Discover Coc Ly Market

Discover Coc Ly Market

The upland market is one of the factors to put up a part of the regional identity of Sapa, North Vietnam and of course, Coc Ly market is a specific market like that.

Northern Vietnam is the homeland of numerous ethnic minorities with many distinctive traditional and cultural identities. Let’s check out Coc Ly market to answer for why you should definitely travel Vietnam.

A cultural destination

Coc Ly market is located in Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province. It is held every Tuesday. Although it is not the biggest market in this region, Coc Ly market still plays an important role in ethnic minorities in the northwest of Bac Ha. This is a meeting place to exchange and trade of many local groups such as Hmong, Tay, and Nung, etc. The goods at the market are local products or imported products from China.

The scene of the bustling Coc Ly Market bending along the bank of Chay river is so poetic. No one knows why this market is named Coc Ly because its name means "the root of the plum tree" in the ethnic language.

Visiting Coc Ly market in Sapa

Visiting Coc Ly market in Sapa

People not only come to the market to trade but also to meet friends, and it is one of the unique features to make up this market reputation. It is different from the traditional markets in Red River delta. Whenever coming to the market, people feel so excited like they are at the festival.

Visiting this unique market, visitors will know more about the daily life of local people in the northwest and have the opportunity to enjoy their specialties.

How to visit Coc Ly market

From the center of Lao Cai province, you go along the National Highway 4D to come to Phong Nien commune, Bao Thang district. Then continuing along the provincial road 153, you will see Bao Nhai bridge, Bao Nhai commune, Bac Ha district. From here, catching a ferry along the Chay River about 10km, you will go to Coc Ly market.

A meeting place of the local ethnic

There are so many things to do and see when coming to Coc Ly market. The first thing you will be attracted is the colorful beauty of the traditional costumes of ethnic groups such as H'Mong, Tay, and Nung.

It is a place for people to meet each other

It is a place for people to meet each other

The H'Mong boys and girl ride on the horse's back and carry a basket on the back to put the local goods such as corn wine, wood ear mushrooms, and honey. They also bring buffaloes, cows, dogs, and horses to the market for trade.

Coming to Coc Ly, visitors will have a chance to see the ethnic costumes and hear many other ethnic languages. You can catch a sight at an H'Mong girl group in the vivid traditional dress chatting and laughing so naturally. They look so gorgeous and seem like want to show off their skirts to attract the boys. This is also the different point of Coc Ly market.

A peaceful trading scene of local people

Coc Ly market is a market of local ethnic people living in the northwest of Bac Ha district, Lao Cai province. It is the meeting place of local people next to the Chay river. Each week, the market only opens on Tuesday.

From the far distance, Coc Ly market is like a painting in a famous museum. The flow of water is running so gently under the bridge and it is surrounded by mountains and forests of Bac Ha.

For the beautiful natural scenery, the local groups of Mong, Dao, Tay, and Nung wearing their ethnic costumes mixing together and nature makes up a vivid magnificent view that attracts tourists at the first sight. It is full of pedestrians, horsemen carrying textile products, agricultural products, and cattle.

Buying brocades in Coc Ly market

Buying brocades in Coc Ly market

The market is divided into separate zones. The products are bold flavors of the forest such as vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, wood ear, honey, corn wine, unhurried rice, home appliances, jewelry, and brocade items with many colors and vivid motifs which are concentrated into a zone.

However, the most outstanding point is still cattle and poultry. There are so many kinds of cattle displayed in the market such as cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, horses, and cats. People are very busy to trade and make a deal with each other.

The area for food is quite exotic. In the restaurant, there are countless different sounds you can hear with many different tones such as the noise of the conversation, the laughing and the chattering of the chopsticks or knife. It is all the sounds of happiness so you should give your foot a vacation and sit down to enjoy the local cuisine.

The most attractive area in Coc Ly market is the customer service area. Coming to this place, you can take photos with local people or visit the "dental clinic" to make a gold tooth for a more charming mouth.

Coc Ly market is where to go in Vietnam and it is the place coloring for the diversity of Vietnam cultural identity. If you want to visit Coc Ly market, please contact us to know more details. Don't forget to like and share the article if you love the place. Thank you.