The bustling Muong Hum

Muong Hum Market is a small market located in Muong Hum commune, Lao Cai province. The origin of Muong Hum market stems from its advantageous location, being the center of a cluster of eight highland communes in the former Bat Xat district.

Local agricultural products and goods are bought and sold in large quantities at Muong Hum market.

Festival of the highland people

In the early days of 2026, the weather in the highlands was bitterly cold, with frost in some places. The journey from the center of Lao Cai to Muong Hum is nearly 60 kilometers. Due to landslides still occurring after the rainy season and thick fog, even though we set off in the early morning mist, it took our group almost two hours to reach this vibrant market…

Before us, the Muong Hum market emerged from the mist of the small valley, beside a crystal-clear stream, surrounded by towering, cloud-shrouded mountains. Each market session lasts from morning until the sun sets in the late afternoon on Sundays... The market has developed naturally, linked to the need for exchange of goods and cultural exchange among the ethnic groups of Bat Xat highlands for generations, attracting people from many neighboring communes such as Ban Xeo, Muong Vi (formerly), Den Sang, Den Thang (formerly)...

According to Nguyen Hong Son, Secretary of the Party Committee of Muong Hum commune: "Previously, Muong Hum market street only had two rows of thatched or tiled houses running along a road a few dozen meters long, giving it the appearance of a sad, deserted dead-end street. Only on the main market day on Sunday would it liven up a little. Now the street is much more crowded, and Muong Hum market is different from before. Besides being a market, it is also a place for economic and cultural exchange for the whole region."

The main market is held on Sundays, where people of the Ha Nhi, Mong, Dao, and Giay ethnic groups from 14 villages throughout Muong Hum commune don their vibrant traditional costumes, bringing agricultural products and goods they have made themselves to exchange and trade. From rice, corn, wild vegetables, honey, black chickens, and local pigs to brocade products… all create a lively and authentic highland scene.

According to Phan A Tung, Head of the Muong Hum Market Management Board, each market session attracts thousands of participants, including local people, traders, and tourists. The market has more than 120 permanent stalls and over 50 stalls run by small traders and local people. The market is divided into several sections, making it easy for people to find what they need. The agricultural products and fresh food section is full of wild vegetables, purple sweet potatoes, and local corn. The brocade clothing and handcrafted fabrics section stands out with the meticulousness and sophistication of each product. The silver jewelry section attracts attention with unique handcrafted items made by Dao ethnic artisans…

Besides shopping and exchanging necessities for family life, an indispensable activity for the locals is socializing and drinking alcohol at the market, accompanied by traditional dishes such as pho, thang co (a type of stew), and local black pig offal. Thang co is a standout dish, combining horse or pig meat and offal with mountain spices, creating an unforgettable rich flavor. The area selling specialty mountain cakes of various ethnic groups is also very diverse, with fried cakes, glutinous rice cakes, and other traditional cakes... all with traditional flavors, perfect for enjoying at the market for breakfast. The Giay people at Muong Hum market also sell puffed rice cakes - a delicious, soft, fluffy, and subtly sweet cake made from rice flour, and several types of cakes made from glutinous rice flour…

The southwestern corner of the market is where people exchange silver jewelry. Ms. Chảo Mẩy, from Séo Pờ Hồ village – a famous silver crafting area in Mường Hum – said that every market day, she and some others bring their elaborately crafted silver jewelry here to buy, sell, and trade. When silver prices are high, a complete set of silver jewelry, enough to adorn dresses, blouses, and headscarves, can cost up to hundreds of millions of dong.

We need a safe and dignified space.

Although a vibrant highland market, the makeshift stalls and the abundance of goods made from fabrics, bamboo, and rattan pose a significant fire hazard. According to Phan A Tung, Head of the Market Management Board, Muong Hum Market is a key area where the commune's police force is focusing on building a civil defense force and a local fire prevention and fighting team in the central area of ​​the commune; the "Safe Neighborhood Fire Prevention and Fighting Team" and "Public Fire Fighting Point" models are being widely implemented. By 2025, 100% of households combining business and residential use in the commune and Muong Hum Market will be encouraged to equip themselves with portable fire extinguishers, and business owners will receive training on their use.

The market management board organizes and arranges product categories; allocates stalls and shops; regularly checks compliance with market regulations; manages waste collection to ensure environmental hygiene; oversees the implementation of regulations on food safety, fire prevention and control, security and order, and addresses complaints and suggestions from traders and residents...

With modern trends and the increasing number of domestic and international tourists, the cultural and commercial space of Muong Hum market is becoming cramped and no longer suitable.

According to Pham Anh Xuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Muong Hum commune: Currently, the Muong Hum market not only contributes to boosting the local economy and selling agricultural products, but also serves as a place to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, creating a highlight in the development of community tourism in the commune. Furthermore, the Muong Hum market is becoming a highlight in the tourism chain from Sa Pa, Lao Cai, Muong Hum, Y Ty…

The Party Committee and People's Committee of Muong Hum commune have included in their resolutions and action programs a plan to expand the operating space of Muong Hum market from now until 2030 and beyond. However, due to limited resources, the Party Committee and people of Muong Hum commune earnestly hope for the support of provincial leaders, relevant agencies, and philanthropists so that the commune can build a new version of Muong Hum market – a place that brings together cultural colors, connects the community, and invites tourists to the Northwest region of the country.

According to nhandan.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/ron-rang-muong-hum-post891608.html