Dalat Market – Am Phu Market is a tourist destination in Dalat that any visitor to the Flower Festival city would not want to miss. In this article, Cuong Travel will share the experience of exploring Dalat Market for everyone, so you know what Dalat Market sells and what is inside Dalat Market.
First, before exploring Dalat Market, Cuong will briefly introduce to you Dalat Market when it started and why it is also called Am Phu Market.
1. History of Dalat Market
Dalat Market has been around since 1929, formerly the market was entirely built of wood, with a tin roof and was called Cay Market. The market became the bustling trading center of the city at that time, but unfortunately in 1937, a large fire destroyed all the goods of the vendors into ashes.
To meet the demand for buying, exchanging goods, Lucien Auger had a more elegant and clean market built. The market has become a symbol of Dalat city, closely associated with the subconscious of the people who have been attached to this plateau land for a long time. As Dalat’s population grew, trading in the old market area became cramped, so in 1958 it was renovated into a commercial center and became the first market in the country with 2 floors and a rooftop. Since then, Dalat Market has witnessed many ups and downs in history, the scale of the market has been growing with over 1000 stalls to serve the needs of the many tourists who come to visit.
It is called Am Phu Market because of the ancient way of calling it when people in Dalat gathered at the market at 2-3 in the morning under the dim kerosene lamps, hidden in the mist creating a cold, eerie feeling. Going to Dalat Night Market today, the electric lights are bright, much more lively, and an ideal place for tourists to enjoy culinary delights.
2. Location of Dalat Market – Where is Dalat Market located
Dalat Market is located right in the center of the city, the entrance to the market is at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, behind it leads to Phan Boi Chau Street, 5 minutes walk from Xuan Huong Lake.
Dalat Market opens early in the morning and gradually becomes crowded from around 6 pm every day. The specialty food section may stay open until 9 – 10 pm or later to serve tourists.
3. Guide on how to get to Da Lat market
With the development of technology today, with your smartphone, you can easily search for information on directions. However, to prevent cases where your 3G or 4G network is unstable or has no signal, you can refer to the following ways to move:
From the inter-provincial bus station in Da Lat (number 1, To Hien Thanh, Da Lat city, Lam Dong) or Phuong Trang bus station (ward 3, Da Lat city, Lam Dong): To Hien Thanh – turn left onto Ba Thang Tu – roundabout of Ho Tung Mau – Ho Tung Mau – roundabout of Tran Quoc Toan – Tran Quoc Toan – turn right to Da Lat Water Fountain – Le Thi Hong Gam – turn left onto Phan Boi Chau.
From Thanh Buoi Bus Station (11E Lu Gia, Ward 9, Da Lat City, Lam Dong Province): Lu Gia – turn right to Nguyen Dinh Chieu – turn left to Suong Nguyet Anh – turn left to Tran Quoc Toan – roundabout Nguyen Thai Hoc – Bui Thi Xuan – turn left to Phan Boi Chau – at the intersection, turn right onto Phan Boi Chau Street.
4. What is in Da Lat Market?
Da Lat Market consists of 2 areas – indoor and outdoor. The outdoor area usually has small stalls and vendors selling dried goods, vegetables, and fruits; while the indoor area is more elegant, clean with 3 floors and 1 basement. This is the largest market in Da Lat with a long history, so the goods here are diverse and abundant. Below are 5 common and outstanding types of products in the market, let’s explore what you should buy.
4.1. Various fresh vegetables and fruits
Located in the basement, this area is also known as the Da Lat vegetable market due to its diversity and quality. Here, tourists can freely choose from a variety of fresh and delicious vegetables and fruits, including potatoes, carrots, broccoli, artichokes, tea, cabbage, celery, etc. The advantage is that most of these agricultural products are locally grown, brought in and consumed on the same day, without preservatives, so buyers can be completely assured of the quality. Besides, the prices at the market are very affordable, publicly listed so tourists don’t have to worry about being overcharged. What should tourists buy? If you are staying at a homestay and have the facilities to cook, you can choose any ingredients you want. However, if you are buying to take away, choose items that are easy to transport and last long, such as potatoes and broccoli. Da Lat is famous for its naturally sweet golden potatoes, while broccoli is large and organically grown. Note that outside Da Lat Market, there are many stalls and vendors selling vegetables and fruits, where you may find lower prices but need to be careful as the product quality is not guaranteed.
