Thursday, January 2, 2014

Tam Duong & Binh Lu Market

On the west side of Hoang Lien Son mountain range in the territory of Lai Chau Province, there are two regional market being set up in the two lush valley Binh Lu and Tam Duong. The ethnic minority peoples who are different from those in Sapa are Black Zao, Zao with coins, Red H’mong and especially the Lu and Lao, whose ancestors were believed to be originated from a tribal living in Laos. With a population as small as some four thousands inhabitants the Lu and Lao people live in some large villages including some hundred houses built on stilts near rivers and stream, cultivating wet rice, corn and beans. Every day, early morning or late in the afternoon, a large number of Red H’mong and Lu often carry their gathering from the forest including mushroom, bamboo shoot, fire wood or medicinal herbs to the market in Binh Lu township about 45km from Sapa by road.

Being set up just on the side of the main road and surrounded by steep mountains and hills covered with green tea plantation, the Tam Duong market is held on every Thursdays. It is not as big and colorful as the markets in Bac Ha and Muong Hum and crowded on some moths from September to April but is worth to spend an hour attending these 2 markets as additional activity to the Northwest trip.

* The road trip here takes about 3 hours from Lao Cai (127km) and 1 and a half hours from Sapa(90Km)