With a passion for travel, Geoff (from Canada) has made many trips to many countries. In Vietnam, he visited many attractive destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An (Quang Nam), Hue, Ninh Binh, Hanoi, ... and spent time exploring the culture and cuisine of each locality.

Geoff revealed that during his time traveling in Hanoi, he had an unforgettable experience. That was following the locals to the wholesale market at 4am to enjoy some delicious food early in the morning.

Accompanying him on this trip was Ms. Duyen - a chef who is currently working in the tourism industry. The two chose Long Bien market (located under Long Bien bridge, in Ba Dinh district) as their stopover - one of the largest wholesale markets in Hanoi, about 1km from Dong Xuan market, the center of the old town.

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Geoff arrived at Long Bien market at 4 o'clock.

At night, Long Bien market operates from 11pm the previous day to early morning the following day. The peak trading hours at the market are from 2am to 4am. This is considered the ideal time for tourists to visit and admire the bustling and bustling scene of the market.

Also because of its nocturnal activities, Long Bien market is also known as the famous "never-sleeping" market in the capital, attracting domestic and foreign tourists to explore.

Previously, Long Bien market was also voted by Go Backpacking magazine as one of the 5 most attractive markets in Southeast Asia and was listed in the 7 most interesting flea markets in the world by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Geoff said he woke up very early to go to Long Bien market and arrived there at nearly 4am.

After walking around the market, the Western visitor was not only impressed by the bustling scene but also delighted when some vendors invited him to eat free fruits such as sugarcane, plums, and oranges.

Western guests enjoy tasting squid rolls

Chef Duyen even introduced and invited him to enjoy hot squid and fish cakes at a stall in the market. The Canadian guest was surprised because the cakes were handmade, had eye-catching colors and attractive flavors.

“This dish was too hot but it was really good. The squid was very fresh. As for the fish cake, I wasn’t expecting much at first but it was amazing,” said Geoff.

Next, the two moved to a small restaurant at the corner of the market and enjoyed fried eggs with mugwort leaves.

Chef Duyen shared with Geoff that mugwort is a familiar ingredient for Vietnamese people, not only used to prepare dishes but also brings some great health benefits such as reducing headaches, joint pain, reducing fever, relieving colds, etc.

This is also a popular street food at affordable prices in Hanoi.

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The mugwort omelette that chef Duyen introduced to Geoff to enjoy at Long Bien market

While enjoying the wormwood leaf fried eggs, Geoff commented that although this leaf is bitter, it has a fragrant smell like orange peel.

“The bitter taste of mugwort leaves combined with fried eggs and sweet and sour dipping sauce made from chili sauce, sugar, salt, and kumquat makes me feel like the flavors are exploding in my mouth,” the Western guest shared.

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Canadian tourists taste wormwood fried eggs, can't stop eating because it's delicious

In addition to the fried eggs, Geoff also tried the sticky rice with braised pork at Long Bien market. The sticky rice was served generously, including braised pork, fatty sausage, dried shrimp, and vegetables.

He commented that the sticky rice was delicious and the pork floss was rich and smooth. “The sticky rice was delicious, the braised meat was tender. The pickled vegetables that went with it were also delicious.”

Even seeing Geoff enjoying his meal and nodding his head to show his enjoyment, the owner of the sticky rice shop enthusiastically gave him an extra piece of beef patty. This moved the Canadian guest because he felt the friendliness and hospitality of the locals.

Geoff enjoys sticky rice with braised pork outside the market in the morning.

At the end of the exploration trip, he admitted that he was not happy about having to wake up very early to go to the wholesale market, but the experiences here made him completely satisfied.

“The trip was worth it. Just the delicious food and extra food made me feel great,” he said.

Photo: Pure Detour

An Giang specialty with a misspelled name, diners eat it with their bare hands to find it delicious. From familiar ingredients such as chicken, through a meticulous marinating and processing process, people in Tri Ton, An Giang have created a famous delicious specialty dish.