Hon Gai Seafood Market – Ha Long City's Famous Wholesale Market

1 Overview of Hon Gai Seafood Market

Location: Cao Xanh Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province (about 3–4 km from its former location)

Opening hours: 3 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Hon Gai Seafood Market (Ha Long Early-Morning Fish Market) is a distinctive wholesale market steeped in traditional, rustic charm. It was formerly located in Hon Gai Ward (it moved to Cao Xanh Ward in September 2020 to ensure better sanitation). Hon Gai is the economic, political, cultural, and social center of Ha Long City, and home to many famous attractions, including Quang Ninh Museum, Hon Gai Church, and Bai Tho Mountain. Each place has its own beauty and significance, helping make Hon Gai a poetic and somewhat mysterious destination.

Hon Gai Seafood Market is a must-stop destination when visiting Quang Ninh in general and Ha Long Bay in particular. The market is right by Hon Gai Port, at the foot of Bai Tho Mountain. It has a long history and retains the distinctive charm of days gone by, much of which can still be seen today.

See also: Thailand Travel Tips

2 What makes Hon Gai Seafood Market interesting?

2.1 Visit a traditional market in Quang Ninh

Hon Gai Market is one of the largest and most famous markets in Ha Long City and Quang Ninh Province. It is also known as Ha Long Early-Morning Fish Market because its trading sessions take place in the early morning. The market is well known as a place where local fishermen sell a wide range of seafood they catch the night before. As a result, the seafood at Hon Gai Seafood Market is as fresh as it was when it came out of the sea.

Hon Gai Seafood Market gets going very early, before sunrise, just as fishing boats begin making their way back to port. Their holds are filled with fresh seafood, and fishermen carry baskets of squid, shrimp, and fish from the boats onto the shore to sell. 

The entire market rings with the lively chatter of traders and fishermen buying and selling seafood. If you visit Hon Gai Seafood Market during its operating hours, you can watch baskets of seafood being carried from the boats and placed in adjacent trucks, lined up in a long row along the port. It all creates an incredibly vibrant, bustling scene and reflects the energetic spirit of the people and this region. 

Hon Gai Seafood Market opens early to serve wholesale traders, so visiting at this time is also a unique and memorable experience worth trying. From around 7–9 a.m. onward, locals and tourists begin arriving to shop for smaller quantities. This is also when the market is at its busiest. Crowds of people browse the fresh seafood, while the lively haggling fills the air. 

What makes Hon Gai Seafood Market especially distinctive is its location right beside the port: when boats return from their night of fishing, customers can choose seafood directly from them. Most tourists come to experience the atmosphere of a traditional seafood market, then select the best-quality seafood themselves to take home as gifts for family after their trip. They also like the market because prices are reasonable. With no intermediaries, products are sold at fair, direct prices for both buyers and sellers—just ½–1/3 of what they cost elsewhere.

2.2 What to buy at Hon Gai Seafood Market

Hon Gai Seafood Market mainly sells a wide variety of seafood, including shrimp, fish, squid, octopus, clams, snails, crabs, and swimming crabs. The products are excellent quality, deliciously fresh, and reasonably priced. However, the market's most famous specialty—and a favorite among many visitors—is traditional Ha Long hand-pounded squid cake. 

Made primarily with fresh, intact cuttlefish weighing around 1 kg, Ha Long squid cake is prepared right in front of customers. This means the quality of this specialty is guaranteed, with no need to worry about food safety or harmful chemicals in the squid cake.

3 Shopping tips for Hon Gai Seafood Market

If you're surrounded by the market's countless tempting finds and aren't sure what to choose, read on for some shopping tips from MIA.vn to help you make the most of your visit to Hon Gai Seafood Market.

- Look up information about Hon Gai Seafood Market in advance so you don't end up at the wrong place or somewhere far from the market. Plan your visit carefully to avoid disrupting your itinerary.

- Seafood is often graded as Grade 1, Grade 2, or Grade 3 depending on your needs, so you can choose the option that suits you best.

- Ask the price before buying seafood or specialties, or browse several stalls to compare prices, as Hon Gai Seafood Market is very large. Prices vary from one product to another, so some items will inevitably be more or less expensive. Some stalls may quote slightly higher prices, so don't hesitate to bargain politely to reach a fair deal for both sides.

- Avoid leaving your purchases at a stall for safekeeping. Many tourists try to save time and effort by leaving their belongings with vendors and collecting them later, but this can easily lead to misunderstandings between the vendor and customer. To avoid any problems, take your purchases with you as soon as you've paid. 

- Wear a pair of sneakers for comfortable, easy walking. With such a large area to explore, you'll spend quite a bit of time browsing the market and choosing what to buy.

- If you're bringing young children, keep a close eye on them, as it's easy for them to get lost in a crowded place like Hon Gai Seafood Market.

Hon Gai Seafood Market is an excellent addition to your Ha Long itinerary. Stop by to buy seafood to enjoy, or visit at the end of your trip to pick up local specialties as gifts for everyone back home. With great quality and low prices, what are you waiting for? Head to Hon Gai Seafood Market!