
''Pasar malam'' is a
Malay word that literally means "
night market
Night markets or night bazaars ( zh, 夜市) are street markets which operate at night and are generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating than more businesslike day markets. The culture of night markets originates from C ...
" (the word ''pasar'' comes from ''
bazaar
A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
'' in
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
). A ''pasar malam'' is a
street market
A street market or open-air market, with alternative names such as: market square and sometimes charity market, in cases where the sale is made for charity reasons, is a market that is set up on certain days of the week, generally on the street i ...
in
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
,
Brunei
Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...
and
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
that opens in the evening, usually in residential neighbourhoods. Pasar malams are culturally very similar to night markets in Asian countries such as China (Nanluoguxiang, Shuang'an Night Markets), Thailand (
Chatuchak Market), Taiwan (
Shilin Market), Vietnam (Hanoi's Old Quarter), South Korea (Namdaemum Market) and India (Mangal Bazaar).
The pasar malam may be held in a fixed location or itinerant, offering a variety of products such as
street food
Street food is food sold by a Hawker (trade), hawker or vendor on a street or at another public place, such as a market, fair, or park. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...
,
snack
A snack is a small portion of Human food, food generally Eating, eaten between meals. Snacks come in a variety of forms including Food packaging, packaged snack foods and other processed foods, as well as items made from fresh ingredients at ho ...
s, desserts, produce, apparel, accessories, handmade crafts, houseware, gadgets, toys, knick-knacks, and ornaments at cheap or reasonable prices. Counterfeit goods such as fake branded wearables and pirated CDs may also be sold at a pasar malam.
Pasar malam might resemble a night festival or a
fair
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...
ground, where fair games and kiddy rides, like a mini
carousel
A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...
or mini train ride, may also be present. Several quintessential fair snacks like
cotton candy
Cotton candy, also known as candy floss (candyfloss) and fairy floss, is a spun sugar confection that resembles cotton. It is made by heating and liquefying sugar, and spinning it centrifugally through minute holes, causing it to rapidly cool ...
,
ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...
,
hot dogs
A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...
, and grilled sausages are also popular, next to the offerings of traditional local delicacies. A pasar malam often takes place only one to a few days of the week, as the traders rotate around different neighbourhoods on different days of the week.
Haggling over prices is a common practice at such markets.
Etymology
"Pasar Malam" translates to "Night Market" in English. The term is derived from the Malay language, where "pasar" means "market" and "malam" means "night."
History

In the Indonesian archipelago, markets are traditionally held on different days with locations rotating among participating villages. This traditional economic custom is known as ''Hari Pasaran'' (lit. "market days") in
Javanese. After being further developed, the market was established more permanently like it is today. The night market is regarded as the continuation of this non-permanent market culture. Night markets are usually held during special occasions or festivals, such as
Sekaten
Sekaten (; from the Arabic word '' syahadatain'') is a week-long Javanese traditional ceremony, festival, fair and pasar malam (night market) commemorating Mawlid (the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), celebrated annually started on 5th ...
festival in Java, or held on
Ramadhan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting ('' sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed to have been rev ...
nights, approximately a week before
Lebaran.
Among traditional night markets, one of the earliest and biggest was the annual
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is the beginning of a new year based on lunar calendars or, informally, lunisolar calendars. Lunar calendar years begin with a new moon and have a fixed number of lunar months, usually twelve, in contrast to lunisolar calendar ye ...
night market in
Batavia, the capital of the
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
.
Held three days before the Lunar New Year, this night market began in the late 1820s as an initiative of
Tan Eng Goan, the 1st ''Majoor der Chineezen'' of Batavia, and became a prototype for similar night markets.
After the discovery of electricity and
lightbulbs
Electric light is an artificial light source powered by electricity.
Electric Light may also refer to:
* Light fixture, a decorative enclosure for an electric light source
* ''Electric Light'' (album), a 2018 album by James Bay
* Electric Light ( ...
, night markets were held more frequently in colonial Dutch East Indies in the early 20th century. The most notable one is
Pasar Gambir, a night market fair held in 1906 and yearly from 1921 until the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1942, in the Koningsplein, Batavia,
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
(now
Merdeka Square, Jakarta, Indonesia) to celebrate the birthday of
Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. It has become the predecessor of the annual
Jakarta Fair and
Den Haag's
Tong Tong Fair which are a night market and festival held for several weeks.
Indonesia

In
Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
, especially in the
Javanese royal cities
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by Hamengkubuwono, a monarchy, Yogyakarta is regarded as an importan ...
and
Surakarta
Surakarta (Javanese script, Javanese: , Pegon script, Pegon: ), known colloquially as Solo (Javanese script, Javanese: ; ), is a major List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in Central Java, Indonesia. The city adjoins Karanganyar Reg ...
, the grand week-long pasar malam is usually held annually during the
Sekaten
Sekaten (; from the Arabic word '' syahadatain'') is a week-long Javanese traditional ceremony, festival, fair and pasar malam (night market) commemorating Mawlid (the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad), celebrated annually started on 5th ...
festival to celebrate
Mawlid
The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...
, or the birthday of
Muhammad
Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
. During colonial
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies (; ), was a Dutch Empire, Dutch colony with territory mostly comprising the modern state of Indonesia, which Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, declared independence on 17 Au ...
, the annual Pasar Malam was held in
Pasar Gambir (today
Merdeka Square) and became the predecessor of modern
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
's annual
Jakarta Fair.
Today, several ''
kecamatan'' (districts) in Jakarta and also other provinces in Indonesia, hold weekly pasar malam, usually every Saturday night in a nearby ''
alun-alun'' square, open fields, or marketplaces. In Indonesia, pasar malam has become a weekly recreational place for local families. Other than selling a variety of goods and foods, some pasar malam also offer kiddy rides and carnival games, such as mini
carousel
A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...
s or mini train rides. In
Palembang
Palembang (, Palembang: ''Pelémbang'', Mandarin: 巨港 (Jùgǎng), Hokkien: 舊港 (Kū-káng), Jawi: ) is the capital city of the Indonesian province of South Sumatra. The city proper covers on both banks of the Musi River in the ea ...
, a popular pasar malam is located on the front of Kuto Besak Fort on the bank of the
Musi River. This pasar malam sells local dishes and snacks such as
pempek
''Pempek'', ''mpek-mpek'' and also known as colloquially as ''empek-empek'' is a savoury Indonesian cuisine, Indonesian fishcake delicacy, made of Fish as food, fish and tapioca, from Palembang, South Sumatera, Indonesia. Pempek is served with a ...
, lenggang, and tekwan, and also offers souvenirs and handy crafts.
Brunei

