Dong Ba Market is the oldest market in Hue that has an importance in the everyday life of Hue people where you can buy everything. TV star Anthony Bourdain once had lost the way to come out because he couldn't resist the delicious dishes of Hue cuisine. View more: Dong Ba Market,Hue https://twitter.com/i/moments/1264751591707430914

I have some words today to share about shopping in Vietnam. We met up with my cousin and her husband in Hue who joined us for a day of shopping at the famous Dong Ba market. First off, shopping in Vietnam is INTENSE. For my cousin, her husband and I, stepping into a market is super intimidating and stressful because the ladies (and they’re 95% women vendors in Vietnam) are known to double prices and expect you to bargain. Of course, that’s an art that we're all woefully inept at. 

Fortunately, my mom’s friends are like the goddesses of bargaining. Surprisingly, Co Mai, who is usually super chill and hien (gentle and soft spoken) turns out to actually be the master of bargainers. The woman knows how to dish it out like a boss! She says that she gets her skills from being a vendor herself in the notoriously cutthroat Saigon markets for three years when she lived there in her twenties.

Here’s a little glimpse of how my cousin and I would fair in the market:

Us: How much for this shirt?

Vendor: (without missing a beat) $8907383939043894

Us: umm… No thanks. Mmmk bye!

Vendor: tell me what you’re willing to pay? This is a great deal but for you I will work with if you tell me a price.

Us: We uhh don’t know… (after a string of questions and persistence from the vendor) No-thanks-thanks-bye! (Scurry away to go eat some food that doesn’t require bargaining and ponder how we’ll ever buy anything here)

Here’s how Co Mai, our secret weapon, gets down to business:

Co Mai: How much? (Points to the little outfit my cousin has been eyeing for her niece)

Vendor: 400,000 dong ($20)

Co Mai: Are you forreal?!? Get out of here. Give me a real price. (To her friend). Can you believe this lady? Trying to swindle customers!

Vendor: 400,000. That’s a good price, it’s usually 600,000.

Co Mai: Stop lying. I just bought one of those but wanted another (she totally didn’t) and the other lady charged me $50,000 (there is no other lady). I’ll give you 50,000.

Vendor: (dramatic sighing and tsk-ing) Get outta here. We gotta eat around here! How about 390,000?

(More back and forth ensues but their not budging from 350,000).

Co Mai: I’ve had enough of this. Come on gang, we out! (does the walk away with so much swagger)

(Vendor hesitates and calls her back) Co Mai gets the outfit for 80,000 dong or $4. The vendor pretends that she’s basically making no profit and is doing bc she likes Co Mai. Co Mai is all “Whatevs. Bye Felicia!” and we go along our merry way. Everyone else trails behind her because she’s our fearless leader and we are not worthy.

It’s all a song and dance, she says, and about everyone calling each other’s bluffs. There’s some yelling involved, dramatic waving of hands and big facial expressions to convey shock at prices proposed by the vendor and the customer. It’s quite impressive to see the pros at work, but I’m far from getting to their level.

You can see above, a picture of the master at work while she asks about and inspects some non la (rice field hats), my cousin/her husband/me aka dead weight at the market, and the beautiful ao dai fabric Co Mai bargained for me for a whopping $18 (it’s usually at least $90 in the states if not more).