Hoi An, a jewel of Vietnam tourism, captivates visitors not only with its ancient and serene beauty during the day but also with its vibrant and shimmering atmosphere at night. As darkness falls, Hoi An Ancient Town dons a new, colorful outfit, especially in its famous night markets. Experiencing the Hoi An night market is not just a shopping and culinary journey but also an opportunity to immerse yourself in a unique cultural space and feel the rhythm of Hoi An’s nightlife. Let’s explore the exciting things awaiting you in Hoi An’s night market paradise!
Discover the Unique Space of Hoi An Night Markets
Hoi An’s night market is not just one but a collection of different markets, each with its own unique characteristics, contributing to the colorful picture of the ancient town at night. Here are some prominent night market destinations you shouldn’t miss:
Nguyen Hoang Night Market: Traditional Beauty by the Japanese Covered Bridge
Address: Nguyen Hoang Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam. Opening hours: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM daily. Price range: From 40,000 – 100,000 VND depending on the product.
Located right in the heart of the ancient town, opposite the famous Japanese Covered Bridge, Nguyen Hoang Night Market is a familiar and most loved destination for tourists visiting Hoi An. With a length of about 300 meters and more than 50 stalls close together, Nguyen Hoang Night Market offers a diverse shopping space, from clothes and handcrafted souvenirs to attractive snacks.
Nguyen Hoang Night Market shimmering with colorful lanterns
The highlight of this night market is the colorful lantern stalls. Hundreds of lanterns of all shapes, sizes, and colors are hung high, emitting a shimmering, magical light, creating an extremely poetic and captivating scene. Strolling through Nguyen Hoang Night Market, you will feel the traditional, simple but equally charming beauty of Hoi An Ancient Town.
Exploring handcrafted souvenir stalls at Nguyen Hoang Night Market
The atmosphere at Nguyen Hoang Night Market is not too noisy or bustling but brings a sense of peace and relaxation. The goods here are mainly handicrafts and souvenirs made from traditional craft villages around Hoi An, such as Thanh Ha pottery village and Kim Bong carpentry village. You can find unique gifts, imbued with local culture, to give to relatives and friends after the trip. Nguyen Hoang Night Market is also an ideal check-in location, where you can freely pose with the shimmering lanterns without any cost. The friendly and enthusiastic stall owners will help you take beautiful commemorative photos.
Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market: Street Food Paradise
Address: Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam. Opening hours: 4:30 PM – 11:00 PM daily. Price range: From 20,000 – 100,000 VND for dishes.
If you are a food enthusiast and want to experience the Hoi An night market in a special way, come to Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market. This place is known as the “food paradise” of the ancient town, gathering countless delicious specialties of Hoi An and Quang Nam.
Stepping into Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market, you will be overwhelmed by the diversity and attractiveness of street food. From simple street vendors to small, pretty eateries, all exude a captivating aroma that stimulates the taste buds. You can enjoy flavorful Quang noodles, famous Cao Lau, crispy mussel crackers, grilled corn with fragrant scallion oil, crispy golden pancakes, attractive grilled minced meat skewers, and countless other snacks.
Enjoying diverse street food at Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market
Not only delicious, but the food at Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market is also very affordable, suitable for the budget of all tourists. You can comfortably explore Hoi An cuisine without worrying about prices. This night market is not only an ideal destination for food lovers but also a place for you to best feel the taste of the simple, close-knit life of Hoi An people.
Other Night Market Areas: Bustling on the Main Streets
In addition to Nguyen Hoang Night Market and Cong Nu Ngoc Hoa Night Market, the Hoi An night market experience also extends to many other streets in the ancient town. Streets such as Bach Dang, Tran Quy Cap, Hoang Van Thu, and Tieu La also become more vibrant and bustling at night with the appearance of night market areas.
These night markets usually sell a variety of items, from clothes, shoes, bags, and fashion accessories to souvenirs and local specialties. The shopping space here is somewhat more modern and dynamic than Nguyen Hoang Night Market, suitable for tourists who like a bustling and lively shopping atmosphere. Strolling through the night markets on the main streets, you will feel the intersection between the ancient beauty of the old town and the modern, youthful pace of life.
Immerse Yourself in the Hoi An Night Market Experience
The Hoi An night market experience doesn’t just stop at shopping and enjoying food. Coming to the night market, you also have the opportunity to participate in many interesting cultural and entertainment activities, imbued with Hoi An’s identity.
Enjoying Unique Cuisine: Hoi An Flavors by Night
Hoi An Night Market is truly a miniature “food paradise” where you can explore and fully enjoy the unique flavors of Central Vietnamese cuisine. Under the shimmering lights, familiar Hoi An dishes become more attractive and appealing than ever.
