Pasar Awam Pontian, translated directly as "Pontian Public Market", is better known as Pontian Fish (Wholesale) Market to most people and is located in the outskirt of Pontian Kechil. The local market is where locals, Malaysians from outside town and in-the-know Singaporeans go to buy fresh seafood.
Pontian Market has two sections. Closer to the entrance is a newly-build wet market selling all sorts of local agricultural produces, meat, fresh seafood, condiments, spices, etc. With neat rows of stalls, tiled floor and ample lightings, the environment is much cleaner than what it used to be.
The section to the rear is the "fish market" proper, under an old metal structure. From daybreak to around 11am every morning (except Monday), fishermen will return from the seas with the day's fresh catches and deliver them to the fish market. Fishmongers will then sell the seafood to individual customers or in bulks to restaurants or other retailers through bidding.
You can observe the bidding process. Buyers will call out their prices for batches of seafood and haul them away after successful bids. However, the strong fishy stench in the air here is something to behold — skip the shed if you can't take the smell.
For Singapore residents to buy fresh seafood from here and take them home for self-consumption, they will need to bring along ice boxes to contain the seafood and with ice.
For visitors, it may be difficult to buy raw seafood even though they are very fresh. An alternative will be to buy the seafood, bring them to the coffee shops opposite the fish market and have them cook for you for a small price. Look for either Ah Huat Kitchen (亚发代炒) in Kedai Kopi Seng (锦成茶餐室) or Lai Ho (来好海鲜代炒) in Kedai Makanan Ong Siew Lian (泉珍茶餐室). Note that cook-on-behalf services are available for lunch only.
Be it to buy fresh seafood to bring home or to have a sumptuous seafood lunch on the spot, Pontian Fish Market is worth a visit.
Address:
Pontian Kechil, 82000 Pontian District, Johor, Malaysia
Opening Hours:
6am to 12pm | Closed on Monday
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