Ba Le Market

From fresh produce, seafood, food stalls (early morning) to essential home goods, clothing, and basic living necessities, this marke will probably have it. It’s a treat to come here and here and get a glimpse of how the locals trade and interact with one another.

Lovely local market with fruits, vegetables and kitchen utensils. We first visited two years ago and we came back now for more shopping. Tip: you can buy typical home use chopsticks here, not that touristic gadgets with fancy colours (you can buy these here, too ;P) we bought many and they serve us well at home

Ba Le Market is a “local neighborhood” market patronized by local Vietnamese and ex-pats. I do my daily shopping here. This wet market has cheaply-priced produce ranging from fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, fresh meats, fresh seafood, spices, soy and coconut oil, and dry goods. You can find whatever you need here. I come early in the morning for the freshness of vegetables, spices, herbs, meats, and seafood. Visit Stall #10, run by a mom and son team, please ask for Mr. Han, who speaks English quite well. Stall 10 is similar to other stalls, but it is the only stall that carries olive oil; and Stall 10 carries organic produce, please ask Mr. Han.

This is the market where the locals shop. Incredible variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Out guide Hon and her husband took us through the market where we got to try mangosteen, rambutan, loquat and many other fruits.

Everything here is very fresh, but it’s best to go early, around 6-7 am. By midday, many vendors take a break, and while you can still find fruits and vegetables, meat and seafood will likely be sold out or in short supply. Couple of fruit vendors do stay open until 8-9 pm, so you can grab fresh fruit later in the day if needed. This market is a bit cheaper than the one in the old town, but anyway it seems that foreigners might still be overcharged. Interestingly, all the sellers tend to quote the same prices, but when I asked a local about the prices, they mentioned lower figures. This makes me question whether the market prices are truly competitive, especially since they’re often similar to those at a supermarket. That said, if you visit regularly, the vendors tend to lower their prices for you over time. After a month of consistent visits, I noticed that they started offering me better deals and even threw in some free herbs. Be cautious with the eggs they sell—duck eggs look almost identical to chicken eggs, so if you don’t eat them or have concerns about salmonella, it’s important to double-check before buying. The market also has a shoe repair guy and sewing services, as well as stalls selling various home products.