4.2 Da Lat fresh flowers
When mentioning Da Lat, people often think of the kingdom of flowers. This place is favored by nature with an excellent climate for various flowers to thrive. Surely, when thinking about what to buy in Da Lat, fresh and vibrant flowers will be the first answer in the minds of tourists. Each type of flower in Da Lat carries its own story and meaning: a little tenderness for a new acquaintance, a bit of brightness for days of passionate love, a bit of nostalgia for a distant journey, etc. When visiting Da Lat Market in the early morning, you will want to buy all the flowers, in all colors and shapes. A bouquet of red roses for your lover after the trip to Da Lat, an orchid for a beautiful home, a cam tu cau flower for your mother, will be meaningful gifts from the dreamy Da Lat.
Not only fresh flowers, when coming to Da Lat, you can also buy beautifully crafted dried flowers to decorate your workspace or living room. Dried flowers are easier to transport than fresh flowers, and they can be used for a long time, making them a popular choice for many tourists.
4.3. Fresh fruit market in Da Lat
Walking around the first floor of Da Lat market, tourists can see a variety of fruits from common ones to specialty fruits of Lam Dong province such as persimmons, avocados, longans, plums, custard apples, strawberries, raspberries, Laba bananas, durians, etc. Most of the fruits in Da Lat are grown by local people in gardens and greenhouses scattered throughout the city, with avocados, persimmons, plums, peaches, and strawberries being the most abundant. What should tourists buy? Definitely strawberries. Strawberries in Da Lat are New Zealand and Japanese varieties grown in greenhouses, priced higher than normal strawberries but sweeter and more fragrant, almost always sold out.
4.4. New and second-hand woolen items
If you want to choose a unique woolen item, you can visit Da Lat market. The cold in Da Lat is not as harsh as in Hanoi, it is just pleasantly cold, enough for people to wear a soft woolen sweater, maybe add a bracelet or crave some roasted corn. Because of the weather, Da Lat is full of a variety of woolen items such as sweaters, woolen hats, scarves, and even cute phone pouches and keychains made of wool.
In addition to newly produced items, the market also has a section for second-hand items at low prices. Some typical items here include woolen sweaters, coats, hats, scarves, gloves, socks, and some woolen souvenirs. The second-hand woolen section in Da Lat market is usually crowded with buyers, especially locals, because the items, although “second-hand,” do not look old. These items are cheaper than new ones by about 50,000 VND – 100,000 VND, with a diverse range of styles and high-quality wool that is not fuzzy. If you are persistent in searching, you may find some unique items.
The woolen sweaters at the market come in trendy styles suitable for young people. Meanwhile, animal-shaped hats are almost a “symbol” in Da Lat as they are sold in abundance around the city, but if you buy them at the market, the quality is guaranteed.
4.5. “Candy paradise” and specialty items for souvenirs
If Da Lat is known as the “capital” of candies, then the third floor of Da Lat market is a miniature “candy capital.” Visitors here will be amazed by hundreds of different types of candies, such as strawberry candy, dried plum candy, rose candy, kiwi candy, sweet potato candy, etc. The candies at Da Lat market are available year-round, processed and produced from fruits grown in the city. Especially, with just one type of fruit, the candies here are made into various forms like dried, chewy, crispy, sour, spicy, satisfying the taste buds of any visitor. What should tourists buy? Besides the famous strawberry candy, you can also try rose candy. Although called “rose candy,” it is actually made from Hibiscus flowers, with a sour, crispy, chewy texture and very good for health.
Furthermore, some of the specialties at Da Lat market are tea and wine. The most famous type of tea is Artichoke tea, refreshing and effective in treating liver and urinary diseases. Meanwhile, Da Lat wine is also popular among many people for its delicious and rich flavor, with health-enhancing properties.
5. What to eat at Da Lat market?
Usually, you can choose to visit Da Lat Market as the final stop of your trip to buy various gifts. You can have breakfast at the market and start shopping, or have snacks after shopping, as long as your schedule and everyone else’s are not affected.
