At Cai Rang market, you will have great photographic opportunities as all manner of produce is traded from boats, communicate with the local, visit local houses and enjoy fresh fruits.

Cai Rang Floating Market, about 6km from Can Tho City, is the most famous and biggest floating market in the Mekong Delta.

This market is where locals go to buy and sell a variety of fruits and vegetables from boats of all sizes. During the early morning market hours, larger sized boats anchor and create lanes that smaller boats weave in and out of. The waterway becomes a maze of hundreds of boats packed with mango, bananas, papaya, pineapple, and even smuggled goods like cigarettes. Sellers tie their goods to a tall pole so that buyers can see from a distance what they are selling. Other boats sell beer, wine and soft drinks to the merchants and the buyers.

Visiting Cai Rang Market, you will have great photographic opportunities as all manner of produce is traded from boats, communicate with the local, visit local houses and enjoy fresh fruits.

The township of Móng Cái is 178 km from Ha Long City and 350 km from Hà Nội; situated in a prominent position in north-east Vietnam. The market is comprised of three zones; all situated in the sub-district of Hoà Lac, 1 km from the Bắc Luân border crossing. There are thousands of households here, almost all of which are bilingual in Chinese and Vietnamese.

In the mind of Vietnamese people, "market" is a very familiar picture in daily life. People can find out a crowded and animated market everywhere in this country, Vietnam, from tranquil suburb to crowded urban areas.

Market is not only the place for trading and exchanging goods and services but also the thing that expresses the traditional cultures of the country in the most meaningful way. In the countryside, each village or each ward has its own market and that market is named as the same name of that village or ward. In highland area with lots of mountains and hills, there are highland markets, where people of different small races gather and trade. Especially, if following through the Mekong River to the southern strip of land of Vietnam, tourists can easily see very original markets - floating markets on the river.

These ones are called "floating markets" because they are not located in crowded areas but on the river, in the middle of the water land with hundreds of junks, jolly-boats and boats that conduct buying and selling in crowds. The special trait of these markets is at their geographical position. As we know, the Mekong River Delta is an alluvia land which is fortified all the time by two big rivers: Tien Giang (Front River) and Hau Giang (Back River). Owing to the custom of living on the water surface and moving mainly by junks and boats, the markets are organized right on the river.

The market is open nearly all the day, but the most animated time is in the morning. All the junks and boats are filled with goods, mainly kinds of fruits and fresh farming products. And one thing that travelers can easily realize the scenery of perches erected in front of the boats and junks. At the peaks of these rods are kinds of fruits or goods that junk is selling. That typical picture can be referred to as banners and ads that are very popular in cities. However, on this water area, it becomes a distinct and original symbol.

The floating market Cai Rang in Can Tho

Besides trading and exchanging goods, many services like culinary service, beauty service, clothing, etc. happen right on the junks and that makes things handy and comfortable. Travellers can sit on a junk surrounded by water, enjoying a bowl of "bun rieu" or other special dishes, or finding out sewing and clothing stalls of local women, and so on. It can be said that those markets can meet nearly all demands and serve various products for daily life of people here although they are floating on river.

The floating market on Ganh Hao River in Ca Mau

Coming to South-Western provinces, excursionists can visit a number of famous floating markets attracting a great deal of customers every year such as: Phong Dien Market and Cai Rang Market in Can Tho; Phung Hiep Floating Market in Hau Giang; Cai Be Market in Tien Giang; and the floating market on Ganh Hao River in Ca Mau. Visiting and shopping at those markets, tourists will have chances to discover and understand more about special features in daily activities of residents in the Mekong River Delta area who are very faithful and hospitable.

Bac Ha is famous for its Sunday market, it is a trading centre and meeting place for couples, friends, and relatives every Sunday.

Location: Bac Ha Market is in Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province; about 80km from downtown Sapa.

Characteristics: It is a trading centre and meeting place for couples, friends, and relatives every Sunday.

