Sunday Market, Bac Ha, Vietnam

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Sunday is market day in Bac Ha. This is one of the most interesting local markets in Vietnam, the occasion for the various local ethnies to gather to exchange the latest news, gossip, shop, and eat and drink together. It is visibly a festive event for all.

The Flower Hmong people come here from the whole region, many of them on foot from villages as far as 20 kilometers away. Although there are several ethnies at the market, the Flower Hmong women stand apart with their vibrant dress. They wear a number of skirts and underskirts all made with very colorful fabric. Their tops are embroided, often with flower motifs, and their heads are covered with elaborately shaped and balanced scarfs. Because of the cold in this winter season, they were wearing more layers than usual.

I loved to walk around the market grounds, surrounded in a sea of color. In today’s world where everyone is quickly becoming identical to the others, it is refreshing to see this untouched tradition.

Bac Ha Sunday Market, Bac Ha, Vietnam

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