# Bún mắm: the Mekong Delta's fermented fish noodle soup

> Bún mắm is a Mekong Delta noodle soup with a broth made from fermented fish, loaded with pork belly, shrimp, squid, fish and eggplant, and served with a big plate of fresh vegetables such as water lily stems. It usually costs 50,000–80,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một tô bún mắm”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/bun-mam-mekong
- Region: South Vietnam · City: Mekong Delta
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

Rich, funky and full of seafood, bún mắm tastes of the Delta’s rivers and rice fields – it’s one of the South’s great bowls.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** Rice noodles in a fermented-fish broth with pork belly, shrimp, squid, fish and eggplant, served with fresh greens.
- **Where:** The Mekong Delta, especially provinces like Sóc Trăng and Cần Thơ, and Saigon.
- **Typical price:** Around 50,000–80,000 VND a bowl.
- **Eat green:** The greens come whole and unpackaged. Eat in, and skip the plastic straw with your iced tea.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một tô bún mắm.”

One bowl of bún mắm. Say **thêm rau** for more greens.

## How to eat it

Add the fresh vegetables to the hot broth a little at a time so they stay crunchy. Season with lime and chilli.

## Not the same as bún mắm nêm

Bún mắm from the Delta is a hot soup. Bún mắm nêm from Đà Nẵng is a cool noodle bowl with a fermented anchovy dressing.

## Questions travellers ask

### What is the broth in bún mắm made from?

Fermented fish, simmered with lemongrass and other aromatics.

### How much does bún mắm cost?

Around 50,000–80,000 VND a bowl.

### Is bún mắm very strong?

It is savoury and funky, but less pungent to eat than it smells.

### Where is bún mắm from?

The Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam.

---

Photo: Alpha / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%BAn_M%E1%BA%AFm_S%C3%B3c_Tr%C4%83ng.jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/bun-mam-mekong. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.