There are no stalls or kiosks, just squatting or setting up small chairs, but Vi Thanh market (Vi Thanh City, Hau Giang province) is arranged neatly, squarely, and evenly, so for many people, this is a squat market. The most beautiful tiger in Vietnam.
Vi Thanh Market is known by many different names. People often call this place a rural market or country market because the sellers in the market are mostly genuine 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 the more popular name “squat” market. Because the sellers here do not have stalls or kiosks like other places. Sellers often squat or set up small chairs and then neatly display goods in about two to four square meters around them. Each such square is rented for 20,000 VND/session for management and cleaning. That’s why shoppers also “squat” to choose their favorite goodsViewed from above, the market is arranged in straight rows, neat and clean. Therefore, it can be said that this is the most beautiful squat market in VietnamVi Thanh “squat” market opens quite early, rural people from many different places flock to the market (not only within Hau Giang province but also from neighboring places such as Can Tho, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang…) They Prepare to clear goods from 2 or 3 a.m. and sell until about 9 or 10 p.m. when the market closesFarmers only bring enough goods to sell at one market. If there is any surplus, they will weigh it for the wholesale stalls in the cage rather than leaving the goods for the next day, so everything is fresh and delicious.The time we visited the market was around 4 am, the market was already very crowded and bustling. Next to each stall there is a small electric light that illuminates the products in the dark so buyers can easily chooseMarket scene in the early morning seen from aboveAround 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., the sun shines everywhere. The morning sunlight is gentle, so people just need to cover their heads with a conical hat to stay cool enough. Therefore, when going to the market at this time, people can easily see women in Ba Ba shirts and conical hats, looking very simple, typical of the Western region.
Vi Thanh Market is rustic and authentic, each time has its own interesting features due to the different seasons. The market sells a lot of agricultural and seafood products made by people themselves such as: cucumbers, bitter melon, pineapple, longan, rambutan, buds, water lily, chives, tubers, mint, coconut vegetables, fish, tong, perch, choke, snakehead, catfish, eel to snake, mouse… In addition, the market also sells many types of rustic cakes, specialties of the Western people such as sweet soup, sticky rice, beef cake, banana cake…
Vi Thanh Market is not only a place to buy and sell, making a living closely linked to the lives of farmers. This is also a place for rustic and simple community cultural activitiesThe sellers are genuine country people, rustic and sincere, from their dress to their speech and friendliness. They are proud because the goods are from the growers, and buyers can freely choose and bargain to their liking without fear of being scolded at all.Although modern commerce has many types such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and online markets, it still cannot replace traditional Vietnamese markets. Going to the countryside market, people not only shop but also enjoy the space, colors, sounds and typical flavors of the entire countryside. That place contains all the cultural quintessence of the region that cannot be found in modern markets.
($1=24,000 VND) Photo,Video: Internet (Vinlove.net)
