Xin chao!: BAC HA – Hill tribe market of White plateau

Content includes:

A/ Overview and General infomation

B/ Bac Ha market

C/ Hoang A Tuong palace

D/ Ta Chai village

E/ Chiu Cai village

F/ Na Ho village and Bac Ha tea

G/ Ban Pho village

H/ Where to stay in Bac Ha

I/ Food and Drink

J/ Getting there

A/ Overview and General infomation

Overview

White, red, green, black, blue... Bac Ha is a world of colours!

In spring, visit the plum gardens, you will float on the white carpet made of flowers. In the past, when plum trees were everywhere, Bac Ha was well-known as a “White plateau”.

Around the year, every Sunday is a fascinating day of Bac Ha. From early morning to noon, the 14 ethnic minority groups with their own traditional dress, gathered at Bac Ha with plenty of goods and make it one of the most colourful markets of Vietnam Northwest. It’s the main attraction drawing both local and foreign tourists.

Is that all? Should you just take 1-day Bac Ha market tour offered by tour operators/agencies in Sapa or Hanoi? Well, I love the peaceful, quiet Bac Ha town where I visited some sorrounding villages with very friendly ethnic minority people, especially children.

And let give yourself time to slowly walk into the past at palace of Hoang ATuong – the Mong ethnic group’s king.

If you are a solo traveller who love driving motorbike on the mountianous areas, so don’t miss the way from Bac Ha to Ha Giang city – the gateway to Dong Van karst plateau global geopark...

General infomation of Bac Ha town

Location: Bac Ha town of Bac ha dictrist is 66km from Lao Cai city. To the East, it shares border with Sin Man district of Ha Giang province. Many solo travellers drive motorbikes from Bac Ha to Ha Giang city, then Dong Van karst plateau global geopark.

Weather: Located at an altitude of 900 - 1200m above sea level, Bac Ha town has a temperate climate for most of the time of the year with an avearage temperature of 25 – 28oC. In winter, its quite cold in early morning and evening, so make sure to bring woollies.

The town: Home to 14 ethnic minority groups, this small town is quiet and goes to sleep quite early. With a radius of 15km from the town center, there are many villages of Mong, Tay, Nung ethnic people

You should have some VND cash when visit the town.

Main sightseeing spots and historical sites: Bac Ha Sunday market, Hoang A Tuong palace, plum garden, Ban Pho village of Mong people...

Speciality: Ban Pho corn wine, Tam Hoa plum, mountain chicken, “Lon cap nach” – Black pig raised in natural enviroment with small/medium size...

B/ Bac Ha market

It opens every Sunday on a vast area and is compartmentalized with many sections such as: fruit, vegetables, clothes, shoes, animal (buffalo, pig, chicken, dog..), food and drink...

The 14 ethnic minority groups' people come to the market not only for buying, selling but also for meeting, talking, drinking, eating... It should be called a colourful and happy fair.

Time: every Sunday from early morning till noon.

The ocean of colours woven by headscarf, clothing and smiles

Whole family comes to the market. Kids are on the back of the mothers.

Sometimes the mother/father enjoys noodle soup while their kids enjoy ice cream

I even saw a very young mother, guessed about 15 years old, enjoyed iced cream when feeding her baby!

Buying knives

Incense sticks

Most ethnic minority people love spicy

Time to cut hair

Selling corn wine

And pork meat

Enjoy noodle soup in the market with a drink. Sometimes the man/husband gets drunk and the woman/wife are pleased to wait until he becomes sober. Some are taken home on the back of the horse! Once a week, its OK...

Young and old. Cold and ice cream. 5 years ago I visited the market in early morning, it was so cold and the local people enjoyed ice cream

Purple stick rice. Love it.

"Men men" - steamed corn powder

Time for shopping

The fascinating buffalo section of the market was held on an open muddy field

Pics: vietnamguidebook

C/ Hoang A Tuong palace

Location: about 1km from Bac Ha market

The palace was built in 1914 and completed in 1921 by Hoang Yen Chao, a Tay ethnic minority man, and the father of Hoang A Tuong.

During his reign from 1905 to 1953, with the protection of France, Hoang yen Chao owned much of the fertile land in this present-day Bac Ha area, and had the full right to exploit the surrounding forests and native products.He established a tax regime that required all local people to pay tax on products that they grew or made. He also had a monopoly on the sale of salt, drug, food and other consumer goods considered essential necessities in the region. Based on the economic strength, in 1914 he decided to build this palace to represent his wealth and power.

In order to prepare for the construction of this palace, Hoang Yen Chao had to plan very carefully. Firstly he consulted with Chinese Fengshui experts to find the best location. The site was selected according to Fengshui theory of location. It was built on a large hill, facing the Southeast, protected on both sides by mountains. The front of the palace has a spring and faces the mountain named "Mother is holding her baby".

Architecture was built with the combined style of Asia - Europe by two architects, one French and one Chinese.

Stepping up to the palace are a few stairs from the two sides, then to the waiting room, then opening into a wide courtyard which was often used to organise ceremony and dance. Opposite is the main 420m2 house with two floors. The central room of the main house was used for meeting and ruling.

To the left and right of the main house are two lower houses which were used for living of Hoang Yen Chao's 3 wives, Hoang A Tuong's two wives and Hoang Yen Chao's adviser...

There were also wareroom and simple houses for soldiers and servants.

The total area is 10,000 square meter.

(Source: Hoang A Tuong palace)

The Chinese writings: one the left is "Glorious family" and on the right is "eternal spring"

Hoang Yen Chao, father of Hoang A Tuong

Pics: vietnamguidebook

D/ Ta Chai village

This village of Tay ethnic minority people is just about 3km from center of the town and about over 1km from Hoang A Tuong palace.

