VietNamNet Bridge - Bustling from mid-night to early morning, the Long Bien Fruit Market is the biggest wholesale market in Hanoi and northern Vietnam. It is also a popular destination among those who want to discover Hanoi beauty at night.

Long Bien is the biggest market from which variety of fruit and produce are taken to every corner of Hanoi and other provinces in northern Vietnam. It is considered an ideal destination to sell and buy fruit and vegetables in Hanoi.

Separated from the quiet air of Hanoi at night, the Long Bien market has retained its bustle for over 20 years. The market opens all day and night, but it is the most bustling from 10pm to 5am. Every night there are hundreds of trucks carrying fruits and vegetables from many provinces to the market.

The market covers 27,100sq.m and hosts 1,200 shops trading fruits and vegetables.

The Long Bien market attracts tourists thanks to its colorful appearance, and its bustle. This is the reason why the market has just been voted as one of the best 7 streets market in the world by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.

However, according to the master plan for development of a market network in Vietnam by 2020 by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Long Bien wholesale market will be shut down.

The market has a small area and there is no more land for expansion. The market is currently overloaded and does not meet regulations on anti-fire, food safety and hygiene. It is also blamed for causing pollution in the surrounding areas.

It is estimated that every day, about 300 to 400 tons of fruits and vegetables are sold in the market and three tons of waste are discharged. In the morning, when the trading session finishes, the market looks like a landfill with scattered waste, plastic bags and rotten fruits and vegetables. People living near the market have complained of pollution and bad smells affecting their daily lives for nearly a decade.

Let’s visit the market through photos: