Night markets
Evening life, street food and authentic shopping
What it is and why
Night market in Vietnam is not just trading point, but real cultural ritual. With onset of darkness central streets are blocked, plastic tables are exhibited, and in air rises smoke from barbecues with shashlik, banh mi and fresh seafood. This is ideal place for those who want to get acquainted with "real" cuisine without restaurant markups.
Besides gastronomy, here can find everything: from traditional souvenirs, silk and leather products to bright handmade products. Atmosphere everywhere different — from noisy tourist markets of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh to calm night bazaars of Da Lat, where locals buy warm things and drink soy milk in cool evening.
Do not forget that bargaining on markets is norm. Start calmly lower price if purchase seems unreasonably expensive, and do this with smile: for Vietnamese bargaining is part of friendly communication.
Where to do it in Vietnam
Points on the map are real places where this activity can be done. Numbers in the list match the markers.
- Night market of Old quarterHanoi
Large market, working on weekends. Huge choice of snacks and souvenirs.
- Night market of Da LatDa Lat
Famous for knitted things, soy milk and Vietnamese pizza (banh trang nuong).
- Night market of Hoi AnHoi An
Hundreds of paper lanterns create fairy atmosphere on An Hoi island.
- Duong Dong marketPhu Quoc
Best place on island for tasting freshest seafood.
Tips
- Come closer to 19:00–20:00, when market already fully deployed, but people still not so many.
- Eat where sits most locals — this is main indicator of freshness and taste.
- Keep valuable things, phone and wallet before you: in crowd on popular markets possible pocket thefts.
- Always have with you small bills, as sellers of food often do not have change from large banknotes.
Caution
- Beware of "tourist markups": clarify cost of dishes and goods before making purchase.
- On some markets can be very tight, be careful if you with small children.