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Bac Ha

Pictures by QT Luong

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Bac Ha has one of the most interesting ethnic markets in Vietnam and possibly everywhere in South East Asia: " Sunday is market day in Bac Ha, which is the occasion for the various local ethnies to gather in huge crowds to exchange the last news, gossip, shop, and eat a copious lunch. It was visibly a festive event. I was surrounded in a sea of color, and had the feeling to be on a movie set. Everyone seemed excited. A few men rode small horses. Those fortunate enough to be able to pay 10000 dongs (75 cents) arrived at the back of a motorcycle, sharing the ride with two other passengers. Most came on foot, from villages as far as 20 kilometers away. Even the old hunched lady was not going to miss the weekly party. Although there were several ethnies at the market, the Flower Hmong women stood apart with their vibrant dress. They wear a number of skirts and underskirts all made with very colorful fabric and some batiks. Their tops are embroided, often with flower motifs, and their heads are covered with elaborately shaped and balanced scarfs. In the rapid global uniformization of today's world, it was refreshing to see this untouched beauty in humanity..." [More: a visit to the Montagnards of Vietnam]

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Dry terraced hills and village. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Dry cultivated terraces. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Returning from the fields with the buffalo. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) In the classroom. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) School kids in colorfull everyday dress. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) School kids in colorfull everyday dress. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower Hmong schoolchildren. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower Hmong women. The Hmong ethnie is divided into four subgroups, designated using the dress pattern they wear. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Young Flower Hmong  women. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower Hmong girls. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Detail of  Flower Hmong dress. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Old and young from the surrounding hamlets hike several hours to the sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower Hmong women getting a ride on all-terrain russian-made motorbikes to the sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Colorful crowd at the sunday market, where people from the surrounding hamlets gather weekly to meet, shop and eat. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Colorful crowd at the sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Crowded market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Young Flower Hmong woman and baby. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower Hmong mother with daughters. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Women sell the colorful garnments after which the Flower Hmong are named. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Fashion shopping at the sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Flower hmong women sell colorful clothing at the market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Fabric used by the Flower Hmong to make their colorful dresses. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Pigs ready to be carried away for sale, sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Food stalls at sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color) Festing on unusual foods, sunday market. Bac Ha, Vietnam ( color)
There are 25 color pictures of Bac Ha on this page