Ho Chi Minh City: Discover the Ramadan food fair of the Cham people, held only once a year.
The fair at alley 157 Duong Ba Trac offers a unique Halal culinary experience with dishes such as tung lo mo, beef curry, and Thai jackfruit seed cake during the Ramadan month.
In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, a unique cultural space comes alive every Ramadan. The food fair of the Cham Muslim community at alley 157 Duong Ba Trac is not just a place for buying and selling, but also a unique culinary journey that takes place only once a year.
Islamic cultural space in the heart of the city.
The Ramadan food fair takes place in the area around the Jamiul Anwar mosque and the surrounding houses at alley 157, Duong Ba Trac Street (Chanh Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City). This year, the event started on February 18th (the 3rd day of the Lunar New Year) and lasted for one month.
The fair is open from 2 PM to around 4 PM daily, attracting many diners with its unique dishes and characteristic festive atmosphere. Located in a small alley, the space here has a strong sense of community, intimacy, and hospitality.
Experience unique Halal cuisine.
The biggest difference of this fair is that the menu completely avoids pork, adhering to Islamic dietary rules. Instead, savory dishes are elaborately prepared using beef, chicken, and seafood at affordable prices.
Diners should not miss the Cham specialties such as spicy beef curry or tung lo mo (beef sausage) – an iconic dish with a unique flavor that is hard to find elsewhere.
A rich world of snacks and pastries.
Besides savory dishes, the fair is also a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. The highlight is the Thai-style mung bean cake, made from mashed mung beans, flour, and sugar, with its distinctive rich and creamy flavor. In addition, visitors can also find steamed rice cakes, folded cakes, and many kinds of traditional sweet soups.
To help people cool down, the stalls also serve herbal drinks, refreshing beverages, milk tea, and especially dates – a fruit closely associated with the spiritual and cultural life of Muslim communities worldwide.
Practical information and travel experiences.
The fair is an ideal destination for young people looking for new cultural experiences at the beginning of the year. However, due to the large number of visitors and the narrow alleyways, visitors should be mindful of protecting their personal belongings.
- Address:Alley 157, Duong Ba Trac Street, Chanh Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Time:2 PM - 4 PM daily (for one month starting from February 18th).
- Move:If you're traveling by private vehicle, you should park at the entrance to alley 157.
- Bus:From Ben Thanh Market, take bus number 152, get off at Truong Duong Ba Trac stop and walk into the alley.
