Dong Van Market, Ha Giang Travel Guide

Country: Vietnam
Province: Ha Giang

Tinh Ha Giang Holiday Weather today

Date/time of update: December 22, 2024, 3:08 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Few Clouds

Temperature: 19.04°C
Temperature feels like: 18.51°C
Minimum Temperature: 19.04°C
Maximum Temperature: 19.04°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1021hPa
Humidity:58%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 1m/sec
Wind Direction: 142 degrees
Cloudiness: 12%
Sunrise: 2024-12-21 11:36:28
Sunset: 2024-12-22 10:20:39

Dong Van Market is located in the centre of the Dong Van Township, in the heart of the Dong Van Rock Plateau in Ha Giang Province of Vietnam.

Travel Guide to the Dong Van Sunday Market in Dong Van Plateau, Ha Giang

Dong Van Market has only one gathering per week on Sunday morning only. Ethnic people from the whole of Dong Van District would come here to trade and to socialize. Young boys and girls get the opportunities to find their potential match. Man come to meet their buddies for a drink… The market is a wonderful place to get to know the local culture.

Meeting with old buddies for a drink at Dong Van Sunday Market in Ha Giang Province

The Dong Van Market was originally located in Dong Van Old Town. Local provincial authority moved it out to a place a few hundred meters from the old location in order to protect the Old Quarter. There was, for a while, some discontentment among local traveler communities when the plan was revealed to the public. Power makes right and the market was relocated as per the plan. Within the Old Quarter and with old shop house buildings, the vibe was very different!

What to see, Things to do

If you have a trip in the mountainous regions in Vietnam, visiting ethnic markets may bring get experiences and understanding of local cultures. It is certainly among of the highlights of your trip to Vietnam.

Ethnic ladies selling local corn wine at the Dong Van Market

1/ Getting lost amid an amazing world of noise, smells, and colors

Most ethnic markets have a very distinct range of colors, smells, noise and vibe that we do not normally get at a market in the lowland of Vietnam. When visiting a market if you could just keep quiet and take in these factors, you can have a great discovery then.

Ethnic ladies at the Dong Van Market in Dong Van District, Ha Giang Province

2/ Shopping local products like brocade, silverware

Several ethnic groups in Vietnam still stick to their traditions of manually making brocades, silverware, musical instruments,… You may come a cross some items of your interest and get them as souvenirs. You may want to haggle a bit for a lower price, but it would be a big loss paying for a high price anyway.

Water pipes for sales at the Dong Van Market

3/ Tasting local food, drinking local wine, socializing with the locals

For the locals, the food and wine at the market are certainly delicacies. You may find it not the case though. Some dishes may even require some level of bravery to try. But if you could just sit down, take in the atmosphere and observe local people savoring their food and drinks, you may enjoy just as much then. It is normal that men and some women get too drunk to walk back home afterwards. It is the most beautiful experience that most of them have after a hard working week.

Thang Co - Everything in here, a famed delicacy among ethnic groups in Vietnam, care and dare to try! — Thang Co - Everything-in-here dish, a famed delicacy among ethnic groups in Vietnam, care and dare to try!

AdventureGreen organizes several adventure tours through the Dong Van Plateau and Ha Giang Province on which we do not miss the Sunday Market of Dong Van.