Top 5 Essential Tips for Enjoying a Stroll Through Phu Quoc's Night Market

If you only visit the seafood stalls, you're missing out on the full experience of Phu Quoc's Night Market. Not only does the market offer an array of fresh seafood, ready to be packed for you to take home, but it also features dozens of snack stalls that will delight food lovers. Some popular local specialties that many tourists love include dried seafood, Phu Quoc fish sauce, sweets, and canned seafood... One standout treat is the sweetened roasted peanuts, known as chou chou, a famous gift from Phu Quoc.

Currently, many individuals at Phu Quoc's Night Market are offering day tours and vehicle rentals. However, these vendors don't operate from fixed stalls; instead, they walk around, aggressively promoting their services. It can be difficult to trust these individuals, as there is no guarantee of their reliability. Despite this, many tourists are drawn in by the extremely low prices these vendors offer.

It is said that this was originally the Dinh Cau Night Market, but later it was relocated and merged with the Bạch Đằng Night Market, adopting the name Phu Quoc Night Market. The market is easy to locate; just head to the intersection of Bạch Đằng and Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, where the vibrant lights and bustling crowd will immediately guide you there.

As a night market, it's only natural that it operates in the evening. Typically, the stalls begin setting up around 4 p.m., and by 11 p.m., they start packing up to close. Depending on the weather and the number of customers, the opening hours may vary, with some days opening earlier or later. However, Phu Quoc Night Market doesn't stay open all night long!

Though it lasts only for a few hours, Phu Quoc Night Market is always bustling with both tourists and locals. Visitors to Phu Quoc Night Market can indulge in shopping and enjoy the island's unique specialties, including a variety of fresh seafood elegantly displayed for all to see.

• Seafood: If you don’t have the chance to visit Ham Ninh fishing village for seafood, the night market is ready to serve you. Restaurants here are always crowded, with both locals and foreigners. Of course, prices at the market are higher compared to other places, but if you want it, just go for it!
• Thai Rolled Ice Cream: A distinctive feature of Phu Quoc Night Market is the inviting sound of “click-click” from Thai rolled ice cream vendors. There are so many of them here that you’ll find a stall every few meters, filling the market with the lively rhythm of ice cream being prepared. This sound is likely the first thing you'll associate with the night market.
• Churros – A New Treat at Phu Quoc Night Market: One of the most eye-catching stalls at the market is a churros stand, attracting passersby with its small chocolate fountain constantly flowing, releasing a delicious aroma. The churros, freshly fried, are sprinkled with sugar and served with a rich chocolate dip.
• Thot Not Cake: Thot Not cake costs only 5,000 VND per piece. For locals in the South, it’s quite familiar, but those from the Central or Northern regions may not be as familiar with the thot not fruit. This palm tree thrives in hot, rainy conditions but cannot withstand the cold. The fruit, similar in size to a coconut, has soft, white segments that are sweet and fragrant.
• Pearls: After indulging in food, take a stroll around the market to pick up souvenirs for family and friends. Phu Quoc is famous for its natural pearls, so you’ll find various types on sale, including white, black, gray, and golden pearls. According to the vendors, these are genuine pearls, though their quality doesn’t meet the “premium” standard, so they are sold outside the company’s main selection. If you want to be more certain, you can visit the pearl farms directly to purchase.
• Phu Quoc Pepper: Of course, no visit to the night market is complete without browsing the stalls selling Phu Quoc pepper. The pepper here is as famous as that from Dak Lak!