What do you know about Sapa love market? Are you thinking that Sapa love market is just a market selling items related to love between men and women, or something special. Don’t doubt anymore, read the article below to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge and hurry to Sapa to discover the mysteries of this market.
1. Where is the Sapa love market located?
The love market is no longer just an empty land in front of the gate of the New Year market, but it now takes place at a fixed location. Visitors to Sapa visit the love market at the square in front of the Stone Church. This is also the central location for the vibrant cultural activities of Sapa town during festivals.
>>>Read more: Guide to visiting the Sapa love market
2. What is special about the Sapa love market?
The Sapa love market has a very special point hidden in its name, which is that it can be considered a market but not really a market. When you think of a market, you imagine buyers and sellers, but at the Sapa love market in the past, you wouldn’t see anyone selling or buying. Simply put, this is a meeting place for young men and women from Dao and Hmong ethnic groups.
As one of the unique cultural beauties of ethnic people, these markets have a unique charm that you won’t find elsewhere, mainly for young men and women to find their life partners.
It may sound funny, but the tradition of “wife catching” is quite common here, and in recent years, it seems to be more optimistic as the tradition is carried out with the consent of the girls. In fact, before the love market in Sapa, it only took place once a year, but now it is more frequent, meaning it happens on a fixed day of the week, giving you more opportunities to experience this highland culture.
3. When does the Sapa love market take place?
The market is held every week on Sunday morning. So, when does the Sapa love market take place? It is on the night before each market, meaning Saturday night. The market takes place in the center of Sapa town, in front of the spacious yard of the old Sapa church.
This is also an opportunity for young men to show their agility, strength, and quickness in carrying goods, preparing for the market the next day. In addition, handmade products such as clothes made by the skillful hands of the girls are also an important point for young men to notice.
The young men gather in a corner, trying to hide their excited and happy faces when they see the girl they like has just arrived.
Around 8 pm, a singing session will take place between young men and women. Vietnamese tourists as well as foreigners who come to Sapa during the love market, all seek to understand when the Sapa love market takes place, so as not to miss the opportunity to visit this famous market.
Visitors will easily spot scenes of young men surrounding a girl singing love songs. They try to sneak in to record the sweet, clear voice of the girl, which often makes her blush.
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When the girl “marks” a certain boy, she will hand him a “souvenir”. The souvenir is often simple, like a comb, a bracelet, or a ring, and then she runs away. A while later, she will return with her friends, who will give the item to the boy. There are also shy couples, who like each other but are hesitant to express it, only engaging in conversation with each other as the market is about to end.
4. Why is it called the Sapa Love Market?
Aside from the question of when the Sapa love market takes place, another interesting question is: why is it called the love market? Just the name alone is enough to stimulate curiosity and excitement to learn about the cultural customs of the people in the highlands.
It is said that this market is held once a week, where the Hmong and Dao people trade and exchange goods. This is also where goods from the lowlands are transported up to meet the needs and tastes of the local people. As Sapa is a high mountainous region with ethnic minorities, access to goods and food is quite difficult. The market is an opportunity for them to buy necessary items and sell their own products.
Alongside trading activities, each market is also a place for cultural activities such as dancing, singing, playing the khèn, and flute. Young men and women from all villages come here, dressed beautifully. The colorful outfits, silver bells, bracelets, and earrings make the girls look extremely charming. The Dao men wear Cham shirts and scarves, looking neat and tidy. What’s special is that they all carry a piece of clay – to capture the singing voice of the girls they like. Even the locals who have just come of age want to know when the Sapa love market takes place to participate.
From evening until early morning the next day, there will be singing sessions between couples. They gather to dance, sing, and play music. The sound of the khèn and flute stirs up the normally quiet mountainous space.
After each market, the young men and women will get to know each other. In the following markets, they no longer feel as shy and reserved as the first time, but become more familiar. This friendship can develop into love between two people. It could also be love between that boy and the friend that the girl will introduce to him,… And so, many couples have found their fate through these traditional weekly markets. That’s why the market is called the Love Market.
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5. When is the best time to visit the Sapa Love Market?
