What to Expect in Binh Minh Fish Market?

Binh Minh Fish Market is one of the biggest night markets in Hoi An Vietnam. Unlike other markets, this market is on the beach. Before the dawn, hundreds of fishing boats will return to the mainland and bring tons of fishes and other kinds of seafood. Because of shallow water near the market, locals use a basket boat (small, round bamboo boat) to transfer the fishes from big boats to the beach. After that, family members carry them by the shoulder pole to a nearby place to sell them. Buyers are mainly people who are in the restaurants, hotels and market sellers (they bring fishes to markets in the city to resell). The atmosphere is bustling. Besides locals, it’s possible to see visitors and photographers coming here to take photos or see local life. 

There are just a few fish markets on the beach surviving today in the region. Besides Binh Minh Fish Market, visitors also should go to Tam Tien Fish Market in Tam Ky if have time.

At Binh Minh Fish Market, locals and visitors will expect to see a wide variety of fishes, seafood and other aquatic species. There are ca ngu (tuna), ca nuc (anchovy), ca thu (king mackerel), ca kinh (white spotted rabbitfish), ca ho (largehead hairtail or beltfish), ca bac ma (Indian mackerel or bigmouth mackerel), ca ngan (yellowtail scad), ca bao ao (cleftbelly trevally, also known as the cleftbelly kingfish), ca song (yellow grouper, also known as the banded grouper), ca chim (Pampus argenteus, the silver pomfret or white pomfret), ca trao (razorbelly scad), ca chi vang (yellowstripe scad, also known as the yellowstripe trevally), ca moi (sardines), ca trich (sardinella), tom (squids), bach tuoc (octopus), tom (prawn), so lua (Paratapes undulatus, common name undulate venus),…

Visit Binh Minh Fish Market before the sunrise to see the most types of fishes as possible. If come late, there are not so many fishes remaining.

In the fishing village next to Binh Minh Fish Market, local people have made one of the best fish sauces in the region (Cua Khe fish sauce). During the dry season, fish sauce makers have very fresh anchovies from fishermen and then use good salt from Sa Huynh (a top salt producers in Vietnam, about 160 kilometers south of Hoi An). By the way, steamed anchovy wrapped with rice paper, raw morning glory and dipping sauce as fermented anchovy sauce (Vietnamese: ca nuc hap quan banh trang cham mam nem), is a specialty food to the village.

After visiting Binh Minh Fish Market, we recommend going to Vinwonders Nam Hoi An Theme Park (water park, river safari, bird park, cultural shows, amusement rides, indoor playground, restaurants,…) and Cam Thanh Coconut Village (basket boat tour in coconut forest, cooking class, massage, restaurants, cafe,…). If want to visit Tam Ky (another city of Quang Nam), Tam Thanh Mural Village, Ky Anh Tunnels, Vietnam’s Heroic Mother Statue and trying Tam Ky chicken rice are must dos.