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Bacha tribal bazaar, the most colourful market in Vietnam’s extreme north, is a mindblowing experience.
As much trading post as social gathering for the thousands of hilltribes who come every Sunday, the market’s dirt passages are ablaze with colourful clothing and fabrics and the air throbs with cries of piglets and puppies des¬perate to escape their bam¬boo cages.
“Bacha is the last outpost of the hilltribes in Vietnam,” says Bud, our Vietnamese guide, who’s driven us from Lao Cai through the mountains separating Vietnam and China.
“They are Hmong Hua – the Flower Hmong – who are scattered all over northern Vietnam and China,” he adds, gesturing towards a mother and teenage girl trying on new skirts.
With intricately embroidered costumes in blue, red, green and yellow, these highlanders do indeed look floral, especially when they gather in their hundreds.
I stroll eastwards to the horse market, where crowds of men are eyeing the ponies on sale, and marvel at the fullness of life and friendship. A blacksmith shoes horses for the local farmers over an open fire.
The scene is even livelier on the market’s west side where oldtimers are exchanging stories over tankards of homemade rice wine and, in the passages, women giggle over gossip by baskets of ripe, red plums and green vegetables.
Small alleys stretch towards the south where people of all ages and tribes feast on noodles, boiled meat and giblets and stalls sell puppies and piglets as well as handbags, handmade scarves and colourful skirts.

XTRA
River deep, mountain high
>> Bacha Bazaar is opens every Sunday. The best time to visit is from 10am to 2pm.
>> Vans leave from popular hill station Sapa and from Lao Cai every Sunday morning.