Pasar Malam can be found in various locations throughout Brunei. Some of the most notable ones include:
*Gadong Night Market:
Located in the heart of
Gadong, this night market is one of the largest and most popular in Brunei. It features numerous stalls selling a wide range of food, including local delicacies, fresh produce and snacks. The Gadong Night Market is particularly famous for its vibrant atmosphere and diverse culinary offerings.
*Food Street Yayasan:
located within the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Complex in
Bandar Seri Begawan
Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB) is the capital and largest city of Brunei. It is officially a Municipalities of Brunei, municipal area () with an area of and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007. It is part of Brunei–Muara District, the s ...
, is a lively night market that offers a diverse array of culinary delights, from
traditional Bruneian dishes to international cuisine. Operating primarily in the evenings, this vibrant food street serves as a bustling hub for locals and tourists to enjoy a variety of food, such as
Nasi Katok, Ambuyat, Satay, Kuih and Laksa. This lively food street generally operates for several months each year in recurring cycles, with new vendors featured in each cycle.
Malaysia

In Malaysia, Pasar Malam is normally set as a temporarily closed street for vehicles and open for pedestrians from evening until late night weekly. At certain locations due to frequency or a few times a week, narrow and busy streets also safety reasons, Pasar Malam will open at Tapak Pasar Malam at nighttime which describes an allocation space that converts a parking space during the daytime.
Due to the hot Malaysian weather during the daytime, the Pasar Malam has become a nightlife activity that attracts the local community after working time and the tourist crowd to shop with moderate night temperatures looking for cheap hot foods, clothing, groceries, etc. The vendor licences are obtained from local authorities under the local council area.
The majority of the local vendors sell plenty types of drinks, hot foods, and local delicacies from Malay, Malaysian Chinese, and Indian backgrounds which are famous and also difficult to find, fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and seafood, fresh meat and poultry, toys, family range of clothes and accessories. Some local vendors also sell live pets or even phone accessories.
Singapore
In Singapore, the pasar malams of old were phased out in 1978 due to regulation but were fractionally revived in housing estates in 1991
as a cultural selling point.
Notable pasar malams of old included the Woodlands Pasar Malam which attracted crowds from Johor Bahru and the People's Park Pasar Malam in Chinatown.
Present-day pasar malams are organised at specific locations on a temporary lease, usually before festive occasions such as Lunar New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, and Deepavali.
The organisers are required to submit a tender bid to the
People's Association for the right to host the Pasar Malam.
Food hawkers are licensed by the
NEA and required to pass a food hygiene course.
Pasar malams are reported to face sustainability challenges due to rising rental costs.
The Netherlands

In the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, a yearly
Indo-Eurasian festival was held in
The Hague
The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
under the name ''
Tong Tong Fair'', formerly known as the ''Pasar Malam Besar'' (''besar'' meaning "big"). After 63 editions, the festival closed down in 2024 due to financial difficulties Due to the high number of Indo-Eurasians and the successive success of this event since 1959, dozens of pasar malam are held each year in the Netherlands. Recently the Indonesian embassy has started sponsoring a yearly ''Pasar Malam Indonesia'', mainly to promote Indonesian business and enhance Dutch-Indonesian relations.
See also
*
Bazaar
A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
*
Hawker centre
A hawker centre (), or cooked food centre (), is an often open-air complex commonly found in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. They are intended to provide a more sanitary alternative to mobile hawker carts and contain many stall ...
, open-air complexes in Malaysia and Singapore housing many stalls that sell a variety of inexpensive food
* ''
Kopi tiam
A ''kopitiam'' or ''kopi tiam'' () is a type of coffee shop mostly found in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Southern Thailand patronised for meals and beverages, and traditionally operated by the Chinese communities o ...
'', literally a "coffee shop"
*
Market (place)
A marketplace, market place, or just market, is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a ''souk'' (from ...
* ''
Pasar pagi
''Pasar pagi'' (Malay language, Malay/Indonesian language, Indonesian, lit.: 'morning market') is a type of traditional Market (place), market found in Indonesia and Malaysia, sometimes classified as a wet market.
Operating hours
''Pasar pagi'' ...
'', (morning market)
* Retail
*
Wet market
*
Farmers' market
A farmers' market (or farmers market according to the AP stylebook, also farmer's market in the Cambridge Dictionary) is a physical retail marketplace intended to sell foods directly by farmers to consumers. Farmers' markets may be indoors or ...
References
External links
MyPasarMalam – Malaysia pasar Malam directoryPasar malam businessPasar Malam SG{{Retail
Culture of Indonesia
Culture of Malaysia
Culture of Singapore
Night markets
Malay words and phrases
Retailing in Indonesia
Retailing in Malaysia