Explore the Bustling Stalls at Cai Dam Seafood Market

An overview of Cai Dam Seafood Market

Address: Tien Ong Street, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province

Opening hours: All day

Cai Dam Seafood Market was constructed starting in 2012 and officially commenced operations in 2016, distinguished by both its expansive space and modern architecture. The total construction area spans up to 4,772.51 square meters with a total investment capital of up to 258 billion VND. The market is designed with 6 floors housing more than 750 fixed business stalls.

Join MIA.vn to discover what Cai Dam Seafood Market has to offer!

When visiting the market, travelers will immerse themselves in a super fascinating world brimming with diverse goods on sale at Cai Dam Market in Quang Ninh.

2.1 Unique and well-equipped infrastructure

Having officially operated for more than 5 years, Cai Dam Seafood Market is considered a traditional market and the liveliest, most bustling seafood trade hub in Ha Long. Before we dive into exploring those seafood selections together, MIA.vn will reveal some intriguing details about the infrastructure here.

Cai Dam Seafood Market is the most famous among markets in Bai Chay, standing out with the structure of a spacious 6-story building where each floor is modernly and conveniently designed. Different categories of goods are rationally partitioned across each level, featuring stalls decorated in a variety of styles with clear signboards and vendor names for effortless identification by visitors.

The ground floor is prominent with more than 300 business spots selling agricultural produce, food items, and fresh live seafood. Meanwhile, the 1st floor brings a completely fresh experience with vibrant, colorful stalls offering fashion items, cosmetics, stationery, pharmaceuticals, general groceries, and more. Moving up, the 2nd floor is just as distinctive with over 200 stalls dealing in electronics, wooden furniture, souvenirs, and assorted jewelry. The remaining floors are equally energetic, trading in a wide array of other everyday essentials.

See more: What is so hot about Minh Chau Beach on Quan Lan Island?!

2.2 What should you buy at Cai Dam Seafood Market?

Well-known as a traditional market in Bai Chay that warmly welcomes both domestic and international visitors whenever they travel here, you can freely choose from a vast selection of goods ranging from dried foods to live seafood. You may not know that Cai Dam Market also functions as the wholesale seafood hub of Bai Chay, providing a wide variety of fresh seafood such as crabs, shrimp, squid, and more.

The freshness of the seafood here is beyond question, featuring premium catches brought in straight from daily harvests. Consequently, tasty dishes prepared with seafood purchased from Cai Dam Market are always guaranteed to be fresh with the rich flavor of the ocean. Hence, when cooked, diners can truly savor the savory essence of the sea. MIA.vn will introduce you to several delicious seafood varieties most favored by visitors.

Ha Long squid patties (Chả mực): This can undoubtedly be considered the number-one specialty in Quang Ninh, with high annual consumption remaining steady. It is estimated that roughly every traveler to Quang Ninh buys about 0.5kg of Ha Long squid patties as gifts for relatives and friends or for personal enjoyment.

Peanut worms (Sá sùng): At Cai Dam Traditional Seafood Market, you can purchase both fresh and dried peanut worms. Whichever type you pick, they offer high nutritional value, and their flavor when eaten is equally remarkable. A handy tip to keep in mind when choosing peanut worms is to select those with plump bodies, uniform size, and notably, the brighter their pink skin, the tastier they will be. You should avoid dried peanut worms that appear flat and dull in color.

Mackerel: Selecting fish may seem straightforward, but it is not easy at all, especially with mackerel. To pick the freshest mackerel, pay attention to the eyes: they should generally be clear and only slightly protruding. In contrast, those with large, swollen, milky-colored, sunken sockets and non-resilient corneas are stale fish. An easier indicator for fresh mackerel is a glistening body free of scratches, a deeply recessed vent, and particularly a flat, slender belly.

Mud clams (Ngán biển): Ngán is a type of shellfish larger than regular clams with superior nutrition; this seafood can be crafted into many delectable dishes and is considered great for men's wellness. When buying, select medium-sized, evenly proportioned specimens whose soaking water has no odd odor.

Brown-marbled grouper: The brown-marbled grouper at Cai Dam Market is very fresh and fairly large in size. Furthermore, numerous stalls sell this fish, offering tourists plenty of options to pick from.

