SE Asian wet (food) markets

[bvmisa]

bvmisa - wonderful, thanks! I mean any type of wet market/food market. Particularly ones that feature unusual regional items, or that are particularly lively, or have an special 'atmosphere' (this will mean something to anyone who is a connoisseur of food markets), or take place in a historical or architecturally interesting building.

Can you give me a little more info on the one in TESDA (location, days) - we will be in Manila in December. Thanks again.

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The place is along FTI Avenue which is very easy to locate. Upon entering the main gate, just keep to the right. Soon you will see the streamers and tents at the left side of FTI Avenue.

I am not exactly sure how to get there as I don't drive, but it is in the FTI complex which is in Taguig, Metro Manila, about 10-15 minutes from the Central Business Disctrict. If you are definitely going, I can ask my dad for particular directions.

I like it as it brings a good mix of the traditional producers from the province and a few newer organic farms. There are also native handicrafts like baskets, etc. Of course, there are pirated DVDs in a few stalls.

Zamboanga was mentioned, and I can attest to the fact that Zamboanga City has an awesome market. Aside from the great piles of raw sugar (of many kinds, called azucar de caballo there or "horse sugar"... people prefer white sugar any day ), there are many good vegetables and different kinds of fish. Also you can find the more traditional cooking materials and baskets. And flowers, for very cheap prices, as many are grown in backyards and fresh!

A little off Manila there are wet markets everywhere, with different things to offer! Almost every wet market has a unique and interesting thing going on... Mindanao has good ones, but so does Manila. For a "giant" market, check out Divisoria, where you can roam the streets of the district and find many seasonal delights for really cheap.

Edited September 21, 2006 by bvmisa (log)

[Domestic Goddess]

I see that the markets or palengkes from the Philippines. Since I am currently based now in Korea, the most interesting phenomenon here is the weekly street market. All cities and towns have this vast street market that happens every 5 days. Here in my town of Janghowon, the street market happens on dates that end at 4's and 9's. I have taken a lot of pictures of our street market. For those who would like to see the Janghowon street market pictures, pm me your addy and I'll send the Kodakgallery album link to you.

[PCL]

Having spent some time in North Borneo recently in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia... the seafront market in the centre of town, known to locals as the Filipino Market due to the large immigrant population that both frequent and trade in the area, is pretty cool.

Every evening boatloads of fresh live seafood is brought to shore and sold within hours. The variety is simply stunning and all of it is caught in local waters.

To add to the mix, there is a substantial section of the market devoted to food stalls selling things like grilled chicken wings laced with the famous Sarawak black pepper sauce, fried bananas, curries, rendangs, noodles, fried fruit... yum...

[Peter Green]

As an alert, I read in the Bangkok Post today (October 1) that they're trying to force out the fish market on Charoen Krung in Bangkok, and open the space up for a condo development.

See it now while it's still there.

(as a side note, the 96 year old school next door, after 50 years of smelling fish, is kinda looking forward to losing the market)

[ecr]

bvmisa, thanks for the addtl info. I am awaiting the imminent arrival of Delgado's Philippine Markets, which is sure to provide even more info.

PCL - yes, we spent a good deal of time at the KK seafood market on a trip last April. Even more interesting is the market behind the fish processing facility that takes place when they unload the boats around 4-6am. Lots of activity. I hear the seafood market in Sandakan, Sabah, is even better, and bigger. We may swing through Sabah on our way to the Phil in December. The more markets the merrier!

[Pan]

As an alert, I read in the Bangkok Post today (October 1) that they're trying to force out the fish market on Charoen Krung in Bangkok, and open the space up for a condo development.

See it now while it's still there.

(as a side note, the 96 year old school next door, after 50 years of smelling fish, is kinda looking forward to losing the market)

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That parenthetical note is amusing to read.

Who's trying to force out the fish market? The developers or/and some branch of government?

[Peter Green]

The land is all crown land, so everything that exists in a lot of the older part of Bangkok is on lease. In this case, the market would like to extend another 30 years, but the money for condo development is looking too good.

Of course, if you work in the number of lost jobs and such, it may not be as attractive.

As another note, the Suan Lum Night Bazaar over near Lumpini Park is now on short notice. They only had a three or four year let anyways, and now it looks like they may have to be out of there in another month or two. There are some good casual eating spots in there, and with the Lumpini MTR stop now, it's not that hard to get to.

[Peter Green]

Bangkok Post

Here's a (short) article from today's Bangkok Post on two of the big markets in the city, Pak Khlong and Talat Thai.

Edited November 11, 2006 by Peter Green (log)