Staying awake with the night streets of the highlands

When the sun sets behind the rolling mountains, Bac Ha - the "white plateau" of Lao Cai seems to put on a new coat. On the central streets of the commune, the bright yellow lights clearly illuminate each row of shops, each bright smile of the vendors. The aroma of thang co and grilled meat mixed with the smoke, leads visitors to the attractive culinary corner.

Lao Cai 's "White Plateau" takes on a new look with the city filled with yellow lights.

If during the day, Bac Ha is memorable for its colorful market, the quiet Hoang A Tuong palace and the peaceful Mong, Tay and Phu La ethnic villages, then at night, this place becomes a vivid picture of sound, light and cultural colors. The night economy is gradually becoming an indispensable part, adding vitality and new opportunities to this "white plateau" land.

From 6 pm, Bac Ha walking street begins to bustle. Along the less than 500 meter long street, dozens of colorful handicraft stalls: Mong ethnic brocade scarves, Tay ethnic fabric bags, and sophisticated silver carvings... The melodious sound of Mong flutes blends with the Then singing melodies and gentle Tinh lutes of elderly artisans, creating a space imbued with traditional cultural identity, yet very close and familiar.

The place that holds tourists back the longest is still the night food court. Thang co is boiling in a large pan, the aroma of sour pho, men men, grilled corn, grilled stream fish with mac khen leaves blend together, making everyone passing by want to stop. On wooden tables placed close together, tourists raise cups of corn wine with rose myrtle leaves, chat with the locals, listen to stories about Bac Ha in plum blossom season, horse racing season...

Mr. Giang A Hai, Director of the Bac Ha Regional Culture, Sports and Communication Center, shared: The development of Bac Ha night market has created a unique cultural and tourist space, where visitors can experience cuisine, enjoy art performances, shop for specialties and interact with local people. This is not only an activity to promote tourism, create livelihoods for people, but also a way to preserve, spread and promote the cultural identity of ethnic groups, bringing the image of the "white plateau" Bac Ha closer to domestic and international friends.

The special feature of the night economy in Bac Ha is the active participation of local people. Since the pedestrian street began operating, dozens of households in Bac Ha commune and neighboring communes have opened stalls selling brocade, food, or set up small stages to perform folk arts.

Young people in Bac Ha are also quick to catch up with the night-time economic trend. A group of young people opened a cafe with acoustic music, inviting local artists to perform on Saturday nights.

Some other young people started a business with the "night tour" model - taking tourists to take photos, visit walking streets, make campfires, and enjoy Ban Pho corn wine.

The Women’s Union of Bac Ha commune also established a team to prepare traditional dishes, both to preserve old recipes and to create stable jobs for members. Not only does this increase income, but it also helps people feel more attached to their homeland.

Not as noisy as big cities, the night economy in Bac Ha has a quiet charm. The cool climate creates a pleasant feeling when walking in the middle of the night street. Security and order are guaranteed to help visitors feel secure during their stay in Bac Ha.

A day of experiencing the "white plateau" begins in the morning, visitors can stroll around the market, visit Hoang A Tuong palace, explore villages in Na Hoi Tay, Na Hoi Nung, Ta Chai, Ban Pho. In the afternoon, experience horse riding, mountain climbing, take photos with the four-season flower garden... In the evening, visitors walk around the night market, enjoy cuisine and unique cultural programs of ethnic minorities, creating a closed chain of experiences.

Director of the Bac Ha Regional Center for Culture, Sports and Communications Giang A Hai added: The locality is planning to open more night tourism products such as the night flower market in spring, cloud hunting tours at dawn combined with overnight stays at homestays, organizing events, larger-scale folk art performances... to create something new to keep tourists staying in Bac Ha longer.

Recently, on August 10, 2025, Bac Ha commune started to rebuild the main stage of the night market with a larger design, simulating the architecture of a Mong house, close and unique. This will be the center for organizing events, cultural activities, outdoor performances... to serve the activities of Bac Ha night market.

Although initially there has been some improvement, the night-time economy of Bac Ha is currently facing some difficulties. Lighting infrastructure, parking lots, and public restrooms in some areas have not met the needs and increasing number of visitors. Human resources for night tourism, especially foreign language communication ability and service skills, are still limited. Many small traders are not familiar with civilized sales methods, and sometimes there are still cases of soliciting or listing unclear prices for items.

Some opinions are also concerned that product repetition and lack of innovation will make Bac Ha's night-time economy lose its appeal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop the economy in parallel with preserving and maintaining cultural identity, avoiding commercialization that distorts folk art activities. Local authorities have also proposed a plan to train people's skills, improve infrastructure and organize regular competitions and festivals to refresh the night-time atmosphere.

The night economy is not only about trading, but also a way for tourists to fully experience the soul of Bac Ha - where culture, cuisine, and people blend together in a new rhythm of life. Like a love song with two chapters - elegant during the day, brilliant at night - Bac Ha is waking up in the sound of Mong flutes, in the aroma of corn wine, and in the laughter of people meeting each other in the night streets.

With the move towards combining cultural preservation and environmental protection, the night-time economy will become a new "source", bringing the "white plateau" into a journey of prosperity, so that every night in Bac Ha is a memorable experience for visitors from near and far.

Presented by: Bich Hue

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/thuc-cung-pho-dem-cao-nguyen-post879820.html