Khau Vai Love Market Festival – Where Love Begins

Khau Vai Love Market is an attractive cultural event in Ha Giang, Vietnam. This festival has existed for more than 100 years. This love market is dedicated to couples in love and is a place to convey emotions, filled with smiles and tears of unfinished love. In this article, let’s explore with Karst Plateau what is interesting about this market

1. Introduction to Khau Vai Love Market

Ha Giang is a mountainous district in the northwestern region of Vietnam, where many unique cultures of different ethnic groups converge. Among them, Khau Vai Ha Giang love market is one of the most famous Ha Giang markets, bringing insights into local people and their cultural beauty.

1.1 Legend of Khau Vai Love Market

It can be said that the beauty and power of love are the basic factors that help the Khau Vai love market survive for such a long time.

Khau Vai Love Market Festival originates from an ancient love story between a couple of different tribes who fell in love with each other. The girl is from the Giay ethnic group and the boy is from the Nung ethnic group. The girl was so beautiful that her tribe did not want her to marry any man from another tribe. As a result, violent conflict arose between the two tribes. To stop the bleeding, the heartbroken couple decided to break up. However, they decided to meet once a year on the 27th day of the third lunar month. The place where they met was Khau Vai, which later became the dating place for all lovers.

1.2 Significance of Khau Vai Love Market

What sets this love market apart is that it is not just a simple trading fair, but a place for young men and women, both married and unmarried, to meet and interact freely. Unmarried couples can come here to meet and chat without any hindrance. For married couples, it’s an opportunity to see their past lovers and share their life experiences. Here, there is no jealousy, only respect. Khau Vai Love Market is highly regarded as a profound cultural expression with deep values.

2. Festival Location and Time

2.1 Location of Khau Vai Love Market

The location of Khau Vai Love Market Festival is in Khau Vai commune, Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province. About 180km from Ha Giang city center. Although far from the city center, when the festival arrives, this place attracts a large number of locals and tourists to visit.

2. 2 Time of Khau Vai Love Market

The Khau Vai Love Market Festival is held permanently on the 27th day of the 3rd lunar month every year. However, the festival now lasts three days, from the 25th to the 27th day of the 3rd lunar month every year. This time is also close to the tourist season, so the atmosphere here is extremely bustling.

The festival comprises two parts: the ceremonial one and the festive one.

• During the ceremonial part, the people of Khau Vai offer prayers to honor their origins and celebrate the love between couples.
• In the festive part, participants can engage in various remarkable activities to gain a deeper understanding of the beautiful culture, savor Ha Giang’s specialties, and create unforgettable memories.

3. What’s so special about the Khau Vai Love Market Festival?

There are many interesting things about the festivities and rituals of this Vietnam love market.

The first day is dedicated to a special ceremony, where people dress in their finest clothes to celebrate the festival, pray, and enjoy fun activities until late at night.

The second day involves offering boiled rice to Buddhist monks. People also build sandy mountains to wish for happiness and luck, which is inspired by an ancient legend symbolizing their desire for rain.

On the third day, people burn incense and make offerings to show their respect and gratitude to the Buddha. They also seek blessings for the New Year and forgiveness for any mistakes made in the past.

4. Experience interesting activities at the Khau Vai Love Market Festival

4.1 Learn about local culture

When visiting the Khau Vai love market, do not miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture by meeting locals and witnessing the vibrant market scene. The most notable highlight of this love market is witnessing the reunion of exes of various ethnicities, making it truly fascinating and touching. Moreover, interacting with the locals will allow you to learn more about their customs, traditions, and lifestyles.

4.2 Join the festival

Khau Vai Love Market is vibrant with national folk songs, the soulful sound of the Mong flute calling relatives, and many traditional performances showing the rich cultural heritage of the region. Here, you can enjoy the lively atmosphere as talented artists entertain the crowd with vibrant costumes and captivating rhythms.

4.3 Enjoy local specialties

Here, treat yourself to the interesting flavors of local cuisine sold at the market. Sample traditional dishes and delicacies prepared by locals, often with regional ingredients. Come to Khau Vai Love Market Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy the authentic flavors of the region. Some specialty dishes here you can try are Thang Den, Thang Co, Au Tau Porridge, Lam Rice, etc. 

Khau Vai Love Market in Ha Giang is a charming festival of love and cultural diversity. The unique tradition of reuniting old lovers from different ethnic groups adds a touch of romance and nostalgia to the festival. As you immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere here, you’ll gain a deeper insight into the area’s rich cultural heritage. A visit to this market promises an unforgettable experience, leaving visitors with cherished memories and a renewed appreciation for the enduring power of love. In addition, Ha Giang also has many other attractive tourist destinations that you should not miss such as Quan Ba ​​Heavenly Gate, Dong Van Ancient Town, Du Gia Waterfall, etc.