You cannot miss the opportunity to enjoy a hot, delicious bowl of Quang noodles with soft chewy noodles, rich broth, chicken, shrimp, quail eggs, and fresh vegetables. Cao Lau, a specialty of Hoi An, is also an excellent choice with golden Cao Lau noodles, char siu pork, crispy pork cracklings, fresh vegetables, and rich sauce. Besides, snacks such as Banh Dap (rice crackers with steamed glutinous rice), Banh Beo (steamed rice cakes), Ram Cuon Cai (spring rolls wrapped in mustard greens), Nem Lui (lemongrass skewers), and Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls) will also enrich your Hoi An night market experience.
Quang Noodles – a must-try dish when visiting Hoi An Night Market
To quench your thirst and for dessert, you can choose cool sweet soups, greasy tofu pudding, fragrant Mot water, or fresh smoothies and fruit juices. The culinary flavors of Hoi An night market are sure to conquer even the most demanding diners.
Immerse Yourself in Culture: Bai Choi Singing and Folk Games
The Hoi An night market experience is not only a culinary journey but also an opportunity for you to learn about and immerse yourself in the local traditional culture. One of the most unique cultural activities at Hoi An night market is Bai Choi singing.
Bai Choi singing is a unique folk art form of Central Vietnam, combining music, poetry, and games. Every night, at Hoi An night market, you can easily spot small Bai Choi stages with artists performing passionately. The rustic, close-knit Bai Choi songs, imbued with the breath of life, will bring you closer to Hoi An’s culture and people.
Enjoying Bai Choi singing – a unique cultural feature at Hoi An Night Market
In addition, Hoi An night market also has a folk game area, recreating familiar childhood games such as blindfolded pot smashing, O An Quan (Mandarin Square Captures), bamboo dancing, and ring toss. Participating in these games not only brings joy and laughter but also helps you understand more about the traditional cultural values of Vietnam. Especially for international visitors, this is a great opportunity to explore and experience Vietnamese culture directly and vividly.
Cruising on the Hoai River: Admiring the Shimmering Ancient Town from a Boat
To make your Hoi An night market experience more romantic and memorable, don’t forget to spend time cruising on the Hoai River. In the evening, the Hoai River becomes more shimmering and magical than ever with the brilliant lantern lights from both banks.
Sitting on a boat, letting yourself drift along the gentle water, you will admire the panoramic view of Hoi An Ancient Town at night from a completely different perspective. Ancient houses, colorful lanterns, riverside shops… all blend together to create a beautiful, poetic picture.
Boat trip on the Hoai River to admire the shimmering Hoi An night market
You can also buy flower lanterns and release them into the Hoai River, sending wishes for good things. This is an extremely meaningful and romantic Hoi An night market experience, especially for couples. The boat trip ticket on the Hoai River is about 120,000 VND/adult and usually includes 2 flower lanterns for you to release.
Check-in at Lantern Streets: Capture Memorable Moments
Hoi An Night Market is not only a place for shopping, eating, and playing but also a beautiful outdoor “studio” for virtual living enthusiasts. With thousands of shimmering lanterns and warm yellow lights from the stalls, Hoi An Night Market creates an extremely magical and romantic space.
Just strolling around the night market, you can easily find countless beautiful photo spots. From the brilliantly lit lantern streets and ancient yellow walls to the flower lantern boats on the Hoai River… all are great backgrounds for unique and impressive check-in photos. The Hoi An night market experience would not be complete without these shimmering souvenir photos.
Check-in at lantern streets – a must-do activity at Hoi An Night Market
Pocket Tips for a Complete Hoi An Night Market Trip
To make your Hoi An night market experience complete and most memorable, keep these helpful tips in mind:
- Bargain when shopping: At Hoi An night market, especially for souvenirs, you should bargain to buy products at the best price. Don’t be afraid to haggle, stall owners are usually quite comfortable with this.
- Be careful with personal belongings: Night markets are crowded places, so you should pay attention to protecting your personal belongings to avoid pickpocketing or theft.
- Maintain general hygiene: Please dispose of garbage in the right places to contribute to keeping the night market landscape clean and civilized.
- Best time to visit the night market: The ideal time to visit Hoi An night market is from around 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. At this time, the market is brightly lit and the atmosphere also becomes more bustling and lively.
- Combine visiting the ancient town: You can combine visiting Hoi An Ancient Town in the afternoon and then experiencing the Hoi An night market in the evening to have a full day of exploring the beauty of Hoi An.
Distant view of Hoi An Night Market
Experiencing the Hoi An night market is an indispensable part of exploring the ancient town. This place is not only a shopping and culinary destination but also a place for you to deeply feel the cultural beauty, rhythm of life, and people of Hoi An at night. Come and discover this night market paradise for yourself, you are sure to have unforgettable memories!