In the past, when the Sapa love market only took place once a year, you had fewer opportunities to participate. But now, with a weekly frequency, I think everyone can experience this love market.
However, the Sapa love market has its own unique beauty in each season, so it’s hard to say when is the best time to join the love market in Sapa.
Spring (February-April Gregorian calendar)
Spring is the time before, during, and after Tet, when cherry blossoms and plum blossoms bloom all over the region. If you visit the love market during this time, you will feel the festive atmosphere of the Northwest people welcoming spring. Everyone is dressed in new clothes for Tet, selling various items from food to souvenirs.
Additionally, you may come across couples in love shopping together at the market. Due to modern influences, they no longer flirt with each other through the markets but interact and talk directly or via phone.
Summer (May-July Gregorian calendar)
Unlike spring, summer is the season of plant growth, so at the Sapa love markets, you will find a variety of typical Northwest fruits for sale such as cherry, plum, apple, apricot,… When you buy these fruits at the love market, they will be cheaper than in Hanoi, and you can be sure of their origin, avoiding buying Chinese products.
Fall (August-October Gregorian calendar)
In the fall, the love market may be less bustling, but at this time, it returns to its true essence. There are fewer tourists participating, mostly local people. They go to the love market not just to buy necessary items but also to enjoy simple cultural performances.
Winter (November-January Gregorian calendar)
Perhaps this is the hottest time in Sapa, contrasting with the bone-chilling cold. Tourists flock to Sapa hoping to see snow and experience the beauty of winter. Therefore, the love market is more lively with numerous stalls set up on the brick ground. You can buy souvenirs or handicrafts made from local materials such as wallets, bags, backpacks, clothes,…
In general, the Sapa love market is beautiful in any season, but to choose the most bustling and lively time, it is probably in the winter and spring, which is also the time when Sapa is most crowded with tourists. If you love the hustle and bustle, you can visit Sapa during this time.
6. What is interesting and attractive about the Sapa love market?
Visiting the Sapa love market, tourists will have many interesting experiences such as participating in group dances, cultural exchanges, enjoying ethnic dances, etc. You can also take memorable photos in traditional costumes or with the local people here.
The Sapa love market also provides an opportunity for you to enjoy a variety of specialty dishes from Lao Cai, learn more about customs, traditions, and unique habits of the ethnic groups. You will surely be delighted with the new and unique experiences that can only be fully felt at the love market.
At the Sapa love market, visitors can listen to the lively sounds of horns, drums, watch young men and women dance and sing joyfully. People who visit this place are not only young people, but also older ones who are curious to see what the love market has to offer.
7. What to eat in Sapa when visiting the love market?
What is the most delicious food in Sapa? If someone asks me about Sapa’s dishes, I would immediately recommend the salmon hotpot here. After enjoying the activities at the love market, finding a high-quality and delicious meal is something many people care about. The Sapa salmon hotpot uses extremely fresh ingredients from the surrounding streams, making it a truly delicious dish worth trying.
In addition to the delicious eateries in Sapa with dishes like salmon hotpot, grilled mountain fish, etc., don’t miss out on the street food here. The sidewalk eateries offer colorful skewers, including vegetable skewers, fish skewers, meat skewers, and grilled catfish rolls, etc. Surely anyone who tries them will be addicted to this street food.
8. Unique items sold at the love market
In addition to the cultural activities, the love market also has many souvenir items for you to choose as gifts for your loved ones, friends, or as mementos for yourself. The bracelets, bags, wallets, etc., all have very unique and eye-catching patterns that attract the attention of many people.
Most of these are handmade items made by the people of Sapa themselves, with unique patterns and very affordable prices. Therefore, tourists are very impressed and eager to own these souvenir items.
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9. Things to note when visiting the Sapa love market in 2020
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, each place has its own customs, way of life, and traditions, so pay attention, okay! There are some small notes that we want you to keep in mind for your upcoming trip to the love market so you don’t encounter any minor troubles that you can learn from your own experiences and from experienced travelers.
Visitors should go to Sapa on weekends.
