Lung Khau Nhin Market – a small Thursday market in Bat Xat District. A place where Hmong, Dao, Pa Di, and Tay people gather to trade, meet, and share the everyday life of Vietnam’s northern highlands.

If you have visited other highland markets like Sapa, Bac Ha, or Can Cau, then Lung Khau Nhin feels quite different. It’s smaller, quieter, and hardly has any tourists. The market takes place on Thursday every week, in Bat Xat District, about 80 kilometers from Sapa near the border.

This is one of the oldest markets in the area, where the Hmong, Dao, Pa Di, and Tay people gather to trade farm produce, fabrics, and handmade items. But it’s not only about buying and selling — people also come here to meet friends, talk, and keep an old habit that has lasted for generations.

How to Get There

From the center of Sapa, you can go by private car or small group tour, which takes around two and a half to three hours.

The road is winding but the scenery is beautiful. You’ll pass mountain passes, rice terraces, and small villages with morning smoke rising from the rooftops. If you go early, you’ll see people walking down the mountain carrying their goods — all dressed in traditional clothes, holding baskets of vegetables, corn, or chickens in bamboo cages.

Tip: The road from Sapa offers beautiful mountain scenery and is best combined with short trekking routes along local villages.

It’s best to leave around 5:00 a.m. to catch the busiest time of the market, which is from 6:00 to 9:00 a.m. Around late morning, people start to pack up and head back to their villages.

Market Atmosphere

Lung Khau Nhin Market sits on a flat open area along the mountainside. Everyone lays out their goods on the ground or on a simple plastic sheet. There are no stalls or signs, but everything feels organized in its own way.

The section selling produce is the liveliest — full of corn, vegetables, bamboo shoots, honey, and different kinds of seeds. On the other side is the fabric and brocade area, where Dao and Hmong women sit sewing and chatting.

Further up is the livestock section, where men gather to look at buffaloes, cows, and horses. They don’t talk much — just look, nod, and shake hands. Everything happens quickly and naturally.

Source: Instagram – Photo by @blaiseseverine 

In the middle of the market are small food stalls serving thang co (horse stew), corn noodle soup, and warm corn wine. Anyone can sit down, eat together, and talk for a while. Locals don’t push or invite insistently; they just smile, pour you a little more wine, and return to their stories.

That simple friendliness makes the market comfortable — you can just sit and watch people passing by and still feel part of the scene.

Life Around the Market

For people in this area, the market is part of their life. They go every week, no matter if it’s sunny or rainy, near or far. Some go to sell things, others just to meet friends or exchange small necessities like salt or oil.

Children run around between stalls, while adults sit together drinking and talking. Some young couples come together — sometimes their stories begin from markets like this. In the highlands, many relationships start with a market day. If you take a moment to talk with locals, they will tell you many things — how they plant corn, weave cloth, or walk for hours just to get to the market once a week.

Travel Tips

• Best time to visit: Early morning (6–9 a.m.), when the market is most lively and the mist is still hanging over the valley. Transportation: From Sapa or Lao Cai, you can rent a private car or join a small group tour.
• What to bring: Cash, since locals don’t use card payments.
• Etiquette: Smile, say “Xin chào,” and ask before taking photos. People here are kind and will respond warmly if you’re polite.
• Extra tip: After visiting the market, you can stop by a Dao or Tay village nearby, share a meal with a local family, and stay overnight to learn more about their daily life.