The Tay people here dress like the Viet (King) people. Their houses are simple but full of orange colour - the colour of corn.

They are friendly, especially the children are very lovely. For sure you will have a big welcome

At the front of the village, on the left hand is a hill where some colourful Mong ethnic minority people cultivate rice. In harvest season which fall into September, climb up to top of the hill and you will have great nice photos

Pics: vietnamguidebook

E/ Chiu Cai village

Some 5km from Bac Ha town is Chiu Cai village of Fula ethnic minority people.

Most of them are famers cultivating rice, corn, plum fruit...

Their houses are simple and mostly made of earth

In January or February, the plum flowers blooming making it a white carpet drawing a great number of visitors. The season of plum fruit is in April or May. The fruit give sweet and a little bit sour taste.

Fu La's men clothing

Rice fields and plum gardens

Beautiful surrounding mountains

Fu La' house

Plum gardens. In January, its a white world

Rice harvest season

Plum gardens and flowers

Pics: vietnamguidebook

F/ Na Ho village and Bac Ha tea

Some 4km from Bac Ha town is Na Ho village of Tay people. Beautiful surroundings with mountains, houses and green colour of pine trees and tea.

The village

Na Ho bridge

Tay people's houses full of corn

Climb up to the hill, there are some green tea trees

Pics: vietnamguidebook

F/ Ban Pho village

This village of Mong ethnic minority people is about 2km from Bac Ha town. It has the low terraced rice fields surrounding by green mountains.

Ban Pho is famous in Bac Ha thanks to its corn wine that is sold in Bac Ha market.

Pics: vietnamguidebook

G/ Where to stay in Bac Ha

There are many standard hotels and guesthouses near Bac Ha market.

Pay 200,000VND (10USD), you will have a private nice room with hot shower, fan, Tivi.

With 250,000VND up, your hotel has hot and cold air-condition

The research was done in the middle of September 2012.

Please note that the room rate will be increased during weekend and holiday

1/ (My stay) Ngan Nga Bac Ha hotel

Address: 115 - 117 Ngoc Uyen street, Bac Ha town (some steps to Bac Ha market)

Tel: 0203 880 286 - 0973 550 222 - 0913 346 875

Fax: 0203 780 268

Room rate: 200,000VND up (10USD)

Overview: A small hotel with great location, nice, clean and big room with hot shower, Tivi, fan. Friendly

Bonus: Restaurant with delicious food at reasonable price. Should order in advance. Free hot green tea

Pictures:

Pics: Vietnamguidebook

2/ (My pick) Ngan Nga hotel

Address: 133 Ngoc Uyen street, Bac Ha town

Tel: 0203 880 251 - 0982 048 322

Fax: 0203 880 642
Email: info@nganngabacha.com

Website: www.nganngabacha.com

Room rate: 250,000VND (12USD)

Overview: Big hotel with large, clean and nice room, hot shower, LCD Tivi. Free internet access

Pictures:

Pics: vietnamguidebook

3/ Sunday hotel

Address: 01 Vu Cong Mat street, Bac Ha town (some hundred meters from Ngan Nga hotel)

Tel: 0904 646 955 - 0903 481 747

Fax: 0203 880 350

Website: www.sundayhotel.vn

Room rate: 280,000VND up (14USD)

Overview: This large hotel has basic clean and nice rooms with hot shower, hot & cold air-condition. Free Internet access

Pictures:

Pics: vietnamguidebook

4/ Hoang Vu hotel

Address: Nga 5, Bac Ha town

Tel: 0203 880 264 - 0915 491 106

Email: hoangvutours@hotmail.com

Room rate: 200,000VND (10USD)

Overview: This small hotel is getting old. Rooms are large but basic with hot shower, Tivi

Pictures:

Pics: vietnamguidebook

5/(My pick) Congfu hotel

Address: 152 Ngoc Uyen street, Bac Ha town

Tel: 0203 880 254 - 0979 803 642

Fax: 0203 880 893
Email: info@congfuhotel.com

Website: www.congfuhotel.com

Room rate: 250,000VND up (12USD)

Overview: This hotel have basic nice rooms with hot & cold air-condition, Tivi, hot shower & bathtub, free Internet access. Some steps to ATM and Agriculture bank

Pictures:

Pics: vietnamguidebook

6/ Sao Mai hotel

Address: Bac Ha town (about 4km to Ban Pho village)

Tel: 0203 880 288 - 0912 060 862

Fax: 0203 780 352
Email: saomaibh@gmail.com

Website: www.saomaibachahotel.com

Room rate: 20USD up (with breakfast)

Overview: Bac Ha largest 2-star hotel, nice and big room with hot & cold air-condition, hot shower with bathtub, free wifi...

Pictures:

Pics: vietnamguidebook

H/ Food and Drink

Pics: vietnamguidebook

I/ Getting there

Sapa - Lao Cai

There are many local buses waiting around the Sapa church in morning about 7:00AM leaving for Lao Cai city

Travel time: about 1hour

Price: 50,000VND

Lao Cai - Bac Ha

There are some buses leaving Lao Cai bus station for Bac Ha town at 9:00AM. The bus often drives around Lao Cai city to receive more guests and goods, sometimes it takes about 45 minutes to move out of the city. Bus arrives in Bac Ha market, Bac Ha town about 11:30AM

Travel distance: 66km

Departure: 9:00AM (From Lao Cai bus station); 1:00PM (From Bac Ha town, in front of Bac Ha market)

Price: 50,000VND

Tel for booking: 01699 345 787

Note: Lao Cai bus station is just about 500m from train station

Lao Cai bus station