There is a "love market" that not many people know about

For a long time, many people often only mention two "love markets": Sa Pa love market (Lao Cai) and Khau Vai love market (Meo Vac - Ha Giang). However, in the North today, there is another love market that not many people know about, only once a year, held on January 12.

For a long time, many people often only mention two "love markets": Sa Pa love market (Lao Cai) and Khau Vai love market (Meo Vac - Ha Giang). However, in the North today, there is another love market that not many people know about, only once a year, held on January 12.

The love market is at the lychee barn

That is Thac Luoi love market in Tan Son commune, Luc Ngan district (Bac Giang province). Today, February 21, the 12th day of the 12th month of Giap Thin year, Thac Luoi Love Market begins its festival, taking place for 3 days. This is the lovemaking market of the Nung and Tay people...

Tan Son Love Market - Lazy Waterfall. Photo: CTV

Thac Luoi love market (also known as Tan Son love market) is located about 140km from Hanoi, about 80km from Bac Giang city and about 30km from Chu town (Luc Ngan district - Bac Giang). This is a countryside of lychees and plums.

To get to this love market, from Hanoi, mainly follow Highway 1A to Chi Lang town (Lang Son province), then turn along Highway 279 (if traveling by car). Or go to Bac Giang City and follow Highway 31 to Chu town (Luc Ngan district) if traveling by motorbike.

Opening of the singing contest from the afternoon of February 20

On the afternoon of February 20, January 11, the Lazy Thac Love Market opened. Since last night, thousands of people in 7-8 communes in the north of Luc Ngan district such as: Tan Son, Son Hai, Ho Dap, Cam Son, Sa Ly, Phong Minh, Phong Van and communes in Chi Lang district ( Lang Son province) like Quan Son, Huu Kien... have returned. However, the main festival is January 12.

The Nung and Tay people in Luc Ngan district flock to the Lazy Thac Lu love market in early spring

Old people are also eager to "visit" the market (there is only 1 love market each year).

In the past, it was called "love market" because people came here not only to buy, sell and exchange goods but also to date and find friends. The "specialty" of Thac Luoi love market is sloong hao singing (there are many types of singing, such as singing in the market, singing at home). Couples of men and women meet each other and sing back and forth to find lovers. Married people can also sing when meeting their ex-lover, to ask about life, family, encourage each other or to express regrets.

Sloong hao singing contest at the center of Tan Son commune on the evening of February 20, thousands of people flocked to watch

Currently, every year at the market, a singing festival or a singing competition is organized by the local government right in the center of the People's Committee of Tan Son commune. However, the content and identity have been somewhat mixed and transformed compared to before - like many other festivals taking place in the North. In addition to the sli, luon tunes..., young men and women also sing live music, youth music, other folk songs... In addition to the "festival" part, there is also a "market" (buying, selling and eating).

Since the afternoon of February 20, people in communes have flocked to Thac Luoi love market to buy, sell, have fun, and eat (a popular dish is roasted pig).

Local authorities mobilize to organize stalls with "country market" features to create traditional beauty at Tan Son - Thac Luoi love market

Specialties are often brought to the love market to sell

Tan Son roosters sold at the love market

This, for local people, can create a joyful and vibrant atmosphere in early spring, but for tourists from far away, there is not much new. The only strange features are probably the rich costumes of the Tay and Nung people and the remaining sloong hao melodies.

Basically, Tan Son - Thac Luoi love market still retains its distinctive features, has not been too commercialized and few people know about it.

Unique ancient version called Bac Hoa

However, there is still an interesting thing about experiencing the love market in Tan Son. That is to visit the ancient village with a very beautiful and impressive name: Bac Hoa, located about 2km from the commune center (love market).

Bac Hoa village in Tan Son commune

Bac Hoa village is home to 165 households, 100% of whom are Nung ethnic people. The unique feature of this village is that there are still many ancient houses made of dirt (report wall). Time passes, but many houses here are still not modernized - concreted, forming a quite original complex (red clay walls, fish-scale tiled roofs covered with black moss) that many other places cannot keep. .

Green and black moss tiled roofs in Bac Hoa. Photo: HONG VAN

Among them, there are 17 earthen houses located in the middle of the village, becoming a highlight that attracts many visitors from far away. There are almost no "enclosed" fences between houses, but only separated by stone banks, stacked on top of each other or fences made of bamboo...

Ancient houses with walls located in the same area form a beautiful complex

According to Mr. Vi Van Hong, Chairman of Tan Son Commune People's Committee, the reason Bac Hoa ancient village still retains its original features is because it is located at the foot of the mountain, adjacent to Lang Son province, so few people know about it. Nearly 10 years ago, leaders of Bac Giang province visited, recognized the tourism advantages of this village, and directed the local government to mobilize people to preserve its unique architectural beauty and culture. .

Since then, the People's Committee of Luc Ngan district has oriented to preserve the beauty of Bac Hoa village, assigned the Department of Culture and Sports of Luc Ngan district to develop a tourism development plan in Bac Hoa village, to submit to the People's Committee of Bac Giang province. Roads have been opened to the village.

Road to Bac Hoa ancient village

In two recent Thac Luoi love markets, the People's Committee of Luc Ngan district has planned to organize a sloong hao singing contest and a sloong hao love song contest right in Bac Hoa village, because this place has a unique and attractive landscape.

Bac Hoa village is in the chrysanthemum flower season. Photo: HOANG THAO & Collaborator

Talking to reporters from SGGP Newspaper, Mr. Hoang Thao, a resident of Bac Hoa village, said that his village also has a unique feature: there are quite large flower fields around. This season is the chrysanthemum flower season, followed by sunflowers. On the hillsides, there are thousands of white plum flowers. Young people from neighboring communes often take advantage of their free weekends to go to Bac Hoa to take photos.

Above the hill are vast white plum flowers. Photo: PHAM TRANG

Currently, a number of small tourism cooperatives in Bac Giang province have also set up tours to take tourists to visit Bac Hoa ancient village.

Tourists visit Bac Hoa village

However, food services, accommodation, and tourism infrastructure here are not yet available or are inadequate or primitive, so most visitors only take a quick stroll, do not stay, but often return to Chu town (district Luc Ngan) or Chi Lang town (Lang Son).

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Update day : 21/02/2024