What is Hom Market Like?
Hom Market is located on Pho Hue Street in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District, just southeast of the French Quarter. This is a busy, functional market serving local residents—not a tourist hotspot—so don’t expect souvenir stalls or polished displays.
On the ground floor, you’ll find a wet market selling fruits, vegetables, meats, and household items, while the upper floor is a maze of fabric vendors offering cotton, silk, linen, and more. It’s not the place for trendy fashion or souvenir shopping, but if you’re interested in textiles or want to experience authentic Hanoi shopping culture, it’s a fascinating stop.
History of Hom Market
Hom Market traces its origins back to the early 19th century, when it operated as a poultry market near Hang Bai Street. In 1921, it was relocated and rebuilt at its current location on Pho Hue Street, gradually expanding to include vegetables, meat, fish, and other daily essentials. Over time, the market evolved into a key destination for fabric trading, becoming one of Hanoi’s largest textile hubs. Today, while it still serves local needs with a variety of goods, Hom Market is best known for its upstairs fabric section and its role as a vibrant part of Hanoi’s everyday commercial life.
Layout of Hom Market
Hom Market has two main floors and five entry gates, making it easily accessible but also somewhat disorienting for first-time visitors. The ground floor functions as a traditional wet market, filled with stalls selling fresh produce, meats, ready-made clothing, shoes, and household goods.
Upstairs is the main attraction: a dense maze of fabric vendors offering everything from cotton and linen to silk, lace, and synthetic blends. There’s no air-conditioning, and the narrow walkways between tightly packed stalls can feel overwhelming—especially during the hotter parts of the day. It’s easy to get lost here, so it helps to have a clear idea of what you’re looking for before diving in.
Highlights of visiting Hom Market
The upper floor of Hom Market is a major draw for anyone interested in textiles, with stall after stall packed with cotton, silk, linen, lace, and synthetic blends.
Tailors and sewing enthusiasts often come here to browse the huge selection, and the variety can be both exciting and overwhelming. Prices are negotiable, and while some vendors quote high starting figures, many are open to bargaining—especially with a bit of friendly persistence.
Downstairs, the wet market offers a different kind of atmosphere: busy, fragrant, and full of everyday life. You’ll find fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, and ready-made clothing alongside household items. A few food stalls serve local dishes like pho, bun, sticky rice, and fresh juice—worth trying if you’re already there and hungry.
The market’s layout is dense and tightly packed, especially upstairs, so it’s easy to lose your sense of direction. The lack of air-conditioning can make visits uncomfortable on hot days, and moving through the narrow aisles takes patience. Still, if you enjoy urban markets or are on the hunt for fabrics, there’s plenty to take in here.
Practical visitor information
Address & Location
Hom Market is located at 79 Pho Hue Street, in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District. It sits just southeast of the French Quarter and is within reach of many central hotels, though not directly in the tourist zone.
How to get there
The easiest way to reach Hom Market is by Grab or taxi, especially if you’re coming from the Old Quarter or around Hoan Kiem Lake. From the French Quarter, it’s also walkable—about 10 to 20 minutes depending on your starting point.
For those more adventurous, public buses like 29, 30, or 31 stop nearby, but signs and announcements are in Vietnamese, so navigation might be tricky if you’re unfamiliar with the city.
Opening Times
Hom Market is open daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Vendors start setting up early, especially in the wet market section.
Best time to visit
Visit early in the morning if you want to catch the wet market in full swing. For the fabric section upstairs, late morning or early afternoon is better—many sellers are more open to bargaining by then, due to a belief that difficult customers early in the day bring bad luck.
If you’re heat-sensitive, avoid midday—the upper floor lacks air-conditioning and can get uncomfortably warm.
Time needed
If you’re just curious to browse, 30 to 60 minutes is usually enough.
Fabric shoppers or those digging through stalls for something specific should allow 1 to 2 hours.
What to combine it with – Nearby Sights
There aren’t any major sights directly next to Hom Market, but you can turn the visit into a more rewarding outing—especially if you’re coming from the Old Quarter or staying near Hoan Kiem Lake. On the way, you’ll naturally pass through part of the French Quarter, with its wide boulevards, colonial buildings, and a few cultural landmarks worth a short detour.
One stop that is close to the market itself is Bún Chả Hương Liên, also known as the “Obama restaurant,” where President Obama and Anthony Bourdain famously shared a meal. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from Hom Market and makes a great spot for lunch or a quick photo.
If you don’t mind a bit more walking, you can loop through the French Quarter and visit sights like the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, the Vietnam National Museum of History, or the south side of Hoan Kiem Lake for a calmer view of Turtle Tower. These aren’t clustered together, but most are within 1 to 1.5 km of each other—and combining them gives your outing a nice cultural and historical mix.
A little farther beyond Hom Market (in the opposite direction from the French Quarter), you’ll also find Thong Nhat Park. It’s not the most scenic park in Hanoi, but it’s a pleasant place to escape the traffic and enjoy some people-watching, tai chi, or open-air chess with the locals.
If you’re up for it, all of these places—Hom Market included—can fit into a relaxed 3 km walking route through this part of Hanoi.
View suggested walking route on Google Maps
Is Hom Market worth visiting?
Hom Market isn’t a must-see for the average tourist, especially if you’re hoping for souvenirs, stylish shopping, or a photogenic experience. But for the right kind of traveler, it can be genuinely rewarding. If you love fabric, enjoy chaotic local markets, or want to experience a real slice of Hanoi life far from the tourist circuit, it’s absolutely worth a visit.
There’s nothing curated about Hom Market—this is where locals come to shop for groceries, home goods, and fabric by the meter. That’s exactly what makes it interesting: it’s raw, authentic, and very much part of daily life in the city.
Planning to visit more markets? See our full guide to the Best markets in Hanoi.
