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Story: Huynh Phuong
Photos: Long Ho
The Tha La Market in An Giang offers abundant produce and a unique atmosphere.
The Mekong Delta attracts tourists with its fertile landscape, abundant harvests, and distinctive local markets. In addition to the “squatting market” in Vi Thanh City, Hau Giang, there is the Tha La fish market in An Giang. Situated along National Highway 91 in Cay Tram Hamlet, Vinh Te Commune, Chau Doc City, Tha La Market is well known and operates year-round, but is busiest during the flood season. Uniquely, this market runs from night until dawn, earning it the local nickname “Ghost Market” or “Underworld Market.”
What makes Tha La’s Ghost Market so captivating?
When Heritage Magazine’s reporters visited this market, elderly locals shared that it has been held near Tha La Bridge for nearly 30 years. At the outset, it drew a small group of fishermen, but more vendors began to join as business proved convenient and profitable. Today, Tha La Market still maintains its traditional rural charm, with vendors lining a stretch of road beside Tha La Canal. Thanks to this market, many locals have been able to stay in their hometowns instead of migrating to Saigon or Binh Duong to make a living.
After dark, fishermen cast nets, set traps, and fish in the canals of Tha La and Vinh Te, near the Cambodian border. Around 3 a.m., as the wind rustles through the quiet night, the sound of approaching boats breaks the stillness. Vendors gather to inspect the fishermen’s catch and start trading, bringing the market to life. The fishermen bring their bounty ashore along Tha La Canal, selling and weighing it on the spot. To ward off mosquitoes, locals burn dried coconut leaves, filling the air with smoke. Though streetlights on Tha La Bridge offer some illumination, they are insufficient, so vendors wear headlamps while buyers use flashlights, casting a flickering, ghostly glow in the darkness.
Abundant rural produce
On the shore, vendors display a variety of fresh seafood, from snakehead fish and bright red tilapia to eels, frogs, shrimp, and crabs. During the flood season, there are also young linh fish. Prices are relatively affordable, ranging from VND 20,000 to over VND 100,000 per kilogram, depending on the size. A vendor living near Tha La Canal shared that on regular days, they earn around VND 200,000 – VND 300,000 from selling fish, but during the flood season, when fish and shrimp are abundant, they can earn up to one million VND. The vendors in this market see each other daily, so transactions are smooth and conflicts are rare. The market is lively, laughter echoing across the vast river, dispelling the cold mist as dawn approaches.
Local authorities report a decline in fish and shrimp catches compared to previous years, leading to reduced trade. However, the market remains busy, with vendors from nearby areas still coming daily to buy and sell, earning a modest income and making ends meet. As dawn breaks, the market gradually disperses, restoring the area’s tranquility, while fishermen take a well-deserved rest after a night of work in the canals and flooded fields. Beyond fish, locals also gather in a “squatting market” to sell vegetables, fruits, water lilies, and wildflowers. In recent years, Vinh Te Commune has implemented a rural development program to improve security and order, helping the market operate more steadily and supporting local social welfare efforts and eco-tourism.
