Memorable adventure to Bac Ha market, Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi in Ha Giang
My special adventure travel to Bac Ha market- Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi districts- Ha Giang province.
It is my adventure blood of travelling to new & beautiful destinations – off-the-beaten track, lesser known to tourists and untouched with natural landscapes & interesting local cultures.Having a lot heard about the great landscapes and its hard roads on the route Bac Ha market to Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi districts and also working as a sale executive of a travel company, I got a lot of our customers’ requests & questions about this tour route, I decided to run out of the air-con office and made my real 4 day adventure travel to Bac Ha market (Lao Cai province), Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi districts ( Ha Giang province) last week to see how nice & hard this travel route is.In fact, it is a great adventure I have done with awesome travel experiences and would like to share you my day-after-day itinerary in this blog : landscapes, roads & local cultures.
Hoang Su Phi rice terraces
Day 1 : Hanoi transfer to Bac Ha market in the morning & drive to Xin Man.Homestay in a local famiy.
It was a nice Sunday and I got my driver pick-up early in the morning at 5h00 a.m for a long journey of 5.5 hours to reach Bac Ha market following Noi Bai- Lao Cai highway.Bac Ha market is the biggest market in the Northern Mountain Vietnam, where gather many local ethnics with produces coming to exchange, to meet and to have fun with eachother.We arrived at 10h45 when this market was in full operation with many local tribes, happy in their colourful traditional dresses selling,buying, eating, drinking and chattiing in their own languages.We took a walk around the market: food area with wonderful smell of local dishes, basket & farming tool sections, clothes & jewlery store and open area for buffaloes, cows & pigs- really amazing with those scenes and beautiful photos to share you bellow.
Bac Ha market
Flower Hmong
Market colors
Nice dress of ethnics
Buffalo section
Notes :
- If you have time, you can visit Sapa 1-2 day with trekking to visit local villages and continue your journey to Bac Ha market.
- In Bac Ha region, you can spend 1-2 nights with trekking to visit some local villages of Red Dzao, Black Hmong, visit Hmong King’s palace, try famous corn wine made by H’Mong in Pho village.
- The best moment to see the market in its full play is to arrive between 9h00 am and 11h00 am and leave before the crowds of tourists arrive on the buses.Please, read about Bac Ha market….
- You may need to rent a car to Sapa & Bac Ha market, please, view this https://goldenholidaytravel.com/car-hire-to-sapa-and-bac-ha-market.new or Sapa Bac Ha package tour
- Take notes of cultural differences to avoid when you visit tribal village in mountainous areas https://goldenholidaytravel.com/must-know-taboos-of-local-ethnic-villages-in-sapa.new
The sign stating right to Lung Cai & Xin Man
Stay in this colourful market till 11h40, we had a quick lunch in a local restaurant in Bac Ha town, right on the the gate of market and continued our expedition to Xin Man district.From Bac Ha town, we travelled up on the road to Si Ma Cai market till Lung Phin market where are with traffic sign at T-junction ( 19km far way from Si Ma Cai & 7km from Lung Cai), we turned right on the route to Lung Cai & head to Coc Pai town in Sin Man district.The length of this road is about 18km without traffic at all but 12km of uneven, small, curving, upping & bumpy roads dotted with some landslides along the journey which may give you the sense of unsafety, danger & adventure with nice view of high mountains, deep valleys & stunning waterfalls along.Due to bad road, it took us 2 hours to run over 18km to reach Coc Pai town – the center town of Xin Man district.
Road Bac Ha to Xin Man
Notes :
- This is the shortest way to reach Xin Man district from Bac Ha region and there are no public buses connecting Bac Ha and Xin Man district due to this bad road & not much local demands for transfer. For locals, they use motorbike to approach Xin Man.When you do your own adventure, you can take the local bus from Bac Ha town to that T-junction, then take motorbike taxi to Coc Pai town ( cost around 15-20usd).In Coc Pai town, there are few daily local buses to Ha Giang so you can easily go on with your journey to other destinations.In Coc Pai town, you can rent a motorbike to travel around.
