Traditional markets in Viet Nam

No matter how modern life is, no matter how comfortable you feel when shopping in large shopping malls, I believe that for Vietnamese people, the soul of the country, the soul of the Vietnamese people is still very strong and worth preserving in traditional markets.

Here, you can feel the unique rhythm of life. Where you can easily come across women selling fabrics or clothes, hats, women selling vegetables or meat, fish… along with the eternal stories that never end about their children, their work, their family. It connects the traders into a community that works together to make a living all their lives.

Usually, markets in the countryside only open for half a day from early morning to noon following a fixed monthly schedule. Like in my hometown, a district in the Northern Delta, with an area of ​​about 200 square kilometers and a population of about 300,000 people. There are a total of 5 main markets located about 10 kilometers apart. So the market days will be divided equally among these markets. For example, the market near my house is held on the 2nd, 6th, 12th, 16th, 22nd, 26th of every month. The market in the neighboring commune will be held on the 5th, 10th, 15th… of every month.

And so, when farmers have surplus agricultural products grown in their home gardens, they will bring them to the markets to sell. In addition, there are also many people who specialize in trading to make a living. They will be the ones who collect agricultural products from gardens with a variety of products such as: peanuts, corn, vegetables and seasonal fruits such as bananas, longans, grapefruit, jackfruit, guava, etc.

Therefore, although the products in the rural markets are very simple and rustic, they are all locally produced, harvested on the spot and consumed in a short time, without the use of preservatives and toxic chemicals, so they are very safe for health because they are the products of farmers, first of all for their families to use, and the surplus is sold to earn some extra money to cover living expenses. And with the same process, there are craft villages that produce traditional products such as silk weaving, mats weaving, hats knitting… There are also families that specialize in making rice paper or making vermicelli, noodles from generations to generations… also ensuring quality to provide this traditional market with unique handicrafts, suitable for the tastes and budgets of local consumers.

Visiting these traditional markets helps you immerse yourself in an extremely lively space, it can be likened to a way for you to return to a Vietnam of a few decades ago, both old and new. Whether in the countryside or in big cities, in the highlands or in the plains, it is still the same, and will always be the same.
From the time when our ancestors started to establish villages and hamlets thousands of years ago, hundreds of years ago until today, the lifestyle and craft life of the Vietnamese people have always been maintained, preserved and developed in such a sustainable way.
So many local products, from bunches of vegetables freshly picked from the home garden, all kinds of spices such as onions, garlic, ginger, chili to fresh or dried meat and fish… from clothing stalls for all ages to handicrafts such as hats, rustic sedge mats… are all available here.

In addition, in terms of cuisine, although there are no luxurious and modern spaces like large restaurants where you can comfortably sit and eat. But a small, modest corner in the market is already enough to serve one dish to diners and make them feel extremely comfortable and excited when witnessing the nimble hands of the seller while preparing ingredients, chatting and laughing… Moreover, the fact that a seller only focuses on making and selling a single dish over many years has summarized his secrets to make a dish with a unique flavor that cannot be mistaken for any other. And so, each seller has invisibly brought to these traditional markets their own personal identity. That is why you can only feel the very Vietnamese culture in these traditional markets.

So if you have the opportunity to visit and travel in Vietnam, remember to visit, enjoy the dishes with rich Vietnamese flavors or buy as gifts for your loved ones local specialties from traditional markets wherever you have the opportunity to set foot!

Thank you for reading the article and please leave your comments below to help us improve the article or continue to explore other beautiful places.