Markets across Ho Chi Minh City, including Ba Chieu in Binh Thanh District, Nguyen Tri Phuong in District 5, Nguyen Xi in Binh Thanh, and Tang Nhon Phu in Thu Duc City, buzzed with shoppers on the morning of May 31st, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, known as Tết Đoan Ngọ or Dragon Boat Festival.
Shoppers flocked to the markets to purchase traditional items such as flowers, bánh ú (sticky rice dumplings), xôi chè (sweet sticky rice and dessert soup), and cơm rượu (sweet fermented rice) for their ancestral offerings.
According to merchant Hà Thu from Nguyen Xi Market, prices for these festive goods remained stable compared to last year. For instance, a bunch of cúc lưới flowers was priced at 15,000 VND (5 stems), while a pack of 10 bánh ú tro without fillings ranged from 45,000 to 85,000 VND, depending on their size.
Other traditional treats like cơm rượu, priced at 15,000-40,000 VND per box, xôi (sticky rice) sold for 20,000-30,000 VND per box, and chè trôi nước (sweet rice balls in ginger syrup) retailed at 6,000 VND per piece.
“Today being the weekend, we had nearly 200 customers. Prices remained stable, and demand was similar to last year. I only stocked a limited quantity, so if we sell out today, I won’t restock,” shared Merchant Thu.
Over at Tân Định Market in District 1, merchant Lê Thủy offered cúc mai cam and tứ quý flowers for 20,000-25,000 VND per bunch, while ceremonial offerings were priced at 20,000-30,000 VND per set.
Prices of offerings such as coconuts, flowers, xôi, and chè remain stable compared to last year.
Traditional Dragon Boat Festival delicacies were also in high demand. Individually sold bánh ú lá tro (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in leaves) were priced at 10,000 VND each, while a dozen was rounded off to 100,000 VND. Large boxes of cơm rượu retailed for 40,000 VND, and both chè trôi nước and xôi gấc were priced at 20,000 VND per box.
“This year, we’ve seen a slight increase in customer numbers compared to previous years, possibly due to the holiday falling on a weekend. Prices have generally remained the same as in previous years,” shared Merchant Thủy.
Nearby vendors reported brisk sales of xôi vò and xôi gấc, priced at 20,000-25,000 VND per box.
Notably, several merchants shared that bá trạng cakes, priced at 100,000 VND each, were a popular choice among customers, with some merchants claiming that these cakes outsold both chè and xôi.
Bánh bá trạng, priced at 100,000 VND, was a popular choice during Tết Đoan Ngọ.
Bánh bá trạng, also known as bánh ú bá trạng or bánh ú mặn, is a traditional cake of the Hoa people of Teochew and Fujian descent living in Southern Vietnam. It is typically prepared for Tết Đoan Ngọ or other important ancestral worship ceremonies throughout the year.
The cake has a conical shape and is wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves. It contains a sticky rice filling combined with a savory filling such as marinated pork belly, salted duck eggs, lap xuong (Chinese sausage), mung beans, and lotus seeds.
Due to its intricate preparation, generous filling, lengthy cooking time, and seasonal availability, bánh bá trạng commands a higher price compared to other types of cakes.
Tết Đoan Ngọ, or the Dragon Boat Festival, is a traditional holiday celebrated in various Asian countries. In Vietnam, it is also known as “Killing Insects Day.” According to traditional beliefs, consuming foods such as bánh ú tro, chè, fruits, and fermented rice wine early in the morning on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month helps eliminate insects in the body, symbolically warding off diseases and maintaining good health.
Xôi vò and xôi gấc priced at 25,000 VND per box.
Various chè and xôi options priced from 25,000 to 40,000 VND per box.
Bánh ú lá tro priced at 100,000 VND per dozen.
Fresh coconuts priced at 20,000 VND each.
Assorted fresh flowers for Tết Đoan Ngọ.
