Ha Giang Market Days: Complete Schedule & Guide (2025)

Dong Van market happens every Sunday morning from approximately 6 AM to 10 AM. It repeats weekly, so every Sunday you’ll find the market in Dong Van town square. Arrive by 6:30-7:00 AM for peak activity. This is the most accessible market for travelers as Dong Van is an overnight stop on all standard Ha Giang Loop tours.

If your standard tour schedule doesn’t align with market days, you have two options: (1) Request custom tour timing when booking with Loop Trails – they can schedule your tour to overnight in market towns the night before market day, or (2) Accept that markets won’t be part of this trip and focus on other cultural experiences like weaving villages and homestay interactions. It’s worth timing your trip for markets if they’re important to you.

Plan to arrive at markets by 6:30 AM for the best experience. This means waking around 5:45-6:00 AM, quick wash/dress, and walking to the market (most market towns are small – markets are 5-10 minute walk from homestays). Peak market activity is 7-9 AM. Arriving at 8:30 AM means you’ve missed much of the atmosphere. Yes, it’s early, but it’s worth the effort.

Yes, markets are very safe. Petty crime is rare in Ha Giang generally, and markets are community gatherings where everyone knows everyone. Keep normal awareness of valuables in crowded areas, but you’re extremely unlikely to experience problems. The biggest “danger” is overpaying for handicrafts, which isn’t really dangerous – just mildly financially inefficient.

Wear modest, practical clothing. Long pants or skirts (not shorts – locals consider this disrespectful in rural areas). Comfortable walking shoes (markets can be muddy if it rained). Layers for temperature changes (cool early morning, warmer by 9 AM). Nothing overly revealing. Dark clothes show dirt less (markets can be dusty or muddy). Basically, dress as you would for normal Ha Giang Loop riding but plan for early morning coolness.

Yes, though some discernment helps. Items sold by elderly ethnic minority women wearing traditional dress are usually genuinely handmade. Mass-produced items imported from China or Vietnamese factories also appear – if every stall has identical items, they’re probably manufactured. Truly handmade textiles show slight irregularities, natural dye variations, and individual artistic choices. Price often indicates quality (though not always). Genuine handmade embroidered pieces cost 50,000-200,000 VND; identical factory pieces sell for 20,000-30,000 VND.

Photography is allowed but requires respectful approach. Always ask permission before photographing individuals (use hand gestures if language barrier exists). General market scene photography is acceptable. Don’t photograph people as if they’re zoo exhibits – they’re humans going about their day. If someone declines being photographed, respect their wishes immediately. Some vendors (especially those with photogenic traditional dress) may request small payment (20,000-50,000 VND) – decide beforehand if you’re comfortable with this.

Both happen Sunday mornings and are accessible on standard tours, but they differ in character. Dong Van market: More tourist presence, beautiful colonial architecture setting, strong handicraft and textile selection, slightly more “polished.” Meo Vac market: More agricultural/livestock focus, fewer tourists, more authentic working atmosphere, stronger herbal medicine presence. If you can only visit one, Dong Van offers easier cultural photography; Meo Vac offers more authentic trading atmosphere.

Bring 500,000-1,000,000 VND in small bills for a comfortable market experience. This covers: breakfast at market (30,000-50,000 VND), several textile purchases (100,000-300,000 VND total), small gifts/souvenirs (100,000-200,000 VND), honey or other food items (50,000-100,000 VND), contingency for unexpected finds. If you’re not planning significant purchases, 200,000-300,000 VND covers food and small items. Markets don’t accept cards – cash only.

Yes, though options are limited. Market food vendors serve pho (request “không thịt” = no meat), fresh rice cakes (often vegetarian), steamed buns with vegetable filling, fresh fruit, and roasted corn. The challenge is communicating dietary restrictions clearly. Bring a Vietnamese-speaking guide or translation app. Fully vegan is harder (many vegetable dishes use fish sauce). If you have strict dietary requirements, eat at your homestay before/after market and just try simple market items like fruit and corn.

Yes, different towns host markets on different days, so there’s a market somewhere in Ha Giang region every day of the week. However, the large, culturally rich ethnic minority markets (Dong Van, Meo Vac, etc.) happen on specific days only. Small daily markets exist in Ha Giang City and larger towns for basic goods, but these lack the cultural authenticity and visual interest of the rotating ethnic minority markets. Plan your trip to align with Sunday markets (Dong Van/Meo Vac) for the best experience.

This is culturally complicated and travelers have different philosophies. Some vendors (especially those who pose for multiple tourists daily) may request 20,000-50,000 VND after being photographed. You can: (1) Agree to pay before taking the photo, (2) Politely decline and don’t photograph that person, (3) Buy something small from their stall instead of direct payment. Many travelers choose option 3 – photograph vendors, then purchase a small item (textile, produce) to support them. This feels more natural than transaction-for-photo. Decide your approach beforehand to avoid awkward moments.