Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Sapa’s ethnic markets on this 2-day tour. Explore Can Cau and Bac Ha markets, meet local minority groups, and take a scenic boat trip along Chay River.
Lao Cai – Bac Ha – Can Cau – Bac Ha (Must be on Saturday)
Can Cau Market - Can Cau market is about 20 km from Bac Ha. It’s a small market, but very colourful. It opens only on Saturday. Upon your arrival here, you will be taken to stroll around and explore the market. Coming here, you will not only see different ethnic minority people in their colourful traditional dress, such as Flower Hmong, Black Zao, Phu La ethnic people, but also see a wide range of product sold by the locals.
Leaving the market, you will head to Bac Ha town to enjoy lunch there.
Following the nice lunch and a short rest, in the afternoon, you will continue the tour by walking to Ban Pho village where Nung and Flower Hmong ethnic people are living. This village is well-known for planting plum. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to observe the daily life and activities of the locals and engage in some of their typical activities. In addition, you can visit a local house and enjoy a cup of corn wine, another famous product of the village.
Bac Ha – Trung Do – boat trip on Chay river – Lao Cai (Must be on Sunday)
Bac Ha Market - continue driving to Bac Ha market, the biggest one in the area which opens only on Sunday.
On the way there, you will pass Bao Nhai bridge, and then drive uphill to enjoy stunning views over the valleys. Don’t forget to keep your camera handy to capture these scenic images.
Upon your arrival to the market, you will be taken to stroll around and explore the market. Coming here, you will not only see different ethnic minority people in their colourful traditional dress, such as Hmong, Phu La, Back Dzao, Tay or Nung minorities, but also see a wide range of homemade product sold by the locals.
After exploring the market, you will drop in a restaurant and enjoy lunch there.
Lao Cai - Following the nice lunch and a short rest, in the afternoon, you will continue the tour by driving downhill to Lao Cai. It will take you about 1 hour. En route, you will stop and take a short walk to visit Trung Do village where Tay people are living. Tay villages are often situated on the foot of a mountain or along a stream and are named after a mountain, a field, or a river. There are about 15-20 households in each village. A large village is divided into small hamlets. Their houses are often built on stilts. When exploring the village, you can stop and enter a traditional Tay house to enjoy a cup of tea. Then, you will embark on a boat to cruise upstream the Chay River. You will have the chance to enjoy beautiful scenery along the riversides. The boat trip ends at Bao Nhai bridge where a vehicle is waiting for you to transfer you back to Lao Cai. The tour ends when you arrive at your hotel.
- Cruise along the serene Chay River
- All meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Insightful English-speaking guide
- Comfort with in-vehicle air conditioning
- Cozy accommodation with breakfast
- Covered entrance fees for scheduled program
- Any services not mentioned in the program
- Drinks, other meals, TIP and personal expenses
This two-day journey provides an opportunity to visit and uncover the mysteries of two renowned traditional markets, namely Can Cau and Bac Ha, in Sapa. Partaking in this excursion allows you to witness various ethnic minority communities, such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dzao, Tay, and Nung people, engaged in market activities. Additionally, you would also have the pleasure of visiting the villages of Nung, Tay, and Flower Hmong inhabitants. Notably, a boat ride along the Chay River is also included in this tour.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
