Southeast Asian markets are considered to have some of the best markets in the world. They are home to the world’s largest markets, with some of these markets in Thailand or Vietnam having thousands of sellers and shops.
Southeast Asia offers a variety of markets, large and small, all specializing in their own areas such as crafts, food, and art. Smaller markets can be anywhere from 50 to 300 vendors. Larger markets can have anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 vendors.
Southeast Asian markets are also not limited to their size, but also their terrain type. There are multiple market types varying from floating, wet, night, and dry markets.
Floating markets are located in the water; meanwhile, wet markets remain on land and specialize in fresh produce such as meats, fish, and other perishable goods. Wet markets are better understood as non-supermarket setting markets that sell perishable goods.
Night markets can sell all types of products, both perishable and non-perishable. The only distinction is that night markets take place from sunset to late into the night. Dry markets, on the other hand, specialize in fabrics, kitchenware, and electronics.
Themes typically section off these markets but navigating through them can be challenging due to their large size. Whenever visiting a large market in Southeast Asia, be sure to note the entrance you start from and pin it on Google maps to find your way back there again.