bac ha, vietnam

We depart from Sapa at 0700 and as our mini bus wheels down the mountain, the temperature becomes warmer. It takes about two hours and a half to reach the Bac Ha market.

Bac Ha market is the meeting place of the people on Sunday. Where people are selling, there are people buying. On the upper part of the market where you have to climb a case of upright stairs on the right, people are selling animals like chicken, pig and cow.

Bac Ha market is a display of colours. Everywhere you turn, the array of hues delighted your eyes.

The feast of colours comes from the ethnic clothings worn by the ethnic people strolling the market, purchasing daily things like fruits, vegetables and daily needs like brooms, pails, nails, etc.

One thing that taints the lovely market though, would be some local spitting on the ground directly even in front of people eating. Thus, must be careful when treading the ground.

Along the walk way there will be ethnic women persuading travellers to buy their merchandise. If you don’t want, they will just walk away and leave you alone.

Here’s a lovely lady selling fresh chillies with options of dried chillies, chilli sauce and chilli powder.

The market sells a range of decorative items, from colourful bags, clothings, hats, scarves, little souvenirs to fruits, vegetables, rice, daily needs and animals.

There are also some delicacies that you might be tempted to try. We try some fried ‘rice cake’ and buy some persimmons, oranges and peanuts with the help of our guide.

The ethnic people at the market don’t mind you taking their photographs as they are used to it.

Young or old, the women are dressed in their colourful ethnic costumes. It is definitely the heaven for enthusiastic photographers.

The persimmon tree seen here is planted in a house yard.

Above is one of the spectacular postcard scenery taken at a village.

We even come across some ‘cherry blossom’ trees. Too bad, they are not in full bloom. We only spot some tiny, white flowers.

Perhaps this is the local ‘raspberry’?

The condition in a house with an earthen floor at the village where one can see dried corns stored at the upper part of the house. Chicken and little chicks live in the house too.

We end our day with a boat cruise along the river. We have to walk for quite a length of road before reaching the river as the mini bus cannot travel through the bad, uneven road.

Along the way, we pass a paddy field and some houses. There will be some interesting things to discover if the walk is not rushing.