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Giai Son – a name as simple and unassuming as the life here. Located not far from the center of Tuy Hoa city, Giai Son market is a fascinating destination renowned as the cheapest market in Vietnam. Visiting Giai Son, tourists can not only satisfy their taste buds but also immerse themselves in a cultural space rich in rustic, rural charm.
Giai Son Market at dawn, a convergence of colors, flavors, and the warmth of the people of Phu Yen.
Is 50,000 VND enough to eat everything at the market?
Stepping into Giai Son market, one feels as if they've entered another world, a world of familiar sounds: the clear, ringing cries of vendors, the lively chatter and laughter, the clanging of pots and pans... All of this creates a vibrant scene, awakening all the senses.
What's most special here isn't just the delicious food, but also the surprisingly low prices – you can eat until you're full with just 50,000 VND and still have money left over.
Tea - a sweet treat that evokes childhood memories.
Giai Son Market isn't a bustling market, but its simplicity gives it a unique charm. Street vendors offer a wide variety of dishes such as fish noodle soup, banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake), banh can (Vietnamese rice cake), and sweet soups... all priced at just 1,000, 2,000, or 5,000 dong. It's hard to believe, but with such a small amount of money, you can enjoy dishes made from fresh ingredients, especially seafood caught by locals early in the morning.
These traditional cakes are both delicious and inexpensive, costing only 1,000 VND.
A delicious and satisfying bowl of vermicelli noodles costs only 10,000 VND.
The fish cake noodle soup here is a prime example of the culinary sophistication of Phu Yen people. The soft, smooth noodles, the sweet broth made from fish bones, combined with fresh, delicious fish cakes, create an unforgettable flavor. The crispy, golden-brown pancakes, filled with fresh squid, are served with fresh vegetables and a perfectly seasoned dipping sauce. Each dish embodies the love and dedication of the vendors, leaving diners not only satisfied but also warmed.
Hot, crispy shrimp and squid pancakes for only 2,000 VND each.
I love the old-fashioned charm of the countryside.
The most enjoyable aspect of visiting Giai Son Market is not just the food, but also the opportunity to interact with the locals. You can savor a hot plate of banh can (a type of Vietnamese pancake) while chatting lively with the vendors, listening to their charming and genuine local accents. Everyday stories and bursts of laughter fill the market space, creating a familiar, down-to-earth, and intimate atmosphere rarely found elsewhere.
A corner of Giai Son market is bustling with the sounds of laughter and chatter from buyers and sellers.
The vendor served customers quickly while chatting with them in her genuine, down-to-earth hometown accent.
It is this sincerity and simplicity that leaves many visitors with a sense of nostalgia, something indescribable yet making them want to return, to immerse themselves in the slow-paced and emotionally rich life of this place.
Perhaps for many people from the Nẫu region, the rustic, honest atmosphere of rural markets like Giai Sơn has silently nurtured their souls, forming an inseparable part of their lives. And so, as life takes them further and further away, whenever they return, they find themselves again through the local delicacies, the cheerful laughter, and above all, through the familiar flavors that have become ingrained in their very being.
Fresh, delicious fish just arrived from the sea.
Banh Can (rice flour pancake) from Phu Yen, a simple dish with an unforgettable flavor.
Giai Son Market is not only a place of trade but also a place that preserves and transmits traditional cultural values. Tourists come to experience and understand more about the people and lives of the people of Phu Yen. And perhaps, it is these simple things that create the special appeal of Giai Son Market - a must-see destination when setting foot in this land.
