesses a valuable Bac Ha Market culture of Northern ethnicities. The market sells so many products made by local ethnic groups.

The market is divided into various sections such as brocade market, food market, horse market, etc. You can find and purchase colorful textiles, clothing, handicrafts, and livestock here. Moreover, this market is also present for being a cultural exchange spot among the ethnic groups.

Try local delicacies

If you visit this market area, do not miss the chance to taste local specialties here, especially Thang Co. Thang Co is known as a unique dish in Sapa. This delicacy is made from horse meat or buffalo meat mixed with different flavors from herbs. You can easily catch more than 20 stalls offering this kind of dish at the market.

Besides, you can also try Ban Pho corn wine or Bac Ha corn wine. They are the favorite drinks of the local ethnic groups here.

Experience local festivals

Most importantly, in case you visit Bac Ha in summer, there are a variety of festivals for you to experience. For example, the Horse Racing Festival is famous in Bac Ha in the summer. This festival is often celebrated in June and it attracts a large number of not only locals but also foreign visitors coming to watch.

Besides, there is the Bac Ha Temple Festival in July for you to discover the holy culture in Sapa. This is the ideal event for people to gain more knowledge about the religion and cultural features here.

Additionally, between January and February, if you are lucky enough, you will have an opportunity to Say San Festival (2nd – 6th of January following the lunar calendar), and Ruoc Dat Ruoc Nuoc Festival (15th of January). Everyone will wear colorful traditional costumes, dancing, singing, and drinking happily to welcome a new year and wish for an abundant season.

Visit nearby ethnic minority markets

In addition, you can spend time visiting other markets in Sapa. You can come and experience Coc Ly Market, and Can Cau Market. Although these markets are not as large as Bac Ha Market, they still bring the simple, local, and traditional vibe of locals settling in Sapa.

Hike on mountain trails with stunning views

As we mentioned before, on the way to this market from Sapa, you will pass by some famous spots. One of them is Ham Rong Mountain. This mountain is one of the most well-known spots for hiking and trekking here.

Hence, you can try conquering this mountain, get to the top of it, and enjoy the natural panoramic scenery as well as visit friendly ethnic minority villages nestled next to the mountains.

Where to stay in Bac Ha Market?

If you visit Bac Ha once or twice, you will realize there are many homestays allowing tourists to stay and experience the local life in Sapa. You can refer to the below homestays and choose one of them for your trip.

• Nobita Homestay: You can get to this homestay at 51 Dinh Thang Street, Bac Ha Town, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai. This accommodation offers you the most convenient service including free wifi networks, ACs, and a green garden.
• Bac Ha Eco Homestay: Located in Nam Cay Village, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai, this place is completely suitable for backpackers when their rooms and services are affordable. They also offer free wifi and allow pets to stay with their owners.
• Cho Family Homestay: The homestay is situated in Phec Bung Village, Ban Pho Ward, Bac Ha District, Lao Cai. People often choose this place to wait for the Horse Race Festival every year. Moreover, this homestay also offers a private car hiring service.

Travel tips

Here are some quick tips when making a Bac Ha Market tour:

• If you dislike crowds, you should go early, from 6-7 am. There are not many people at this time.
• It will be a better selection for you to hire a private car or motorbike n in Sapa or book a group tour for transportation.
• Remember to bargain prices down and do not pay the initial quote. Locals expect haggling.
• You should withdraw cash in Sapa as there are no ATMs in Bac Ha town.
• Do not forget to ask permission before photographing vendors and tip 5,000-10,000 dong!

Find more about tips to Sapa:

• Sapa in September – Climates and Top Tourist Attraction List
• Sapa Vietnam in November: A Romantic Song of Seasonal Change
• Sapa Vietnam in March and Top Things to Do in Sapa

Conclusion

In conclusion, Sun Getaways Travel has just given you all the details about Bac Ha Market. We hope that this article can give you a hand in preparing for your Sapa tours.