You'll find everything from coconut ice cream (a must if you have a sweet tooth) to crocodile leather bags, fresh seafood, locally grown nuts, and more varieties of pepper than you ever thought existed!
You can also find many curios and unique Vietnamese souvenirs that make great gifts for friends and loved ones.
Even if you don't want to spend any money, a trip to the night market is an exciting experience for the senses with loads of unique smells, sounds, and sights.
The Phu Quoc Night Market is also home to many restaurants, bars, and cafes, which are great places to sit back and observe the hustle and bustle of this vibrant part of the island.
The Food
One of the best things about the Phu Quoc Night Market is the food! If you enjoy seafood, then you will be spoilt for choice.
You'll find plenty of street food vendors selling fresh grilled or BBQ seafood. Locally caught squid is especially popular.
If you prefer a sitdown meal, there are several seafood restaurants on the Duong Dong river. Many of these restaurants have live tanks where you can choose your dinner for the chef to prepare fresh.
In these live tanks, you'll find lobster, prawns, crabs, fish, various mollusks, and other exotic sea creatures.
The most popular dessert is coconut ice cream. Street vendors prepare the ice cream in front of you served in a coconut shell with fresh coconut shavings.
The combination of coconut and ice cream is delicious and problematic if you have a sweet tooth!
Locally grown nuts are also on offer in just about every flavor or seasoning you can imagine. The nut vendors allow taste testing so you can try before you buy.
Phu Quoc is well known for its pepper plantations with several varieties on offer at the Night Market. Most vendors sell pepper by the kilogram, but you can purchase smaller quantities too.
If you're after something sweet, look out for vendors selling honey, honey wine, honeycomb, beeswax soap, and other bee products from local independent bee farms.
Side note: You can visit Phu Quoc Bee Farm for fresh honey and tours around the property.
Clothing and Jewelry
Clothing is another popular item at the Phu Quoc Night Market. I haven't seen anything particularly unique or exciting around the market, but you will find many stores selling "I Love Phu Quoc" t-shirts if you're looking for a souvenir.
One strangely popular item is the Hawaiian style all-over pineapple or banana shirt and shorts/trousers combo. If that's your thing, you'll find several options at the Night Market.
Crocodile leather wallets, bags, and other accessories are another popular item at the Phu Quoc Night Market.
Phu Quoc is well known for its pearl farms located along the coastline. You can buy these pearlescent stones all over the island, including the Night Market.
Be wary when purchasing pearls at the Night Market as you may be buying fakes.
Other jewelry items include locally made woodwork, beadwork, bracelets, and necklaces.
Bars and Cafes
Other than the hustle and bustle of the market itself, there isn't much entertainment on offer. There are, however, several unique bars and cafes to discover in the side streets near the Duong Dong river.
A popular hangout with both locals and tourists is House No. 1, run by two Russian ex-pats. House No. 1 has a cozy, homely vibe serving home-cooked meals, cocktails, and more.
You can also catch an impromptu live performance from one of the local musicians who drop by unannounced to play.
House No. 1 has a fantastic vibe where every night is different.
Another unique bar to check out is Beer Fridge (located in the same street as House No. 1).
The interior of the bar is a walk-in refrigerator (hence the name 😉) where you can choose from a wide range of craft beers from around the world.
Conclusion
If you have been to other night markets around Vietnam, the Phu Quoc Night Market might seem very familiar.
Where I have found the Phu Quoc Night Market to be unique is the variety of fresh food and ingredients on offer. Namely, locally harvested seafood, nuts, fruit, pepper, and honey.
It's not a big market, so you won't get lost for hours in crowds of people.
If you don't like crowds, I would recommend getting there early between 18:00 and 18:30 before the Night Market begins to full up.
If you're looking to make an evening of it, have a fresh seafood dinner, some coconut ice cream for dessert, stroll through the stalls, and find a bar or cafe to hangout till late.
