On weekends, Xom Luoi Market in Vung Tau Ward, Ho Chi Minh City buzzes with buyers and sellers, as smoke rises from seafood stalls grilling seafood dishes.

The market’s unique appeal lies in its flexibility, as customers can buy fresh seafood to cook at home or have it prepared on the spot.

This has made it a go-to stop for visitors.

A must-visit stop

Located at the corner of Nguyen Cong Tru and Phan Boi Chau Streets in central Vung Tau, the market offers everything from shrimp, crab, squid, and octopus to snails and fish.

While open all day, it is busiest from 3:00 pm until late at night, especially on weekends.

In addition to big seafood shops, Xom Luoi Market also has carts cooking simple dishes to order, mainly grilled or steamed, such as chilli oil grilled squid, grilled sea urchin with quail egg, scallion oil or cheese topped shellfish, fish wrapped in foil and more.

On a recent Saturday evening, Thu, a visitor from Ho Chi Minh City, stopped with her husband and two children to buy grilled fish, shellfish, and octopus to take back to their hotel.

She said she learned about the market from locals and always comes by to enjoy freshly cooked seafood.

“Prices here are reasonable, and you can eat right away without having to cook,” she said, adding that she will come back to buy dried seafood as gifts for her family and friends.

From roadside stalls to a bustling market

Locals say Xom Luoi began in the 1980s–1990s, when fishermen from Hue settled in Vung Tau and sold their catch along the roadside.

Passersby, drawn by the freshness and low prices, stopped to buy and later word spread, more customers came.

Seeing the potential, some vendors began renting space to run businesses, giving rise to the market now known as Xom Luoi.

From just a few trays of seafood along the roadside, Xom Luoi has grown to dozens of shops selling a wide variety.

It originally offered only fresh seafood, but later added on-the-spot cooking services for tourists’ convenience, with each cooking service costing between VND30,000 and 50,000 (US$1.14 - 1.9).

Nhan Hau, who was born and raised in the market area, now runs three seafood shops under his name.

As the shops offer seating, their menu is more varied.

The man recalled that before the COVID-19 pandemic, weekends were so crowded that sometimes one could barely move.

Now business is much quieter. He once sold 400–500 kilograms of flower crab a day, but now only about 100.

Meanwhile, Hoa, a vendor, has a seafood cart that supports eight family members. Her husband passed away two years ago.

Each afternoon, she and her children push the cart out, light the charcoal stove, and grill seafood for tourists, keeping the fire going until the last customer leaves.

“Xom Luoi Market has become part of Vung Tau’s culinary culture,” Quang Anh, a regular tourist to Vung Tau, commented.

“But to grow further, hygiene and food safety must be top priorities,” he added. “Trash and wastewater running onto the street is making the market less appealing.”