There is no noise, no scramble or rush but plain and rustic atmosphere at Cao Son Market. That’s the reason why Cao Son is one of the markets in Muong Khuong which can still keep their unique features, set up their owns’ labels, and gradually become an attractive tourist site for visitors fond of investigating and experiencing.
Visiting Cao Son market, you will have opportunities to exchange, communicate and broaden your knowledge about the daily life of local people from four biggest villages of Muong Khuong district.
Cao Son Fair is organized by Mong, Phu La, Dao and Black Han people – four biggest villages here – in every Wednesday.
You can visit Cao Son by several different ways. However, if you want to travel by waterway and integrate yourselves into the romantic and charming natural beauty: sky is above, water flows below and greenish and glorious Northwest mountains is surround, you can book for a boat tour on Chay river from Bao Nhai to Cao Son.
From Lao Cai City, along 4D route, you will arrive Phong Nien commune, Bao Thang district, Lao Cai province. Continue going along 153 road, you reach the boatyard near Bao Nhai bridge. And from the boatyard travel on boat upstream about 31km, you approach the destination.
Things to Do and see
In the fair, right in early morning, , you can catch people either in groups, couples or single from different tribal villages flock to the market. Some carry products in their shoulder baskets, some let their horses carry the goods, some just drive their motorbike or ride their bike to the market.
During this time, Cao Son Market seems to be even more allured due to its hustle and bustle life of people here and also its captivating natural beauty. In the vast space of mountains, people seem to be carefree of their work and feel free to buy, sell, bargain and exchange their goods to one another. Some buy rice, some buy brocade fabric, some buy vegetables, some enjoy the highland specialties, etc.
What to buy
Similar to many other fair such as Bac Ha, Coc Ly and Can Cau, Cao Son Market is also divided into many smaller areas. Goods that represent mountainous features such as vegetables, herbs, shiitakes, fungus, honey, corn alcohol, upland rice, household appliances, jewelry, etc are gathered and tidily organized in one particular place.
Among the stalls, those that sell brocade fabric seem to be most outstanding because of their colorful products with exquisite patterns. These goods show the skillfulness, ranging from growing flax, making thread, weaving, dying to embroidering, of Mong, Phu La and Dao women.
What to eat
About hundreds of meters away from the trade area is place for local traditional cuisine. Visiting this area, you may be overwhelmed by the charming smell diffusing from some special dishes like sweet smell from “thang co” of Mong people – a dish made of cattle’s (such as pigs, cows, buffalos, horses) meat and viscera or the spicy and hot yeast from some kinds of ethnic alcohol such as Coc Dam and Coc Ngu corn alcohol. In that animated and allured atmosphere, it is much likely that you will take a seat and join local people enjoying their cuisine.
