Sapa Night Market
Sapa is not only famous for its enormous and gorgeous wide range of mountain and natural landscape under the cold weather but it also attracts a large number of travelers coming to experience the colorful picture of lives of local people, which can be easily found at night market. The market has become a traditional and unique feature of ethnic minorities, which you should never miss when being at Sapa. Continue reading this article: Sapa night market to find useful information and tips for your visit to the market.
Sa Pa Night Market is often held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It is open from 4 in the afternoon until 10 pm. Although that is the official hours, most of the time it actually remains open until midnight.
The night market is on N1 Street of Sa Pa town. The location belongs to the Information Center and Tourism Promotion of Lao Cai Province. It is at the center of Sa Pa town, near Sapa bus station and really easy to find.
Sapa night market
How to get there
Walking
Sapa night market is in the center of Sapa town, so it can be easily reachable on foot. Walking to Spa night market, you will have a chance to see Sapa at night and enjoy the fresh air here.
Motorbike
A more popular way of moving around Sa Pa is to rent a motorbike. Renting a motorbike in Sapa is easy, and you are recommended to arrive at the Night Market before 8 pm to make sure you can get a parking spot. There are many parking places around the market. But if you get here too late, you might have to park quite far away. Moreover, you should pay attention to the one-way street signal to avoid being punished by the police.
Taxi
If you are not confident with getting around Sapa on foot or by motorbike, you can order a taxi to get to Sapa night market.
Things to do in Sapa Night Market
Sapa Night Market now has 34 business households selling products made by Sapa people. There are also about 80 usual hawkers from Hmong, Red Dao sells the products at the night market.
Buy local products
The first impression of every visitor to enter this night market is the colorful clothes of the sellers. Most of them are Hmong and Red Dao people who are the biggest ethnic groups in Sapa. They come to the market to sell a variety of things such as jewelry, clothing in Hmong or Red Dao style (brocade), flutes, rice wine, the remedy of the Red Dao, oil, candle wax, and honey. These products are mainly made by hand but are of high quality and at a reasonable price.
Shopping at Sapa night market
Taste street food
Sa Pa Night Market is not the only place for shopping, but also a food paradise. The market offers different delicious dishes, most of which are grilled or roasted ones. In the cold weather of Sa Pa, it is amazing to have a taste of grilled or roasted dishes. Grilled pork skewers, grilled bacon, quail eggs, chicken wings, beef stuffed cabbage rolls, sliced beef with enoki mushrooms, and salmon sausage grilled over the flaming hot charcoal are dishes you should not miss when visiting Sapa night market. Seven minor ethnicities living in Sa Pa create a mutual yet special cuisine, and Sapa night market is the place where you can experience its unique and diverse Sapa culinary culture.
Taste local street food in Sapa night market
Enjoy local cultural performances
Every Saturday night, there is a love market at Sapa night market. The love market does not like the normal market, as love is not what on sale here. A market is just a dating place for lovers. It is the place where lovers meet each other and express their affection for each other. Therefore, tourists coming here can see a lot of cultural activities of ethnic minorities such as folk games such as tug of war, performing melodies through leaf blowing, and singing love songs while dancing. The market is the place for you to truly immerse in the cultural customs of the mountainous ethnic minorities.
Travel tips
+ Opening hour: the opening hour of the market is from 16:00- 22:00, and it can be open until midnight. The market can get crowded on weekends as there are many outstanding activities and cultural exchanges during the weekend.
+ What to wear: Sapa weather is quite erratic in Sapa. It is sunny during the daytime but can get cold and rainy at night. You had better bring a light jacket and a raincoat when visiting the market
+ Taking photos with locals: taking photos of local people is not forbidden, however, you had better ask for permission in advance or buy something from the sellers to take their photos
+ Shopping at the market: Do not pay too much when buying any items here as you can ask for a cheaper price than what the seller says.
+ Your belongings: Sapa night market can be very crowded, so always remember to put your belongings in a safe place.
+ Money for children: Do not give the children at the market money as they will not go to school, continue to be at the market and ask for money.
Today, Sa Pa Night Market is modernized but it still preserves the unique atmosphere of a Northwestern Vietnam town. Coming to the market, tourists will have a chance to not only shop for the best handicrafts made by local people, taste the delicious local food, but also enjoy local cultural performances.
