Operating on Sundays, Bac Ha Market in Bac Ha Town under the namesake district in the northern Vietnamese province of Lao Cai is increasingly popular and attractive to locals and tourists due to a wide range of items sold there, with live-streamed sales of dogs being the highlight.

By marketing and selling dogs online, live streamers pocket millions of Vietnamese dong for each market session. (VND1 million = US$39)

Locals in Bac Ha Town bring their agricultural products and animals to the market for sale each Sunday, contributing to making the market busier amid the peace of the upland region.

To prepare for their sales at the market in the heart of Bac Ha Town, some 70 kilometers from the provincial capital city of Lao Cai, many vendors from ethnic minority groups, such as Mong, Tay, Dao, and Phu La, start transporting their vegetables and fruits to the venue on Saturday nights.

Notably, the area of selling cattle and poultry is seen as a magnet to market-goers, giving the so-called largest dog trading session in Vietnam.

Hundreds of adorable dogs in all sizes and full of colors are put on sale at the market every Sunday.

Besides, these canines are sold online and shipped to other localities nationwide.

Hoang Trung Hieu, a resident of Ta Chai Commune in Bac Ha District, sells dozens of dogs via a live stream on Sunday morning. He is hired as a live streamer to sell dogs.

Hieu shared that he is paid VND100,000-200,000 (US$3.9 - $7.8) for each order.

Each dog costs from hundreds of dong to tens of millions of dong.

Among these dogs, Bac Ha and Hmong bobtail dogs are the most expensive as they are two of Vietnam's four great national dogs.

Last weekend, Thai Thi Giang and her family from Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam traveled to Lao Cai Province and visited Bac Ha Market due to its popularity.

“This market has the most dogs I’ve seen. It’s bustling, and the locals are friendly,” Giang remarked.

“I'll select and buy an adorable dog to keep as a memorable pet,” she added, noting that Bac Ha Market comes highly recommended.

Charlise, a French tourist, shared her feeling that Bac Ha Market was one of the best stops during her first trip to Vietnam.

“I am so impressed by the market session as it features the beauty of local culture and people are friendly," Charlise said.

“I like the color of their traditional costumes.”

This season, the market offers pears and plums, along with a variety of rice, noodle products, and vegetables.

The market features numerous sections for brocade items, food, fruits, and vegetables, among other goods.

Hoang Xuan Luyen, a vendor with 20 years of experience at the market, noted that it has evolved over the years. Once simple, it is now larger and better equipped.

He observed that an influx of tourists has made the market busier every Sunday.

“Despite the changes, the market continues to serve as a hub for cultural exchange and local trading,” Luyen said.

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