Because only on Saturdays do the locals organize the Sapa love market. If you have a 2-day 1-night or 3-day 2-night trip to Sapa, you should spend the last evening of your trip to visit the market and make sure it coincides with a Saturday evening. By going at that time, you can explore the cultural activities of the love market and also enjoy many local specialties there.
Do not tease or flirt with people at the love market at night
Whether you are male or female, remember this! Every girl or boy who comes to the love market hopes to find a suitable partner, as most ethnic people are very gentle and honest, so don’t tease them!
In addition, there is another point to note that it is very possible that the girls and boys you tease at the love market have already found a suitable match. If you don’t want to get into trouble, you need to be serious about this matter!
Avoid wearing ethnic costumes
Although the tradition of wife-catching has decreased recently, especially in the town at the Sapa love market, if you don’t want to become an involuntary victim of a “random wife-catching,” you should avoid wearing ethnic costumes, especially for girls.
You never know, wearing ethnic costumes might make you look like a beautiful girl and attract unwanted attention. It can be quite annoying! Therefore, when choosing what to wear to the love market, stick to your normal daily clothes!
Be careful with your appearance and personal belongings
The love market is crowded with people, mostly tourists like you, especially when moving through the bustling crowd, you need to pay special attention to your appearance and essential documents! Especially your wallet.
My own “painful” experience on this journey was when someone “accidentally” took my wallet, but luckily there were no documents inside as I had left them at the hotel and only carried a small amount with me as a precaution.
If you don’t want to end up like me, the best way is to keep your wallet on you and only carry a small amount for emergencies, and always keep your phone in your hand, not in the back pocket of your pants.
Choose suitable food
In Sapa, there are many delicious local specialties, so you probably won’t have to worry about finding good places to eat at the love market. Stalls sell a variety of grilled meats, snacks, and traditional dishes like “thắng cố” or roasted suckling pig.
However, don’t overeat just because you want to try many dishes! It can lead to food poisoning or stomachache! It’s hard to know which food suits your stomach, but prioritize well-cooked food and drink boiled water!
Also, eat until you are comfortably full and avoid eating salads sold here if you haven’t eaten anything before, as it can cause stomach upset!
Go in a large group
Many of you may wonder about this point. Why should you go in a large group? Let me explain to you! If you go with a small group of girls or alone, you may be teased by local boys or people.
Of course, not everyone is like that, but for a fun and exciting trip to the Sapa love market where you can discover many interesting things, going in a group is always more enjoyable, right?
10. Is the current love market similar to the old love market?
The old love market used to take place in a corner of the market. It was usually an empty space in front of the market. After buying everything they needed, people gathered at the market gate to participate in the traditional dances and leaf blowing performances by young men and women. Boys and girls formed small groups. Some exchanged glances, some expressed their feelings. If a girl found her true love, the boy would play the flute and dance, while the girl would twirl her umbrella and dance around. The graceful dance of the ethnic people at the Sapa love market is no different from the charming songs of the Bac Ninh province.
Sapa Love Market has changed a lot nowadays. Tourists no longer see ethnic boys and girls flirting with each other at the market as often. This can be understood in the modern age, with technology development, people no longer need traditional dances or flute playing to express their feelings. Just a phone is enough to reveal all emotions.
The Love Market still exists and has now become a unique tourist destination for visitors to Sapa. People come to the Love Market to reminisce about the past, as every late Saturday night, a few young people come to perform flute playing and dancing to serve tourists. Tourists visit Sapa Love Market to satisfy their curiosity about this strange market of the highland ethnic people.
Although Sapa Love Market has lost its original essence, it cannot be denied that more and more people are getting to know about the market and Sapa as this land has become a key tourist town in Lao Cai.
Come to Sapa and experience the Love Market once
These are 10 things you need to know before visiting Sapa Love Market that Cuong Du Lich wants to share with you. Wish you and your family a fun and meaningful trip to Sapa. Our video ends here. Thank you for watching. If you find our video interesting and helpful, don’t forget to like and subscribe to our channel to stay updated with our future videos. Goodbye and see you again
