Held every Saturday, Can Cau is a bustling weekly market located in Si Ma Cai District of Lao Cai. Despite its location just a mile from the Vietnam-China border, which presents a bit of a journey, the market draws in crowds of people seeking to engage in trade, socialize, and perhaps even find a life-partner. A diverse mix of ethnic minority groups congregate at the market, including Red Hmong, Nung, Phu La as well as Chinese individuals from over the border. From textiles and a variety of livestock to the potent local corn liquor, all sorts of commodities are exchanged here. The Kinh group, who form the majority in Vietnam and reside quite a distance away in the Red River Delta, also frequent the market for top-quality buffaloes, the market’s signature commodity. Indeed, there’s even a specific section dedicated entirely to buffalo trading where a wide range of different types and sizes of buffaloes can be found.