The hills around Bac Ha are home to ten separate minorities, including Dao, Giay, Nung and Tai, but the most distinctive and colourful are the Flower (Flowery) Hmong. From before dawn they converge on Bac Ha??? dusty town centre and, especially, the concrete market. Goods sold and exchanged include fruit and vegetables of every description, fresh meat and wild orchids.

The Hmong are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China. Hmong groups began a gradual southward migration in the 18th century due to political unrest and to find more arable land.