Cho Lon is located at Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City.

It remains home to more than 500,000 people, many of whom are of Chinese origin. The area and its side-streets and markets provide an interesting glimpse of Sino-Vietnamese life, as the Vietnamese Chinese strive to retain there cultural traditions and language. In addition to temples, traditional apothecaries, fortune tellers and the like, some excellent Chinese food is available in Cho Lon.

A visit to Ho Chi Minh City's Cho Lon Market reveals the city at its most vibrant, colourful and fun.

This mighty market seems to go on for miles, crammed with every possible kind of fruit, vegetable, nut, fish, meat, cigarette, beer and so on. There are cloth shops with every type of silk in every colour and numerous types of cotton, wool and even tweed!

Fabric shopping in Ho Chi Minh City is a serious treat. Give yourself at least an afternoon, if not an entire day, so you can take your time, stop for cold drinks and snacks regularly and avoid becoming hot and bothered!

The variety of goods here is positively astounding and will give you uncanny glimpses into modern Vietnamese life. Friendly bargaining should save you 20% to 40%, but don't take it too seriously - Vietnamese people very rarely get angry in public and they feel extremely embarrassed if you do.

Located in Yen Thai Village, Buoi Ward, Tay Ho District, an area once famous for traditional crafts such as papermaking, silk weaving, malt cooking, mulberry growing, etc, the Buoi Market is one of a few markets in Hanoi retaining its tradition of special market days on the auspicious 4th and 9th days of each lunar month.

 It was once the place where people from different craft villages gathered and exchanged their goods.
As described in ancient documents, the Buoi Market consisted of 15 stalls selling different kinds of paper made by villagers in the Ke Buoi area, including tissue paper from Yen Thai Village, inferior tissue paper from Ho Khau Village, litmus paper from Dong Xa Village and xe paper from Yen Hoa Village.

Also, many kinds of farming tools, such as ploughs, hoes, spades, etc., were also sold at the market to serve farmers in neighbouring areas. Other products, such as An Phu malt, Xuan Dinh confectionary, Vong green rice flakes, were available in the market.

Store owners from Hanoi often go to the market to buy products to resell in their shops. Candy made in Lu Village is a popular item. Children of all ages enjoy the tasty keo bot (flour candy), keo vung (sesame candy), keo lac (peanut candy), popcorn and rice crisps sold by an elderly lady with black teeth and wearing a triangular kerchief on her head.

Other goods can be found at the market, such as shrimp and fish from the Red River and West Lake, vegetables from many villages nearby the To Lich and Nhue Rivers and specialities from other parts of the country.

Probably the most sought after items on sale at the market are various kinds of fruit trees, flowers and ornamental

Plants from famous villages around the West Lake , like Yen Phu, Nghi Tam, Quang Ba, Nhat Tan, Tay Tuu and Phu Thuong.

On auspicious days, the number of seedlings is tenfold that of regular days. Therefore, one can find any seedling of beautiful flowers, such as rose, lily, climbing rose, jasmine, hibiscus, etc, fruit trees such as Xuan Dinh sapodilla, Canh orange, Dien grapefruit or even shade trees.

With its typical features, Buoi Maket is, indeed, an interesting place attracting a lot of Hanoians.

Quảng Bá flower-market (in Tây Hồ district) meets year-round at 2am, it’s said to be the head-market where all species of fresh flowers are bought and sold by Hanoians. Flowers here are deemed to be most beautiful and fresh; moreover, going to the market by night is a touch of culture, an identity of Hanoians.

Con Market in Nam Dinh province has its own attraction not only for the local resident but also for tourists in Vietnam travel

The old fashioned Cho Hom (Hom market) in Hanoi

Special market for foreigners in Hanoi - Vietnam

Con Market has been a permanent fixture of Hai Hau Town in the northern province of Nam Dinh since 1920. For tourists in Vietnam travel who want to learn more about Vietnam cuture as well as Vietnam daily life, this is an ideal place.

