Dong Xuan Market

Cau Dong Street, Dong Xuan Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Now Open

Description

Dong Xuan Market is one of the oldest and largest markets in the historic district of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It is a symbol, a traditional trait, and the source of Hanoians’ pride. Dong Xuan Market is a must-visit place in Hanoi for those who wish to investigate cultural values and learn about the local way of life. Dong Xuan Market was constructed in 1889 as part of the French rule and has since undergone multiple renovations. It is a covered market that sells everything from souvenirs, clothing, and household goods to food.

Dong Xuan – Day Market

Dong Xuan Market is a wholesale market where you may find a variety of goods ranging in price and look. Similar to other traditional marketplaces in Vietnam, Dong Xuan Market includes an abundance of three-story kiosks selling essential commodities. Each floor of the Dong Xuan Day Market contains unique merchandise, making it relatively simple to pick your favorites. Let’s find out what each floor sells!

Upon entering Dong Xuan Market, the center fountain on the first floor is instantly visible. This is the location where you may take a break after going shopping. Similar to other marketplaces, the ground floor of Dong Xuan Market is filled with an abundance of meat, fish, vegetables, and processed items. The floor’s rear portions sell pets such as dogs, cats, goldfish, and fresh flowers. Additionally, home appliances and electrical equipment are available there.

As you ascend to the second floor, you will reach an area that sells T-shirts, hats, dresses, skirts, and textiles in a variety of colors and styles, the majority of which are the newest on the market. In addition, accessories such as handbags, shoes, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and watches are available on the second floor. If you are searching for mementos such as ceramic teapots, conical hats, and decorations, the second level is ideal. The price of the majority of goods is pretty inexpensive, allowing you to shop without concern for your limited funds.

The third floor is ideal for parents, particularly moms with children. On the top floor of Dong Xuan Market, there are a variety of colorful and attractive garments for newborn babies, pregnant ladies, and children. In addition to toys, plush animals, Lego blocks, and puzzle games, there are more types of products for children, such as toys and puzzle games. The majority of the toys come from China, so the costs are relatively low. It would be a terrific idea for you to bring your children souvenirs from Vietnam; they must be ecstatic!

Dong Xuan – Night Market

The Dong Xuan Night Market, which is open from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, is not just a location to purchase items but also a hub for cultural exchanges. Dong Xuan Night Market, spanning several main alleys in the Old Quarter, offers a wide variety of goods in almost 4000 stalls, including fabric, clothing, souvenirs, handicrafts, meals, and beverages, all of which reflect the culture and spirit of Hanoi.

The most popular items sold at Dong Xuan Market are clothes, shoes, and modern fashion accessories that cater to the needs of young locals and visitors, the two primary customer groups that frequent this night market. Wandering around the congested streets of Hanoi, you may freely choose from a range of gifts, including ceramics, pottery, wooden toys, ivory combs, T-shirts emblazoned with Vietnamese landmarks, postcards, etc. In addition, you will get the opportunity to savor Vietnamese specialties such as Pho, banh mi, rib porridge, and sweet soup.

The Dong Xuan Night Market occurs on the last three days of the week from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. This night market is not located within Dong Xuan Market, but rather from Hang Dao Street to the entrance of the day market; therefore, it is also known as Hanoi Old Quarter Night Market.

The area surrounding the Dong Xuan Night Market, which is located in the Old Quarter, is also a great place to explore. You can walk to Ta Hien Street for a beer, the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater for cultural performances, or Hoan Kiem Lake and Long Bien Bridge to experience the hectic daily life of Hanoians.

Architecture of Dong Xuan Market

Dong Xian Market’s design was heavily influenced by the French style. It has three stories and is approximately 9,600 square meters in size. Today, the entrance of Dong Xuan Market features three arches, as opposed to five arches in the past. The first and fifth entrances were eliminated in order to extend Hang Khoi and Cau Dong Streets. It is not difficult to see the dorm-style architecture and water fountain in the center of the bottom floor within the market. Two escalators and five additional staircases lead to upper levels.

History of Dong Xuan Market

According to historical records, there was a market south of the To Lich River from Hang Ca to Ngo Gach Street prior to 1888. When a portion of To Lich River and Thai Cuc Lake were filled in 1889, the authorities redesigned the market and relocated all the kiosks to an empty location in Dong Xuan Ward, becoming Dong Xuan Market. The construction of Dong Xuan Market began in 1889 with five vaulted ceilings and steel frames; each frame is 19 meters tall and 52 meters wide, spanning a total space of 6,500 square meters.

Once the market was constructed, it was only open every two days; however, as the economy and trade developed, Dong Xuan Market became open daily from morning to evening. Agricultural products, groceries, vegetables, fruits, textiles, and machinery from France, China, and India were exchanged there.

This market’s historical significance, which you may still experience if you visit this location, is even more fascinating. When the national war broke out in 1946, Dong Xuan Market experienced the fierce battles of Vietnamese resistance fighters against French forces, particularly the battle of deciding-to-die soldiers (Quyt T Quan) to halt the French attack on the Inter-resistance Zone 1 in February 1947.

Dong Xian Market was reconstructed in 1990 after two blocks were demolished and three others with three levels were refurbished. In 1994, however, the Dong Xuan Market was completely destroyed by fire; nearly every booth was demolished. This is the largest market fire ever recorded in Hanoi. Dong Xuan Market was reconstructed in 1995 with a total floor size of almost 14,000 square meters and around 2,000 businesses.

Dong Xuan Market has been one of the indivisible emblems of Hanoi for more than a century, containing all the material and sentimental worth of Hanoi and being involved with numerous significant events in the city’s history.

How to Get to Dong Xuan Market

The Dong Xuan Market is located in the heart of the city, making it accessible by car, bus, motorcycle, or even on foot. In addition to the Dong Xuan Day Market, the Dong Xuan Night Market is open from 6pm to midnight.

Currently, the Dong Xuan market is accessible from four major bus terminals in Hanoi, including My Dinh, Gia Lam, Nuoc Ngam, and Yen Nghia.

From the bus station, a taxi or motorbike taxi to the market costs between 40k and 80k. Now that Grab and Bee are available, the pricing is significantly lower.

Bus 01: Gia Lam bus station – Yen Nghia bus station
Bus 02: Bac Co – Nghia Bus Station
Bus 04: Long Bien – Underground water bus station
Bus 08: Long Bien – Dong My
Bus 09: Lakeside – Cau Giay – Lakeside
Bus 17: Long Bien – Noi Bai
Bus 23: Nguyen Cong Tru – Van Ho