Ha Lau market is a traditional market for a long time. It is held every Sunday, promising a beautiful cultural activity, attractive destination and a tourism product that reflect daily life of people in the mountainous area.
Ha Lau market has reopened after two years of being suspended due to Covid-19.
Ha Lau market provided a place to trade, meet others, and have fun at a time when transportation was still underdeveloped. After years of decline, Ha Lau mountainous market has currently been reinstated by Tien Yen district to maintain the market activities and encourage local people to make agricultural and forestry products, special traditional handicrafts to sell at the market.
Locally-produced goods on display
The year-end market was held in December as part of the Sports and Cultural Festival of Dao ethnic people. Ha Lau commune had 9 stalls displaying items and tools of the Dao people and selling knitted bamboo hats and leaf trumpets. Some hat-knitting artists and artisans performing and making leaf trumpets did their jobs right at these stalls.
The commune also invited some mountainous localities including the two communes of Chau Son and Bac Lang from Lang Son province and Binh Lieu district’s Vo Ngai commune.
Bamboo tools are produced by local people.
According to Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Lau commune, Pham Tien Dung, this market session often features art and sports activities organized by the Tay and Dao people. Ha Lau market is revived to preserve local culture and boost people’s incomes, thus encouraging production and developing the local economy.
A tourist from Ha Long city is buying rice grown and harvested by Dao people in this commune.
Tourists find it exciting to visit the market and wear traditional costumes.
By Phan Hang
