Discovery of Markets
Passing several decades of development, market is still an essential part of the Vietnamese people life despite the rise of many modern supermarkets. We can say that market is a gathering of special cultural characteristics of a region. So if you ask us "How to discover the regional peculiarity of the local inhabitants?" Our answer is: "Go to the market! ".
1. Marché de Bac Ha
Located on the mountain at the distance of 76km away from Lao Cai, Bac Ha market is the largest market where hundreds of inhabitants of ethnic minorities (Black Lolo, Hmong, Red Dao, etc) gather only on Sundays morning.
Walking around the market, you will be lost in a multicolored world with very original products of the local inhabitants. The local language, roads, mountains, the life of welcoming and hospitable people, etc. everything is waiting for you to discover by yourself.
2. Marché Coc Ly
With just an hour and a half drive from Bac Ha market, Coc Ly market is a little known market situated next to the poetic Chay River where people here trade buffalo and horses and they collect them only on Tuesday morning.
The most distinctive feature of Coc Ly market is that most ethnic minorities trade their products and livestock instead of exchanging them for cash.
3. Rues et corporations de Hanoi
Leaving the ethnic minority markets, we take you to Hanoi - the capital of Vietnam where there is calm in the heart of the modern city.
Under the shade of ancient trees at the edges of the old streets, we invite you to a stroll by cyclo listening to the stories of 36 streets of the Old Quarter well known Hanoi.
Before, every street was a business corporation in which they specialized in one single product. Most business street is so named according to the name of the product or craft area. Currently, only a few craft streets continue to perform the traditional activities of their corporation.
4. Marché de Dong Ba
Dong Ba is the famous Hue market that lies along the Perfume River, about 100m to the north of Truong Tien Bridge.
The total market size is more than 22.700m² with an average of 5,000-7,000 people in a normal trading day and this number can be doubled during the holidays and public holidays. There, in the craft villages in the center of Hue, you will be in awe of how the skillful the artists are in creating ceramic and pottery products.
Dong Ba market plays an important role in the cultural, tourism and economic of Hue. This is surely one of tourist attractions of Hue for travelers.
5. Marché de Ben Thanh
Leaving the poetic city of Hue, we bring you Ben Thanh Market (also called Saigon market) in the heart of Saigon - Vietnam's economic center which is also known as "Pearl of the Far East."
With an area of over 13,000 m², Ben Thanh Market has its 16 doors opening in four directions: the main door overlooks the South Quach Thi Trang park; the East Gate overlooks the Phan Boi Chau Street; North door leads onto Avenue Le Thanh Ton; the west door leads to Phan Chu Trinh street. Within the market, there are about 1,500 stalls where you can find local but unique products ranging from souvenirs, clothing, handicrafts to endless food choices. Here, it definitely promises you an authentic Vietnamese atmosphere once you enter the market.
With a famous clock hanging on the front of the south gate, Ben Thanh Market is also an architectural symbol of Ho Chi Minh City. This is a must for tourists.
6. Marchés flottants
Escaping from the hectic life of Saigon, we invite you to visit the popular floating markets in the Mekong Delta, where many commercial activities of the inhabitants here are on the water, such as the floating market of Cai Be in the province of Tien Giang, the Cai Rang in Can Tho province, that of Nga Nam in the province of Soc Trang and also, the Nga Hau Giang Bay.
Most floating markets start early in the morning. So you can begin your day with fresh air while enjoying the dawn on the water. Strolling by boat, it is you who will become a share of these multicolored boats full of fresh fruit or flowers or eventually floating restaurants with delicious local dishes, etc.
The pace of life on water is lively but peaceful. We meet you enjoy the beauty of rustic floating markets and the friendliness of the inhabitants of spa towns in the Mekong Delta. Via the activities of local residents, you can understand their way of life, their characters, their culture. This will be the great experiences in your trip in Vietnam.
We Phu Binh Voyages is always ready to become your support in your short trips in Vietnam.
Source of images: Phubinh Voyages and Internet