The city’s largest market on Au Co Street in Tay Ho District is bustling at 11 p.m. on Thursday as people flock to buy fresh flowers for Tet decoration.
Normally, the market is open from 3 a.m. to noon, but during Tet it operates day and night.
CNN called the market one of the best places in the world to celebrate Lunar New Year.
Quang Ba is said to sell the best stuff in the city, getting it from well-known flower growing areas around Hanoi such as Tay Tuu, Dong, Gia Lam, and Phuc Yen.
Vividly colored Dahlia and gladiolus flowers, which symbolize good luck, cost VND500,000-700,000 ($21-29) a bunch, and are among the best-selling items.
At around midnight the market is still crowded with shoppers though the temperature is 16 degrees Celsius.
In addition to familiar items such as peach blossom, rose, lily, and chrysanthemum, there are also imported flowers such as boronia pinnata and yellow peach blossom.
The Year of the Cat begins on Sunday and Vietnamese usually finish decorating their home for Tet by noon on Lunar New Year’s Eve.
A bunch of chrysanthemum flowers cost VND400,000.
Le Thi Huong said during the lead-up to Tet she had to stay up all night to import flowers to meet the high demand.
