Visiting markets in Vietnam is undoubtedly the best way to learn more about local culture, in Vietnam is no exception. Although Vietnam is home to many famous tourist destinations, the local Vietnamese market still holds a special appeal for foreign tourists.
Let’s discover the best markets in Vietnam with Go Viet Trip.
Meo Vac is the largest local minority market in Ha Giang - a province in the mountainous northwestern region of Vietnam. It is where the ethnic minorities come to trade items and food.
The market opens every Sunday, from 5 am in the morning. There is a wide variety of goods there, from clothing, rice, and cellphones.
The northern part of the market is where people trade cattle. Here you can catch sight of chickens, ducks, cows, goats, and many more livestock sold on the street.
Walking into the indoors, the savory smell of food quickly fills the air. Many food stalls line up, serving customers with hot bowls of local cuisine. You can also find vegetables, rice, and other food ingredients here.
Location: Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province
What to buy and see: Clothes, embroidery, souvenirs, food ...
Ethnic people at Meo Vac
Khau Vai love market is also located in Ha Giang province. It takes place every year from the 26th to the 28th of March (following luna's calendar). The festival attracts not only ethnic minorities but also Kinh (Viet) people.
The love market is believed to originate from the love story of a young couple. They had to break up due to the conflicts between the tribes, so they decided to meet once a year in Khau Vai. Thereafter, the place became the love market where people came to find their partners.
Men and women also come here to meet their ex-partners on that day. Nobody gets jealous since the meeting only takes place in the market. At the end of the day, they will part ways and go back to their normal lives.
Location: Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province.
The man playing an instrument for his ex-girlfriend
Dong Xuan market is a not-to-miss place if you are staying in Hanoi. It lies at the west end of the Old Quarters, which is absolutely convenient for tourists to visit. This is also the best market in Hanoi, Vietnam
This was built in 1889 and has undergone renovations many times, with the latest in 1994.
At present, Dong Xuan is the largest wholesale market in Northern Vietnam. More importantly, it holds significant meaning to the history of Hanoians in particular and Vietnamese soldiers in general.
The market is designed with French architecture, which consists of three floors covering a total area of 6500 square meters.
Location: Dong Xuan Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
What to buy and see: souvenirs, food, clothes..
The main gate of Dong Xuan
The night market opens from 6 pm until midnight on weekends. During that time, besides buying goods, visitors can also join many cultural exchange activities. Run from Hang Ngang street around 3km to Dong Xuan street.
Location: Hang Ngang street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
What to buy and see: Here, you can find literally all commodities you can think of, from clothing, fabric, foods to souvenirs.
This is a paradise of fabrics, clothes, shoes, accessories. Besides that, Hom market also sells many diverse items such as household items, food, cosmetics, etc.
Location: 79 Hue Street, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
What to buy and see: Fabrics, clothes, shoes, foods
Quang An is the biggest wholesale flower market in Hanoi. This has a unique characteristic: it starts around midnight and ends at about 6 am.
To have an authentic experience in Quang An, you should visit it at 2 - 4 am. It is obviously not for those who shy away from the early morning, but the trip is totally worth it.
There you will be surrounded by countless flowers of all colors. In addition to flowers from nearby villages, we can catch sight of many refrigerated trucks from Dalat to supply flowers for the wholesalers.
A side benefit of visiting Quang An market in the morning is that you can have a completely different view of Hanoi. The city seems to sound asleep with deserted streets and dimming street lights.
Location: 238 Au Co, Quang An, Tay Ho, Hanoi
What to buy and see: Although there are no souvenir and food shops, you can enjoy the fantastic view of hundreds of flowers and don't forget to bring your camera to take the best photos.
Han market is a popular destination in Danang among both locals and tourists. It lies conveniently at the grand intersection of four significant streets, covering a total area of 28,000 square kilometers.
The market officially opened for the first time in the 1940s. After being renovated in 1989, it has grown into a bustling trading center as we see today. It offers a wide variety of goods, including clothing, accessories, handicrafts, etc.
As an added perk, the goods sold in the Han market are reasonably priced. Some highly recommended items include dried foods, local snacks, and souvenirs.
Location: 119 Tran Phu, Hai Chau 1, Hai Chau, Da Nang
What to buy and see: Here, you can find souvenirs, clothes, and fabrics, shoes, and bags made from sedge, rattan, seafood..
If you have a chance to visit Hue, do not forget to drop by Dong Ba market - the oldest and largest market in this ancient citadel of Vietnam. It is located right on the north bank of the Huong river.
This was built in the 1880s and underwent a great renovation in 1987. Now, it covers an area of 47,641 m2 with three floors.
Dong Ba market is famous for traditional crafts. You can find a wide variety of crafts here, including conical hats, pottery, bamboo products, etc., produced in long-standing craft villages in Hue.
This is also an ideal option if you want to discover the local cuisine. It has many food courts offering traditional dishes such as beef noodles, clam rice, shrimp cakes, etc.
Location: 2 Tran Hung Dao, Phu Hoa ward, Hue city.
What to buy and see: Besides shopping, visitors also can enjoy a lot of delicious dishes at Dong Ba market such as Banh bot loc, nem lui, bún bò...
There is much good food here
Hoi An Central Market is located on Bach Dang street in Hoi An Old Town. It consists of two main blocks: the food court section and the clothing market.
