Visit the most beautiful 'squatting' market in Vietnam

Vi Thanh Market is known by many different names. People often call this place a rural market or a country market because the vendors in the market are mostly real farmers. They grow their own vegetables, catch their own country products and then bring them to the market to sell, so the prices are much cheaper than other places.

The market is also known by a more popular name, the “squatting” market. Because the vendors here do not have stalls or kiosks like other places. The vendors usually squat or put up small chairs and neatly display their goods in about two to four square meters around them, each square like that is rented for 20,000 VND/session for management and cleaning. Therefore, the buyers also “squat” to choose the goods they like.

Seen from above, the market is arranged in neat, tidy and clean rows. Therefore, it can be said that this is the most beautiful squatting market in Vietnam.

Vi Thanh "squat" market opens quite early, villagers from many different places flock to the market (not only limited to Hau Giang province but also from neighboring places such as Can Tho, Bac Lieu , Soc Trang...) They prepare to set up their stalls from 2, 3 am and sell until around 9, 10 am when the market closes.

Farmers only bring enough goods to sell for one market day. If there is any surplus, they will weigh it again for the wholesale stalls in the market house and not leave it for the next day. That's why everything is fresh.

When we visited the market at around 4am, the market was already very crowded and bustling. Next to each stall there was a small electric light illuminating the products in the dark so that buyers could easily choose.

Early morning market scene seen from above

Around 6:30 to 7:00, the sun rises and shines everywhere. The morning sunlight is gentle, so people only need to cover their heads with conical hats to stay cool. Therefore, going to the market at this time, people can easily see women in Ao Ba Ba and conical hats, looking very simple, typical of the river delta region.

Vi Thanh Market is rustic and simple, each time has its own interesting features due to the season. The market sells many agricultural products and seafood made by the people themselves such as: cucumber, bitter melon, pineapple, longan, rambutan, young shoots, lotus, water chives, water fern, water fern, coconut vegetable, longan, perch, snakehead fish, catfish, eel, snakehead fish, rats, etc. In addition, the market also sells many types of rustic cakes, specialties of the Western people such as sweet soup, sticky rice, sponge cake, banana cake, etc.

Vi Thanh Market is not only a place for buying and selling, making a living closely associated with the lives of farmers. This place is also a place for simple, rustic community cultural activities.

The sellers are all genuine country people, simple and honest from their dress to their speech and friendliness. They are generous because the goods are homegrown, and buyers can freely choose and bargain to their liking without fear of being scolded.

Although modern commerce with many types such as supermarkets, convenience stores, online markets, still cannot replace traditional Vietnamese markets. Going to the rural market, people not only shop but also enjoy the space, colors, sounds and flavors typical of the whole countryside. That place contains all the cultural quintessence of the region that modern markets cannot find.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/ghe-tham-cho-chom-hom-dep-nhat-viet-nam-185231126195220369.htm