Dong Xuan Market is Hanoi’s largest covered market, on the northern edge of the Old Quarter. The original French-era building was badly damaged by fire in 1994 and rebuilt, keeping its arched façade. Inside, the floors are mostly wholesale: bolts of fabric, clothing, shoes, toys and household goods sold in bulk to shopkeepers.
For visitors, the real interest is the food: stalls in and around the market and in the surrounding lanes serve noodle soups, sticky rice and snacks to traders. On weekend evenings the night market sets up on the street running from the market down towards Hoan Kiem Lake.
What to see and do: Dong Xuan Market
Browse the wholesale floors
Prices are for traders; individual shoppers can buy, but bargain politely and expect less English than in the tourist shops.
Eat in the food alleys
Try the noodle and snack stalls around the market, or let a cooking class with a market visit explain the ingredients.
The weekend night market
Friday to Sunday evenings, the street towards the lake fills with clothes, souvenirs and snack stalls. Busy, cheap and fun.
How to get to Dong Xuan Market
- On foot: about 15 minutes north of Hoan Kiem Lake through the Old Quarter.
- By Grab: ask for “Chợ Đồng Xuân”.
Insider tips
- Mornings are the most active time for the market itself.
- Keep valuables in a front pocket — the aisles are tight and crowded.
- Many stalls inside close in the late afternoon.
Best tours & tickets for Dong Xuan Market
These GetYourGuide experiences include Dong Xuan Market or pair well with it:
Cooking class from €38 Hanoi: Cooking Class for 5 Local Dishes with Meal & Market Visit
Shop for ingredients at a local market, then cook and eat five Vietnamese dishes. Over a thousand reviews.
- Market visit
- Cook five dishes
- Eat what you make
Cooking class from €29 Hanoi Cooking Class: Culture, Tales, Market, Free Transfer
A cooking class that starts at the market and mixes the recipes with the stories behind them, with a transfer included.
- Market visit
- Stories behind the dishes
- Transfer included
Food tour from €14 Hanoi: Small-Group Street Food Walking Tour
A small-group walk through Old Quarter street food with a local guide — one of the lower-priced, well-reviewed options.
- Small group
- Old Quarter street food
- Good value
