PRE-DAWN MARKET

Hanoi has a rhythm all its own, and nowhere is this more evident than in the early hours at Long Biên Market. Situated near the iconic Long Biên Bridge, this bustling wholesale market comes alive while the rest of the city sleeps. Between 2 and 4am, it’s a hive of activity and an overwhelming sensory experience for the uninitiated.

I left my hotel in the south of Hanoi at around 2.30am and trekked on foot to the market. It was an odd experience, walking through darkened streets that only hours earlier had been absolutely packed. But as I approached the market, the noise rose to a roar of idling engines and voices of stallholders hawking their produce.

Under the bright electric lights, the market was an explosion of colour. There were seemingly endless mountains of glistening fruit and vegetables in crates, boxes and tubs. Testament to Vietnam’s rich agricultural diversity, every stall offered a different kind of fresh produce - from spices to fresh durians to custard apples.

Amidst the vibrant stacks of produce, another section of the market caters to the city’s meat lovers. Here, tables are laden with cuts of raw meat. Butchers work with impressive speed and precision, cleaving through slabs of pork, beef, and chicken with sharp knives. Their fishmonger counterparts did the same, scooping fish out of bubbling tubs as large as kiddie pools.

This corner of Long Biên isn't for the faint-hearted, but it's part of the market’s integral role in feeding the city.

Despite the chaos, there’s an underlying sense of order. Traders are organised by produce and the transactions happen at a brisk pace.

The peak hour of the market is over by dawn. By the time the sun rises, the goods sold here will have been distributed to markets, street vendors, and restaurants across the city. Witnessing this behind-the-scenes world feels like peeling back the curtain on Hanoi’s daily life.

On the way out of the market, I spotted a stray ear of corn...Definitely not part of the market, because it was already cooked and had a single bite taken out of it.

As the city began to wake up, I got a glimpse of the next part of Hanoi's morning routine - the deliveries. But I didn't linger much longer in the new day; after the bustle of the market, I badly needed a shower and a nap.