Muong Hum

Muong Hum is a large and important market in the northwest region of Lao Cai Province. Very different from Bac Ha and Sapa market which lye inside the district townships, Muong Hum Market is set on open flat land at the bottom of a large and scenic valley by a small river and surrounded by terraced rice paddies. It is often empty and quiet on the other weekday, waken up and busy on Sunday. This market is well-known as one of the most interesting Sunday market in Lao Cai province and possibly a good alternative trip to Bac Ha market for visitors thanks to the very large variety of the ethnic minority peoples to attend and quite easy to be distinguished through their traditional clothes. The flower H’mong wear thick embroidered yellow and red skirts and blouses while the Red H’mong prefer thinner red embroidered patterns on light batik background; In contrast, the Black H’mong in dark indigo with just some decorative motive at the end of the shirt sleeves and round the neck. Red Zao and Zao Tuyen wear black trousers and shirts with fine yellow embroidery motifs and pay much attention to the decoration to their headgears including silver chains and bells. There are also many Zay, Tay and Ha Nhi people joining the market who wear less colorful clothes but no less beautiful.

* The road trip to Muong Hum takes 2.5 hours from Sapa(75km) and 1.5 hour from Lao Cai although the distant is only 42km due to tough road.