- Places to visit in Xin Man : Thac Tien waterfall, Nam Dan anicent stones, beautiful rice terraces & homestay with local ethnics in Nam Dan, Khuon Lung & Nan Ma communes – adventure travel to Bac Ha market, Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi districts of Ha Giang province
Ancient Stone in Nam Dan
For us, we arrived in Coc Pai town and drove 20km to Gio forest for a wonderful exploration of Thac Tien waterfall – one of the most famous & beautiful waterfall in the region.Please, have some photos viewed below.
Thac Tien waterfall
Thac Tien waterfall2
That night, in stead of staying in Coc Pai hotel, we selected homestaying with Tay family in Khuon Lung commune, Xin Man district (Tho homestay +84.1674535268).This is a traditional house on stilts, located in a very rural & peaceful Na Rang village, the host can speak some English so it will be convenient for foreign travellers staying in his home.
We ordered dinner of local dishes cooked by the host, drank local rice wine and chatted with him about his region & local culture of Tay ethnics.Spend the first night of the trip in Khuon Lung, Xin Man.
Homestay with local family
Day 2: Xin Man exploration of local villages.Overnight in Ban Luoc village – Hoang Su Phi district.
With a really good night, we woke up early & healthy to breathe the fresh air of mountains,rice terraces & villages.After breakfast, I chose to do a light trek along stream for wonderful landscapes of local rice terraced fields, dotted local houses on stilts and a stunning local waterfall.Following this scenic trek, we drove to Vinh Quang town – the main town of Hoang Su Phi district and had a quick lunch there.
Vinh Quang town
Near Vinh Quang town ( 11km away) is Luoc village in 20 minute drive up & up to the mountains and on winding road till the government headquater of Ban Luoc commune, we sent our car there and made our adventure trek along the dirt trails of 5.5km to reach Ban Luoc village – the living place of Dzao enthics with their rice terraces recognized as the national heritage by the Ministry of Sport, Culture & Tourism in 2012.The buffalo trails on a rainy day, but not so slippery and locals travel by motorbike daily to reach the town.We trekked,stopped for photos of rice terraces and reached our homestay in 1,5 hour later.Tourism is new to this village, that is why there are only two homestays available for tourists. New to tourism but local family got training about travel services so their services on offer are very good and well-taken care.
Lanscapes in Ban Luoc
The homestay we spent the night is Canh homestay.The host is a local government officer who tries his best to improve his villagers’living standards basing on community-based tourism development.We had dinner, drank and discussed about the tourism potentials in Hoang Su Phi & good ways to develop sustainable tourism growth comparing with other places in Vietnam.We hope for our mutual cooperation (I help advertising his village to foreign visitors travelling to Vietnam, who would like to experience local cultures & exoticly off-beaten path destinations; he helps us to take care of tourists travelling to his region……) in the time to come.
Wedding Party in Luoc village
The food was really good & interesting with our going-on stories till 9h30p.m, then we were invited to attend a local wedding ceremorny of Dzao people in the village.Here I met almost all villagers in their beautiful traditional dresses coming to cheer the new couple & their families.The guests garthered on the second floor of the house on stilts ( huge one) with different party corners happily drinking wines, talking and witnessing the wedding rituals in local language ( which taking places whole night till the next day’s afternoon).
I was invited to join a party drinking, eating & winessing the wedding rituals which are absolutely different from my Viet culture.I was so impressed by this wedding cultures and this warm-hearted family that I stayed there till 1h00 am and a little bit drunk to be fell asleep at once at homestay.
Day 3. Morning trekking adventure to explore Ban Luoc village.Afternoon, transfer to Thong Nguyen commune with trek to visit local villages.Homestay in local home of ethnic group.
A quite & nice morning with the peaceful sounds of nearby waterfall, the sky is high & clear – which promise a nice day adventure for me ! I got up early to reply our customers’s email request , walked for morning exercises passing by local kindergarden & primary school. Down is the stunning valleys of yellow rice stepped fields and streams, far to the other sides are high mountains with white clouds flying around- so peaceful & beautiful landscapes.
