(HBO) - Having heard a lot about the special and unique features of the Cow market (Lung Van market), during a business trip to Van Son commune (Tan Lac), we arranged time to join the stream of people "going to the market”. Being near the Independence Day (September 2), the market is more crowding and bustling, creating an interesting space for the people and tourists to both trade and experience.


Tourists are enjoying to choose the local products sold at Lung Van market, Van Son commune (Tan Lac).

joining the flow of people coming to the market, Ms. Bui Minh Hong, the Head of the Culture and Information Department of Tan Lac district says: Van Son is one of the three highland communes of the district (Van Son, Quyet Chien, Ngo Luong) approved to set up a provincial-level tourist area by 2030, with a vision to 2050 by the province. These highland communes have unique tourism resources that are being invested in to speed up. The communes are located at an altitude of about 1,000 m above the sea level, having the natural forests with many flora and fauna, and the forest coverage rate is high, so the climate is fresh and cool. In the area, there are many beautiful landscapes and caves such as Nam Son,

Nui Kien caves... Besides, these 3 highland communes are also famous for delicious and clean agricultural products such as Nam Son tangerines, Quyet Chien chayote, Bac Son purple garlic, herbs, wild vegetables, Tuyet tea, Ngo Luong native pigs and chickens, Hop Lung Van alcohol... The agricultural products are available at Lung Van market.

There is only one meeting per week on every Tuesday and right on the occasion of the Independence Day, preparing for the opening of the new school year, so at 7a.m., Lung Van market was already crowding. Not only adults but there were also many children. Everyone happily went to the market. At this time, the most crowding stalls were the gift shops with donuts, Te cakes, banana cakes, ice cream, vermicelli, Pho... A little later, the people were sưitching to the shops of clothes, shoes, backpacks, and books... and shops selling essentials. Being arranged in a beautiful location - the center of the communal cluster, the East borders Ngo Luong commune, the West borders Mai Chau district, the South borders Thanh Hoa province, the North borders Quyet Chien commune, so the space is not too large, the market is very diverse and rich in goods.

Lung Van Market mainly provides agricultural products, each season is different. This season, the people bring a lot of bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, chayote, purple garlic, chili peppers, corn, squash, bananas, longans, strawberries, pairs of dried squirrels, grasshoppers and especially many types of herbs are grown by people or taken from the forest to sell. The people buy food, clothes, books... Currently, 100% of the hamlets in 3 highland communes of Tan Lac and the surrounding areas have used the national electricity grid and internet coverage. However, the people still go down to the market and theylike to buy the battery-powered radios to bring with themselves to listen to anytime, anywhere. The guys still love to look at wristwatches with many designs. The most interesting thing is to watch Muong women wearing traditional costumes with the bold Muong patterns, selling and buying goods.

Itiss

Lung Van Market is not only a place of commerce but it is also a rendezvous, a place to meet and interact with the other people in the region, and a place to experience of tourists when traveling to this "cloudy” place. Unfortunately, the market is held on Tuesday, so tourists and people in lowland areas have little opportunity to participate in the market. When a few members of our delegation expressed this regret, the representatives of the Culture and Information Department of Tan district Lac says:

Và khi đó, dẫu không phải ngày giáp Tết Độc Lập hay Tết Trung thu, Tết Nguyên Đán, chợ Lũng Vân vẫn đông vui, nhộn nhịp, là điểm hẹn hấp dẫn của người dân và du khách thập phương.

The reason why Lung Van market is held every Tuesday is to save time for the people to participate in other markets in the district: Dong Lai commune market takes place on Monday and Friday; Ngoc My market takes place on Wednesday and Saturday; Thanh Hoi market is held on Thursday and Sunday...However, in order to meet the trading needs of the local people and at the same time the experience needs of tourists, Lung Van market becomes a typical tourism product. Tan Lac district has planned to change the time of the market meeting (from Tuesday to Sunday every week). Thus, it not only creates good conditions for the people in the highlands to go to the market, but it is also suitable for tours and travel routes of tourists coming to the 3 highland communes at weekends. And even though it is not the day before the Independence Day or the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Lunar New Year, Lung Van market is still crowding and bustling, it is an attractive meeting place for the people and tourists from all over the country.


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