Peeled dried shrimp: Peeled dried shrimp is a popular choice for visitors to buy as gifts when visiting Cai Dam Traditional Market. The shrimp meat is tasty and sweet, very similar to fresh shrimp. To ensure the dried shrimp remains delicious and sweet, choose shrimp with a natural bright red color, firm meat, and without a pungent fishy smell.

Quang Ninh shrimp floss (Ruốc tôm Quảng Ninh): a famous specialty of the Quang Ninh land that you can easily find at food stalls in Cai Dam Market. This dish is rich in nutrients and made from finely pounded shrimp and pork, then blended with diverse seasonings such as gac fruit oil, fish sauce, ginger, wild pepper (mắc khén), etc., to create a characteristically mouthwatering flavor that many visitors purchase as gifts.

Besides, the market also offers several unique and exotic seafood types such as: geoduck, Arius catfish, tamarind-glazed squid, etc. You can freely explore the great variety at this traditional market.

Additionally, the market features several other exotic seafood choices including: mud clams, geoduck, brown-marbled grouper, peeled dried shrimp... Feel free to experience the rich diversity of this traditional market. 

2.3 What to eat at Cai Dam Seafood Market?

With a distinctive design combining traditional and contemporary touches, Cai Dam Seafood Market is not merely a place showcasing enticing stalls, but also a culinary paradise for you to feast your appetite. Cai Dam Market houses a dedicated section for freshly cooked delicacies, where you can sit right at the stalls and enjoy them on the spot. Every dish is delectable and very reasonably priced.

Yen Oc Eatery - Address: Lot 1A, Group 1, Zone 8 Cai Dam, Bai Chay

Opening hours: 11:00 - 22:00

At this eatery, you can feast on savory seafood specialties, especially baby octopus (ruốc) and squid dishes. If you drop by for a main meal, do not forget to order an extra bowl of hot congee topped with succulent seafood, mingled with fragrant steam rising up that is hard to resist.

Ngoc Son Snails and Grilled Chicken Feet - Address: No. 976, Cai Dam, Bai Chay

Opening hours: 18:00 - 24:00

Visiting Cai Dam Traditional Seafood Market, you definitely should not miss out on the flavorful snail dishes here, such as: screw snails, apple snails, mud snails, stone snails... The flavors are not only well-seasoned, but the accompanying dipping sauce is richly aromatic and irresistible. Most notably, the average dining cost is only around 150,000 VND/person for a completely filling meal—what could be better than that?

Cay Gao Eatery - Address: Welcome Gate of Zone 6, Cai Dam, Bai Chay, Ha Long

Opening hours: 18:00 - 24:00

To enjoy properly authentic seafood congee, you certainly should not skip Cay Gao Eatery. The place specializes in seafood congee such as shrimp congee, mud clam congee... Along with these are iconic Vietnamese favorites like mud clams, eel, or muscovy duck glass noodle soup that are equally enticing. Prices here range from just 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND/bowl, which is considered very wallet-friendly so you won't need to worry about burning a hole in your pocket.

A few notes when shopping at Cai Dam Seafood Market

- Cai Dam Seafood Market is renowned as a destination offering fresh, delicious seafood items at affordable prices. However, nothing is absolute, and instances of price gouging as well as low-quality goods still happen occasionally in this bustling market. Therefore, you should promptly keep in mind several notes below for a safer experience:

- You should take a stroll around the market to compare prices of your desired items across different stalls before making a purchasing decision.

- If you visit via an organized tour, you should assess the quality of each stall based on your own viewpoint. It occasionally happens that tour guides direct travelers to cheap stalls with poor quality to receive commissions, so be cautious and avoid being overly credulous.

- For products offering free samples, you should taste-test them to check the quality and flavor before deciding whether or not to purchase.

- The market hosts diverse sources of supplies, making it inevitable that some goods lack clear origins; be sure to inspect origins and quality carefully to ensure safe purchases.

Above is useful information to help you gain a better understanding of Cai Dam Traditional Seafood Market. If you have the chance to visit nearby Bai Chay Bridge, remember to drop by here to immerse yourself in an exciting space for shopping and dining.