Trekking in Luoc village
Back to homestay, I got a light breakfast, said good bye with the friendly host & his family and started with my exploration of Ban Luoc village with adventure trek up to the top of mountains – more impressive captivation of multi-layered rice terraces, viewing more daily life of local Dzao and contemplating a really nice waterfall in the region.After 3 hour trek on the dirt trails up & down the mountains, I met my driver at the local government committee and transferred to Vinh Quang town for lunch.
Our next destination is Thong Nguyen commune (in Hoang Su Phi district) – the place of nice rice terraces & waterfall as well – 20km far from Vinh Quang town.Upon arrival, I got a local guide along and did a short trek of 2 hours to Nam Hong village – a small village in the mountainside, where I got chances to meet local Red Dzao ethnics & enjoy the stunning landscapes of rice terraces on the mountains & valleys
Waterfall in Suou Thau
Check in my bed at a homestay Nam Hong 1 and prepare to enjoy the dinner of local dishes & some wine with a friendly local host.In this village,if travellers love to enjoy the performances of traditional dances & songs by locals,they can order with the local host.It is nice to enjoy this in a remote village,ones will immerse themselves in the melody and culture of Red Dao people.After a full day of trekking, I relaxed and went to bed early.
Day 4.Trek till noon,have a lunch in Pan Hoo village resort and transfer back to Hanoi.
Early wake-up by the village’snoice of rouster & cows and really healthy to enjoy peaceful atmosphere in the village.I had 2 hour trek to the villages of Man Ta Pan & Long Tunic Dzao, interacting with them & children along the trekking journey.
Meet my driver and drive to Pan Hoo village bungalow for lunch.After a delicious lunch, we took a long drive of 8 hours back to Hanoi with scenic views of high mountains & deep valleys along the journey !
Thong Nguyen rice terraces- Hoang Su Phi
Notes :
- In Hoang Su Phi district, there are 6 different communes of breathtaking rice terraces recognized as the national heritage in 2012 such as Ban Luoc commune, San Sa Ho commune, Ban Phung commune, Hồ Thầu commune, Náºm Ty commune và Thông Nguyên commune.Those are typically beautful rice terraces of hundreds of years created for farming by the hard work of La Chi, Dzao, Ninh, Hmong… in Ha Giang, Vietnam.
- Beside admiring the beauty of rice terraces, travellers can explore the authentic cultures of local ethnics living in remote villages or taking part in weekly local markets in Hoang Su Phi or Xin Man areas ( smaller in scale but more local authentic than Bac Ha market in Lao Cai)
- It is nice to take part in long or short treks to visit local villages, homestay in their home & try their local foods & corn wine.
- Chances to admire many beautiful waterfalls in the region.
- Hard trek to conquer Tay Con Linh mountain (2427m) or Chieu Lau Thi mount ( 2402m) if you love adventure trek.
- The ideal time of the year to visit the rice terraces is between late May & early June ( falling-water time for start a new crop) and between late September & early October ( the time when the rice turn from green to yellow).The months of October till April, the weather is cooler & cold and not big rainfalls so it is safer than the months of May till September when it is constantly with big rains resulted in landslides blocking the roads & dangers.
Travel Bac Ha – Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi with Golden Holiday Travel
We have just shared about our adventure travel to Bac Ha market (in Lao Cai) & Xin Man- Hoang Su Phi districts ( Ha Giang province): landscapes,roads & local cultures.We hope that it will be a good reference for your planning a journey connecting Bac Ha region with the western districts (Xin Man & Hoang Su Phi) or further to Dong Van, Meo Vac dostricts in Ha Giang province.In need of the same travel experiences or you would like to explore those destinations with travel packages or car rental to Hoang Su Phi…., feel free to contact us with your travel request to [email protected] ,or viber us at +84.988 45 15 30 ( SMS, whatsapp), our travel experts will soon reply you back with useful consultancy & plan you a trip of memorable experiences. We are pleased to see you in Vietnam and explore those exotic destinations!
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