The food stalls often open from 5 am to 6 pm every day. These places are highly recommended if you want to enjoy Hoi An cuisine at an affordable cost.
Here you can meet other tourists and locals to share some fun stories while tasting local flavors.
Location: Bach Dang Street, Hoi An
What to buy and see: Meanwhile, the clothing market offers a wide range of items, from clothes, bags, shoes to fruits and veggies. Make sure you know how to bargain to save some money.
Cai Rang is one of the three largest floating markets in the Mekong Delta. It was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2016.
The market has come into being for over a century. It served as the main trading place for dwellers in Can Tho and other neighboring provinces such as Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, etc.
First-time visitors will certainly be amazed at the sight of several colorful boats loaded with goods anchoring weaving in and out on the waterway. The sellers tie their available items to a tall upright pole for buyers to see from a distance.
Cai Rang floating market is the most bustling in the early morning. When going here, you can also have a chance to taste popular street foods such as Hu Tieu and Com Tam.
Location: 46 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
What to buy and see: Have breakfast and enjoy busy trading activities at the floating market
Enjoy plenty of food and listen to Don Ca Tai Tu (traditional music in the southern). Visit my hometown coconut candy.
Cai Rang floating market
Binh Tay market, also known as Cho Lon, holds significant meaning to the daily lives of Ho Chi Minh residents. Lying at the heart of Chinatown, it is one of the largest central markets in Ho Chi Minh city.
The market was built in 1930 by Quach Dam - a Chinese businessman. Now it is home to thousands of shops, including both wholesalers and retailers.
Location: 57A Thap Muoi, Ward 2, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City
What to buy and see: The Binh Tay market has 2358 stalls in total. You can find almost everything in here, from ready-to-wear clothes, bags, jewelry, household supplies, kitchenware, etc.
Ben Thanh market is the long-standing symbol of Ho Chi Minh city.
The market dated back to as far as the 17th century, when a few street vendors sat together to sell items near the Saigon River. In 1914, it was relocated and renamed to Ben Thanh market as we know it today.
Ben Thanh market has four main gates, which serve as a directory as people sell different items at each gate. For example, you can find fresh fruits, fish, and meat at the Northern gate, while at the Southern gate, there are textiles, clothing, garments, etc.
Ben Thanh also has a lively night market starting from 6 pm. It is densely crowded with street food courts where people gather to relax after work.
If you are searching for some souvenirs to bring home, do not miss out on Ben Thanh market. Here you can find a variety of Vietnamese handicrafts, for example, coconut dinnerware, threadwork embroidered items, and so on.
Location: Le Loi, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
What to buy and see: Clothes, handicrafts, souvenirs, food
Located only 4 kilometers from the center of Saigon, Ho Thi Ky is the largest flower market in the city. It radiates a vintage vibe of the old Saigon that many people adore.
Like Quang An flower market, at Ho Thi Ky is busiest in the early morning as flowers are brought here everywhere. In the morning, wholesalers come here to take flowers, which makes a bustling scene.
Location: 52 Ho Thi Ky, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
What to buy and see: Flowers, street foods
Visitors to Nha Trang cannot skip this bustling night market. It is located on Tran Phu street, right in the center of this coastal city.
The market opens from 7 pm until midnight. During that time, it is always packed with locals and visitors.
You can find lots of items here, most of which are souvenirs and clothing. The prices are reasonable, but it would be better to bargain for the best prices.
Trying street foods is also a great activity at Nha Trang night market. Some must-try local foods include jellyfish, grilled pork roll, seafood, etc.
Location: Tran Phu, Loc Tho, Nha Trang City
What to buy and see: Souvenir, street foods
Dalat night market is one of the best places to enjoy the nightlife in this hill town. It opens from 5 pm every day and attracts many visitors.
This is not only about buying and selling commodities. Rather, it hosts exciting street performances such as dancing and skating.
In addition, several travelers come to the Dalat night market for food. You can find many typical local dishes here, such as pizza, banh mi, soy milk, etc.
Location: 6b Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ward 1, Da Lat City
What to buy and see: Souvenir, fresh fruits, street foods
Some Shopping Vocabulary in Vietnamese
Hello - Xin Chào - xin ciao
I want to by – Tôi muốn mua – toy – moon - muah
How much is this - Cái này giá bao nhiêu tiền - cai- nei – za -bao- dzew
To expensive – Đắt quá – dat – kwa
Discount please – Hãy giảm giá – Hey – zam – za
Thanks you – Cảm ơn – kam - on
Tips for Visitors
· Bring cash with you as street vendors may not support credit cards.
· Learn how to bargain to save some money.
· Watch out for pickpockets when in a crowd.
· If possible, travel with a local.
Go Viet Trip has shown you the best markets in Vietnam. If you are going on a Vietnam tour, visit at least one market to have an authentic experience with the locals.
If you still have questions, please feel free to contact us at Goviettrip@gmail.com or hotline +84968667589 right now! We are guarantee about quality and prices. Get a full refund if you do not feel happy with our services.
Author Hoan Nguyen
He has over 10 years of experience working in the tourism sector and operator. He has traveled to many places in Vietnam and around the world.
Photos: Go Viet Trip, Internet