So, what to eat and where to eat at Da Lat Market?
There are two dining areas you can choose from: the surrounding area outside the market and the 3rd floor of the central shopping center. The stalls here serve typical dishes of the city such as beef noodle soup, mini pancakes, rice, Da Lat pizza, etc. The advantage of eating here is that the prices are already listed so you don’t have to worry about being overcharged, there are proper seating arrangements, and food safety is ensured, suitable for large groups of tourists, including families with children or elderly people.
If you’re feeling hungry and craving for some delicious food, don’t forget to visit the stalls selling bánh canh, hủ tíu, bún riêu at Âm Phủ market! The soups here are always fragrant, hot, creating a perfect harmony with the cool weather in the City of Love. Moreover, among these seemingly familiar dishes, you will be surprised to find unique variations of Dalat cuisine such as bún riêu with meatballs, or bánh canh with pork hock, sausage…
Grilled meat is also a good choice for enjoying and chatting in the cool atmosphere around Xuan Huong Lake. The variety of grilled meat at the night market includes pork, beef, chicken, chicken feet, chicken wings, chicken liver, young ribs, beef wrapped in betel leaves, sausages, fish balls, beef balls… When buying, the meat will be grilled by the seller on a charcoal stove to enhance the crispy texture and bring out the enticing aroma.
If you’re tired of savory dishes, why not explore the fascinating and unique world of sweet treats at the Dalat night market. The most prominent is perhaps the pure hot soy milk, creamy in the enticing tin pots. In addition to soy milk, they also sell green bean milk, peanut milk, and notably fragrant egg milk. Paired with a hot sweet soy milk is a variety of unique cakes from Dalat. Right from the beginning of the market, you will come across rows of fruit cakes including sponge cakes, chiffon cakes… with all the flavors and freshness of homemade cakes rather than mass-produced industrial ones.
Or if you don’t like Western pastries, you can try the seven-color tube cake sold on the street stalls throughout the market. This is originally a specialty of Soc Trang, but with its delicious flavor, the tube cake quickly “invaded” the culinary scene of the Dalat night market. The cake crust is made of thin, chewy rice paper that is not too sweet, while the filling is made of fine, soft rice flour mixed with sugar, coconut, and fragrant pandan leaves. The cake is rolled into tube shapes, with vibrant colors and an irresistible appeal thanks to the rich coconut flavor, the fragrant pandan leaves, and the light sweetness.
Beside that, outside is the street food area of Dalat market with food stalls on the sidewalk, or small surrounding eateries. Here you can find dishes like mixed rice paper, grilled rice paper, chicken porridge, chicken giblet porridge, chicken giblet wet cake, beef noodle soup, pork rib rice, … at cheaper prices than indoors. The street food area is usually more suitable for younger people, however, it is advisable to ask for prices before eating to avoid being overcharged.
6. What to buy at Dalat night market?
After each trip, we will buy gifts for relatives and friends. When visiting the flower kingdom, don’t forget to buy flowers as gifts. You can choose fresh fragrant bouquets with vibrant colors to give to your loved ones, or choose some dried flower arrangements as gifts or to decorate your bedroom or workspace.
In the market, you will find over 30 types of jams – specialties of Dalat. Jams are mostly sold on the ground floor, you can stop by to buy some to eat and give as gifts, but for some peace of mind, you should buy from reputable stores like L’angfarm.
If you are unsure of what to choose next to “bribe” your friends and relatives, think of ripe strawberries. Dalat strawberries are not overly sweet but have a slightly sour and refreshing taste, which is the characteristic flavor of this fruit in this region.
If you are looking for a souvenir, you can visit the shops selling cute woolen items and ethnic fabric bags to buy gifts for your girlfriend or sister. This will be a meaningful and practical gift that won’t cost you much.
In addition, the market also offers agricultural products such as various vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, Da Lat chili, broccoli, cabbage… almost available all year round at reasonable prices. You can pack them in a box, with packing fee around 5,000 VND per box. Products like avocados, strawberries, artichokes vary in price and availability depending on the season.
