After a 15 hour sleeper bus trip from Hanoi to Lao Cai, at about 7am I met with my local contact Shu Tan, from Sapa O’Chau a socially conscious trekking service & a volunteer school. From Lao Cai we took a drive to Bac Ha which is about 2 hour away.
After doing some research I discovered that Bac Ha was less touristy compared to Sapa and would be a great place to start to get contacts and finding my way up to the mountains.
The Flower Hmong. The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand.
I met the most beautiful children on the mountain of Bac Ha, Vietnam. Many of these Hmong live in the mountain peaks, farming and with minimum basic needs. They get their water and electric source from the rivers. Some do not have proper education as there are not many schools in their area.
Can Cau market is a open air market about 20km north of Bac Ha and just 9km from the Chinese border. Generally H’mong groups from highland villages are the famous vendors or the Flower H’mong people. Their colourful dresses made a beautiful sight to us to see. The market is every Saturday and around 8 different minorities are at the market.
A Hmong selling fruit. You have to bargain the prices but they can be pretty easy with giving best prices.
A local with a baby on her back, a usual way they carry their babies on a sack tied on their backs. – Bac Ha, Vietnam
A wide range of hand made traditional fabric sold here at the Can Cau market. Prices between 200,000 to 500,000 dongs.
I found her sitting here by herself for while, after a little persuasion and many smiles, I finally got her to pose. One of my fav moments here. – Bac Ha, Vietnam
Lychee – the most popular fruit commercially sold in Bac Ha, Vietnam.
Another area in the market is the livestock and cattle trade. You will find the best cattle here according to locals.
Beautiful children of the Flower Hmong people – Bac Ha, Vietnam
At times stopping my bike to let bigger monsters to pass. The pathway isn’t bigger enough for two way traffic.
We stopped to meet some locals farming in village at Bac Ha, we had a cold breeze and friendly Hmong villages greeting us. Men and women work in the farms all day here, part of it is food and some for the weekend market.
She was really impressed with my beard. I use any reason to start a communication and get them to be comfortable for my photos.
On our way down from the mountain we stopped to buy some vegetable for dinner. Shu Tan had something special to cook for me. They sit along the mountain roads all day trying to sell their vegetables to make an earning for the day. Hmong People, Bac Ha, Vietnam