If you travel to Con Market, you will meet good-natured hospitable farmers with their home-grown fruits and vegetables, seafood, handmade bamboo products and, palm-leaf conical hats - all sold at level ground.

The gastronomy is simple with customers sitting on hard seats and bamboo beds to enjoy plain rice flans and dry pancakes.

The market opens every other day on even dates and is the destination for trade exchange in the coastal area.

Cho Con in the river side

Travel to Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh city, tourists can visit Ba Chieu Market where all the fashionistas diversify their wardrobes, from tops and pants to dresses and accessories

A special thing at Ba Chieu Market is that you don’t need to spend a fortune on exotic labels when for a fraction of the price you can purchase cheap but beautiful secondhand clothes from all over the world.

Actually, there are many secondhand clothes markets and shops like Nhat Tao, Hoang Hoa Tham, Ho  Xuan Huong and Dinh Cong Trang but the most popular is Ba Chieu. From downtown, you go onto Dien Bien Phu Street to Dinh Tien Hoang Street to reach the market which is located in a small street off Vu Tung and lies next to Ba Chieu Tomb. The venue, a 50 meter-street, is home to over forty small nameless shops with clothes and accessories almost covering the shops’ entrances.

At the top of the market, there are shops selling both local and international male and female shirts priced from VND50,000 (around US$2.5). Customers, especially young girls will find it interesting with dozens of shops offering T-shirts, sweaters, jackets and dresses in diversified colors and styles.

A high-school girl named Huong jumped for joy when she saw an off-shoulder top and ripped denim shorts which is the look worn by her idol U.S. teen star Miley Cyrus at only VND110,000 for both items. I personally bought a dozen denim jackets priced from VND50,000-200,000 which could perfectly match different styles of outfits from bohemian dresses, skinny torn jeans and office-style suits.

At the end of Ba Chieu there are many shops selling stuffed toy animals, belts, handbags, suitcases and jeans.

The most amazing thing is sometimes you can find a new Lacoste T-shirt at only VND90,000 (about US$4.5) or Levis jeans at VND100,000.

Some disadvantages of such clothes is some are quite dirty, smell bad, have technical defects, there are no refunds and there is only one size per piece of clothing.

That’s why you need to check the product carefully and think carefully before making any purchases.

Tips for would-be secondhand clothing purchasers are: go shopping in the afternoon, bargain as much as you can, check the product carefully and go together with friends so they can take care of your stuff and help you find good items among a heap of clothes which could dazzle you.

A great idea is to make friends with shop owners so you have priority on the best clothes, which are usually sold to big shops around town at very reasonable prices and get updates on new secondhand arrivals.

For tourists in Vietnam travel, just one time visit this market because buying secondhand goods is no longer for poor people. It is a hobby of fashionistas and young stylish people to express themselves. Spending just a few hours at the market shopping for some cool stuff at cheap prices to match other branded clothes was a great day out.

A splendid festival is going to come. It is The New Year festival in HCM City, featuring traditional culture, modern life and focus on sea and island topic.

Vietnam tourism is expecting The New Year flower festival 2012 with many activities attracting tourists.

This year HCM City will continue organizing annual programs to welcome the New Year, including: decorating Nguyen Hue road with flowers and trees, holding a flower festival at Tao Dan Park and organizing 45 flower markets

Vice Chair Thuan instructed event organizers to combine the sea and island topic into these events, to feature national sovereignty.

Accordingly, Nguyen Hue flower road will have a zone for displaying flower-made mock-ups of Vietnamese coast and sea-related activities.

The New Year flower festival will have music shows on sea and islands.

Nguyen Hue flower road will open from January 20-26, 2012, while the New Year flower festival will be held from January 18 to 28, 2012. Flower markets will open from January 16 to 22, 2012.

Hope that tourists can stroll beatiful flower roads and make a deep impressions on Vietnam tourism.