Bordering
with Chinese Yunnan Procince, Muong Khuong is a district of
Lao Cai Province which is home to a diversity of ethnic minority
groups including H’mong, Zao, Nung, Pa Zi and Tu Zi.
Located at the center of the township, Muong Khuong Market,
the most important market of the local ethnic peoples takes
place on every Sunday, is always crowded with some thousands
minority people from early morning. The H’mong and the
Zao peoples, especially women are always wear their best colorful
traditional costume and take the largest number. The Tu Zi
and Pazi are of minor number but their traditional costume
are of special model with dark color and high top hats. There
are also many ethnic minority people come from the other side
of the border, who often bring cheap Chinese made commodity
to add to the variety of goods for sales at the market. Beside
a collection of most popular commodity such as clothes, vegetable,
food, farming tools, animals… which can be found in
other market in the regions, some local specialties can be
found at Muong Khuong Market including resin, incense made
from tree bark, and medicinal herb for treatment together
with acupuncture. Our one day trip to Muong Khuong from Sapa
or from Lao Cai for those clients taking Saturday night train
from Hanoi offers not only a chance to join the ethnic locals
at this impressive market but also many opportunities to pay
visiting to near by villages and admiring stunning scenery
around the region.
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Muong
Khuong is 50km from Lao Cai, 1.5 hour to drive and 87km from
Sapa, which takes approximately 2.5 hours. |
