Quang Ba Flower Market by Night

When the city lights are off, the Quang Ba Flower market lights up the night sky.

The Quang Ba (or Quang An) Flower market was founded on the spur of the moment in response to the self-sufficient demands of people residing in flower-growing villages in the Tay Ho and Tu Liem districts. It was first located at the intersection of Xuan Dieu and Au Co Streets then relocated to its current position with the establishment of Tay Ho District in 1996. Since this shift, the market has grown significantly, and it is now one of the major night flower market in Northern Vietnam.

Quang Ba flower market (Photo by Khanhnguyen)

For those who love flowers or work in the flower-related industry in Hanoi, there is probably noone ignorant of a genuinely stunning and fragrant destination: Quang Ba night Flower market (chợ Hoa đêm Quảng Bá). Quang Ba (Quang An) Flower market, located five kilometers from the center of Hanoi, is a perfect place to purchase flowers and a suitable destination to discover the beauty of Hanoi at night.

Genuine "bees" at Quang Ba Flower market

Quang Ba (Quang An) Flower Market is not only well-known for multiple exotic, colorful, and fresh bunches of flowers but it is also considered a “never sleep at night” place because of the active working life of flower sellers there. They have to conduct a certain process every day from carrying flowers to the warehouses to putting flowers on the stalls in order to make a living.

A seller unloading cargos of flowers from the container (Photo by Trangdang)

At about 4 p.m, the trucks full of flowers, on a day-to-day basis, take turns going straight to the warehouses to unload the commodities. The image of merchants constantly working to unload flowers on carts with sweaty faces and bright smiles is perfectly vivid and glowing with the beauty of diligence. They restlessly use their bare hands to gently unload flowers one by one, cherishing and appreciating the fruits of others' labor. They talk, laugh, joke, and encourage each other to strive harder.

A seller loading flowers to drive to the stall (Photo by Trangdang)

Then, at about 7:30 or 8 p.m, florists at Quang Ba Market start setting up flowers for sale. Each flowers is organized by colour, in bunches, and each bouquet typically has 30 flowers. While displaying flowers, to make the flowers look more beautiful and keep flowers fresh longer, the sellers frequently remove the crushed petals from the flowers or cut their roots.

A seller cutting roots of the flowers (Photo by Trangdang)

A seller removing crushed petals (Photo by Trangdang)

The working night life at Quang Ba market (Video by Trangchu)

Not just flower merchants but also dedicated warriors

Behind those stalls of fresh, colorful flowers, are the difficulties of the sellers here. Due to the long-lasting working hours, their health is negatively affected due to lack of sleep and relaxation, insufficient meals, and even unhealthy routine.

"Sleeping beauty" among flowers - a merchant is dozing on flower stalls (Photo by Khanhnguyen)

Mr.Tinh - a florist at Quang Ba market said: "We need to sleep during the day and stay awake at night to sell flowers. Sometimes, if we have to work at the morning, we try to sell out soon to go back home for sleep". Everyday, he goes to the market to sell flowers at around 5 o'clock in the afternoon and returns home at 7 o'clock in the next morning.

Mr.Tinh - a merchant at Quang Ba market (Photo by Meimei)

A seller resting in a hammock (Photo by Trangdang)

Another challenge facing flower merchants at Quang Ba market is that the number of customers is unstable at different times of the year. Mr. Hoa - a florist who has been in this market for 7 or 8 years shared: "Customers often come to buy flowers a lot on holidays, but on weekdays, even if merchants sell flowers at a loss, we still have to sell''. He also said the average income from selling flowers was just enough for his family to live on.

Mr.Hoa - a merchant at Quang Ba market (Photo by Meimei)

A merchant is eating a hasty meal (Photo by Khanhnguyen)

"My passion is too big to quit!"

Despite the high intensity of work, these industrious merchants still find a great love for what they are doing.

Many flower merchants have been selling flowers since Quang Ba market was established, all for their passion for flowers. Mrs.Dung - a merchant at Quang Ba market for 30 years said: "I do this job because of my passion for selling flowers. I love selling flowers since I was a kid so I've pursued this job until now."

Mrs. Dung - a merchant at Quang Ba market (Photo by Khanhnguyen)

Mrs.Mai - a florist at this market for 40 years, pursues this job for her love of flowers and desire to enrich our own country.

Mrs.Mai - a merchant at Quang Ba market (Photo by Khanhnguyen)

Besides many merchants sell flowers for their passion, there are also who do this job to earn more income for supporting the family, like Mr.Tinh, shared: "Now if I had another more stable job, I would quit for work because it is a hard work."

A merchant waiting for customers to buy flowers in the rain (Photo by Meimei)

A merchant talking to a customer (Photo by Meimei)

Visiting Quang Ba night flower market is an artistic and cultural experience at the same time. Besides the blooming beauty of numerous flowers, this special flower market is a perfect place to discover the working nightlife of manual laborers, a lively and honorable life.

Flowers merchants' difficulties and motivation (Video by Meimei)

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Quang Ba is the largest night market in the capital, also the most familiar place to import fresh flowers for retailers. This place gathers all kinds of different flowers from famous flower villages such as Tay Tuu, Me Linh, Tu Liem, Da Lat .. and also imported flowers from Italy, the Netherlands, and China.

How do you think about the working life of flower merchants at Quang Ba market?

• Quite hard and fatigued
• Normal and average
• Energetic and meaningful
• Others