Phu Quoc Night Market (Photo: Huyen Trang/VOV5)

When the fishing boats light up and anchor along the Duong Dong River, the largest river in the Phu Quoc special zone, the night market becomes alive and energetic. The market, located right by the riverside, is glowing with more than 100 stalls, while fishermen safely return home from their offshore journeys. In the market, visitors smell the aroma of grilled seafood, hear the sizzling sounds of octopus grilling over red-hot charcoal, and see freshly caught squid flipping in the water tanks.

Nguyen Thi Hoa is a tourist from from Dong Nai. “Before coming here, I thought everything in a tourist area would be expensive. But then I found the prices to be very affordable and budget-friendly. You can stroll around, look at things, and stop at any vendor to eat whatever you like. The squid is delicious. A portion costs from 2.6 USD to 3.8 USD. After this trip, I’ll recommend the night market to anyone planning to visit Phu Quoc,” Hoa said.

BBQ food is sold in Phu Quoc night market (Photo: Huyen Trang/VOV5)
Phu Quoc is famous for its cultured pearl. Night market is selling beautifully crafted pearl jewelry. The locals introduce the pearl-cultivation trade to visitors. There are also simple stalls selling souvenirs, bracelets, and jewelry made from shells and sea snails. These rustic, shimmering items are handmade by local craftsmen, each carrying its own creative meaning inspired by the sea.

Mai Hoang Anh, who sells shell bracelets, told us, “I design these necklaces myself. For other items, I follow designs I see online and then send the ideas to the craftsmen. They make the pieces and send them back to me. The materials are shells collected from the sea or bought wholesale from seafood restaurants. The income is decent and depends on the tourist season.”

Phu Quoc pearl jewelry sold at the night market (Photo: Huyen Trang/VOV5)

Trinh Phuong Mai, who lives and works in Thailand, was pleased to find gifts to bring home for her daughter. “I really enjoy visiting night markets because I can feel the relaxed atmosphere and the region’s tourism potential. I can find typical Vietnamese souvenirs here. I bought two lovely bracelets, one with the national flag design and one with the symbol of the Party. Since I live far from Vietnam, I always buy culturally meaningful gifts for my child, to nurture her love for the homeland and remind her of her roots,” Mai said.

Amid the busy night market, there is a craftsman patiently decorating leather wallets. Pham Van Tho is carefully hammering small images of trees, airplanes, the moon, or the word “Phu Quoc” onto wallets and passport covers according to customer requests.

The night market has many skillful craftsmen like Mr. Tho, who personalize products for customers such as names and date of birth. Tho said: “This is a passport cover. This is a wallet. I’ll add decorative items at the customer’s wish. It takes about a month to learn the craft. You need skillful hands, not just anyone can do it.”

Chouchou 30-flavor coated peanuts is a famous brand in Phu Quoc. (Photo: Huyen Trang/VOV5)
Leaving Phu Quoc night market, tourists carry home small gifts that capture the spirit of this land, its famous fish sauce, fragrant pepper, freshly made 30-flavor coated peanuts, or ocean-inspired souvenirs.