7. Shopping experience at Da Lat market
As a peaceful and beautiful land with countless unique attractions in the land of fog, you can truly relax and enjoy life here. However, the weather here is usually cold all year round, with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees, so always remember to bring warm clothes, especially at night or early in the morning.
The prices of items at the night market are relatively reasonable, but it’s advisable to inquire about prices before buying or carefully check the quality of the products. Limit eating at the Da Lat night market and buy specialties from stores with clear origins like L’angfarm.
Be careful with valuable items on you such as wallets, phones, necklaces.. because the Da Lat market is very crowded and there are many thieves around.
When buying items at the Da Lat market, you should negotiate prices, especially in the Latulip area (always negotiate multiple times), items like scarves, sweaters on the way to the market usually don’t have high prices, so you can be more confident.
If you go to the Da Lat market in the evening, be careful with the tricks to lure you into taking photos. Do not take pictures with stuffed bears, pikachus,… because after taking the photo, they will demand money and be ready to attack if you don’t pay. Even though they are wearing thick and hot costumes, giving them 20,30k is fine, but they don’t have any signs or mention of charging for photos, they just invite people passing by to take photos, if you have children, they will run in, so if you don’t ask clearly, you will only end up feeling annoyed.
8. Places to visit near the Da Lat market?
8.1 Xuan Huong Lake
The lake used to be the source of the Cam Ly waterfall and was the residence of the ancient Da Lat people known as the Lach ethnic group until 1919 when a French official named Cunhac had the idea to turn the stream into a lake and assigned the engineer Labbé to carry it out. By 1923, 2 dams were built to create 2 lakes. In 1932, a large storm with a huge amount of water caused the dam to break. It wasn’t until 1934 that a Vietnamese engineer named Tran Dang Khoa designed a large dam to replace the 2 old dams, which was built with stone. The dam area was built in front of the Quan Dao Palace managed by Mr. Pham Hoe, who was often referred to as Mr. Dao by the people of that time and the name has survived to this day.
8.2 Lam Vien Square
Lam Vien Square was built in 2009 and took 6 years to complete. It covers an area of about 72,000m2. It features two giant symbols, an artichoke flower and a chrysanthemum flower. The artichoke flower is 15m tall and covers an area of 1,500m2. The chrysanthemum flower is 18m tall and covers an area of 1,200m2. This place is like a park, a gathering place for entertainment for many locals and tourists in Da Lat. Lam Vien Square is almost open all year round, but you should choose the right time to visit. Avoid holidays and festivals as it will be crowded with tourists and you will be very tired squeezing through the crowds.
Lam Vien Square has a quite unique landscape, so make sure to wear appropriate attire for the style. Additionally, it’s best to visit when the weather is sunny to capture beautiful photos.
8.3 Chicken Church
Da Lat Cathedral is one of the Catholic churches in Vietnam, also known as the Chicken Church because there is a large chicken-shaped figure on top of the bell tower. This is the cathedral of the bishopric of Da Lat, also the largest church in Da Lat, one of the most iconic and oldest architectural structures in this city left by the French. The church was built from 1931 to 1942, with a length of 65m, width of 14m, and height of 47m. With that height, the church’s bell tower can be seen from many places in the city. The upper part of the wall is fitted with 70 stained glass panels bearing the mark of European medieval church architecture.
The interior of the church consists of 3 sections: a large central section and 2 smaller sections on each side. The cross-section of the building clearly shows the system of arches in the form of a full arch with a series of arches and a barrel vault system. The columns in the interior have capitals that mimic classical forms combined with self-expression. Both the ground plan and the elevation are designed strictly symmetrically in a classical style. The special feature of the church is the rooster statue on the cross (27m above the ground) made of lightweight alloy with a hollow interior coated with a special chemical layer of copper 0.66m long, 0.58m high rotating around a ball bearing axis to indicate wind direction, which looks very impressive.
We hope that with Cuong’s sharing above, you will have joyful and happy moments in your upcoming trip to Da Lat with friends or loved ones. If you find our sharing helpful, please don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to the channel to stay updated on Cuong’s future videos. If you have any questions or concerns related to travel, you can leave them in the comments, and Cuong will respond to you as soon as possible.
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