Dong Xuan Market

Dong Xuan Market is the largest covered market in Hanoi and a landmark of the Old Quarter. It stands on Dong Xuan Street, about 600 metres north of Hoan Kiem Lake, and its main entrance has five arches. It is less of a tourist market than a working wholesale hub, which is exactly what makes it interesting.

The market was built by the French administration from 1889, replacing two older markets on Hang Duong and Hang Ma streets. It was the scene of fighting between Viet Minh and French forces in February 1947, at the start of the First Indochina War, and a memorial was placed near the main gate in 2005. In 1994 a fire almost destroyed the building, and it was partly rebuilt in its original form. Today it covers around 6,500 square metres over three floors, and the five domes of the roof echo the five arches of the main entrance.

Inside, the stalls sell clothes, fabrics, household goods and foodstuffs, much of it wholesale to shopkeepers from around the city and the north, though small traders also sell to individual shoppers. It is worth walking through simply to see how the trade works. Fresh produce and cooked Vietnamese dishes are found at the rear of the market, which is the best place to stop if you want to eat.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, Dong Xuan Street closes to traffic for the night market, which began in 2003 for the Southeast Asian Games. Stalls sell souvenirs, handicrafts and traditional food, and there are performances of traditional music and theatre such as ca tru, cheo, dan bau and xam. It is busy and good-natured, and a convenient way to combine shopping with dinner.

Go in the morning or early afternoon for the market itself, and keep an eye on bags and phones in the crowds. Be aware that counterfeit goods are a known problem, so treat branded items with caution. Long Bien Bridge is about a kilometre to the north-east, so the market fits naturally into a morning exploring the northern half of the Old Quarter.