Coc Ly Market - Tue

Coc Ly a is a medium sized minority peoples market where every Tuesday the tribes from the surrounding villages come to buy and sell goods and meet friends. You will find Flower Hmong (Red Hmong), Black Dao, Nung, Giay and Tay peoples in attendance and the goods on offer range from local fruit and vegetables to livestock, handicrafts and clothes.

The market starts around 7am and closes in the early afternoon. A typical itinerary for a day at Coc Ly would be something along the lines of:

• Drive to Coc Ly (95 km / 1h 45m from Sapa, or 60 km / 1 hour from Lao Cai).
• Enjoy your time at the market, walk around, bargain and take in the sights and sounds of local life.
• After exploring the market take a short drive to the Chay river.  Sail down the gently flowing waters, lined by corn and vegetable fields,  passing beautiful villages, impressive waterfalls, gorges and caves as you journey downriver.
• Stop halfway down the river to visit Trung Do, a village of the Tay minority people.  Take time to explore the farms where they grow exotic chillis and jack fruit.
• Sail a further 15 minutes down stream to Bao Nhai village and have a late lunch in a local restaurant.
• After lunch drive back to Sapa or Lao Cai.