Markets foreign should visit in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

1/ Ben Thanh Market:
Ben Thanh Market (called Saigon Market in these old days) is situated at the intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung Dao Avenues and Le Lai Road, 700m south-west of the Rex Hotel. At first, the market was situated near the Ben Nghe River Dike. It was a brick market with a wooden frame and thatched roof, which was partly damaged by a fire in 1870. In 1911 it was demolished for a more spacious one, which was completed in March 1914.
After being moved many times, Ben Thanh market is now standing in the very center of the city where consumers can conveniently find all sorts of products imaginable. In 1985 the interior as well as the exterior of Ben Thanh Market was completely remodeled except the front with the clock tower, which was kept as it was.
Nowadays, the goods in Ben Thanh market are abundant, including almost all-domestic products - especially those from the Mekong Delta - and modern industrial products from other countries.

2/ Cho Lon Market (Binh Tay Market):
Whenever Cho Lon market is referred to, everyone may immediately think of a Cho Lon - China Town inside Ho Chi Minh City. Cho Lon has become part and parcel of every itinerary to this city.

Tran Hung Dao Boulevard, which connects Sai Gon and Cho Lon is considered the spine bone of Cho Lon.

Cho Lon now covers a vast area from the residential quarters in Districts 5 and 10 to the vicinity of Districts 6 and 11. The Hoa people living there still preserve their age-old cultural, architectural, and religious values. The classical beauty of their architectural style finds expressions in rows of tile-roofed houses, which seem to be caught forever in a brownish gray colour.

During daylight, Cho Lon is bustling with sellers and buyers doing their business. Binh Tay Market, one of the most important markets of Ho Chi Minh City, is located inside Cho Lon. It can be said that nothing is not sold there. There are some hotels and restaurants around here.

When night falls, Cho Lon market seems to rejuvenate. From a distance one can see neon signs of various sizes, shapes and colours. Tourists flock into this area not only for purchasing goods but also tasting the gastronomy of the Hoa. One can enjoy mouth-water-ing dishes as dumplings, boned duck's legs, Duong Chau fried rice, Tu Xuyen tofu and so on.

Tourists also have a chance to explore the other side of Cho Lon. This is its residential area populated by the poor people, with their street stalls lighted under yellowish oil lamps, saddened by the cry of vendors at night. This poses a picture of great contrast.

Such is a panoramic picture of Cho Lon. Come to explore.

3/ Tan Dinh Market

Tan Dinh market is slightly west of the main part of the city, heading generally in the direction of the airport. If you go along Hai Ba Trung past Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dien Bien Phu, Van Tham park, and Vo Thi Sau, then past the pink catholic church on your left, it’s opposite the intersection with Tran Quoc Toan. You can’t miss it. You can walk there from the Park Hyatt and the Caravelle in 20 minutes. It’s fun.

This market specialty is material. It has all the usual stuff – fruit and vegies, meat, eggs, cosmetics, jewellery, toys, plastic buckets, umpteen different types of rice, dried shrimp – anything you want. But the main reason to go there is for the material. There are dozens of places to buy material in Tan Dinh market, and directly across Hai Ba Trung from the main entrance is a row of shops, all selling material.
There is an endless selection of silks, suit material, cotton for shirts, material for curtains, corduroy, tartans, denim. You can get lots of outrageously bright, highly-patterned material which the Viets use for ao dais and for the pyjamas that women wear in the streets. It’s all there. You have to do a bit of digging around but that it part of the fun. There is no suggestion of being ripped off and most of the material has marked prices. They will tell you how much you need for the item that you want made.
Curiously there are no tailor shops next to the material shops.

4/ An Dong market:

In Ho Chi Minh City district 5 is the shopping mall Windsor Plaza, An Dong market look like the Spanish chain El Corte Inglés but in Saigon. However if you prefer the atmosphere of a street market and above all, some bargains, specially cheap bargains. You are lucky, because just around the corner you can find An Dong Market, probably the biggest market of the city, inside a 4 floors building (An Dương Vương street, see Ho Chi Minh City map).

An Dong is mainly devoted to textile, clothing, shoes, accesories, handbags, jewelry, imitation jewelry, souvenirs, handicrafts, household, telephony and some electronics. You can find almost everything inside this huge market, even fabric to make a Vietnamese traditional dress.
Floors 1st, 2nd and 3rd are mainly textile, clothing and accessories, but also on the 1st floor you can find jewelery and imitation jewelery. Just as a matter of interest we will tell you on the 3rd floor of An Dong Market they sell winter cloth and coats for the Vietnamese people who will travel abroad, because of the hotter Weather in Saigon we will never need winter cloth or even socks.
On the ground floor people sell spices, food and many other things. If you are willing to cook any traditional Vietnamese dish of the Vietnamese Cuisine, the ground floor is your place (unfortunately you won't find many exotic ingredients to prepare a Exotic Vietnamese dish).
To go to An Dong Market there are just 2 options: taxi or motorbike. For a foreign tourist the taxi is by far the best option. At the main gate of An Dong Market there are plenty of taxis to catch when we finish shopping. From the city center, district 1 of Saigon it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the traffic).

5/ Saigon Square:

Near by Ben Thanh market, if you stay in the downtown (district 1) you can just walk here.

Saigon Square is where you'll find many contemporary stuffs like Clumpler bag made in Vietnam, Gucci and Ray Ban sunglasses, iPhone cover, Nike shoes, DVD, Columbia jacket and more. And here by some ideas you may find interested (remember to bargain, this a fun experience :>)

• You can find many Crumpler bags in Saigon Square. Also available are North Face bag, Samsonite travel and laptop bag and Nike products for US $20.

• Ray Ban, Gucci and D&G sunglass.

• Shoes and boots for adults and kids alike(but when it comes to shoes, go to the alley beside Ben Thanh Market for wider choices)

• North Face jacket, Abercrombie and Columbia jacket for kids. The adult winter jackets in Saigon Square averages around US$25.

• Saigon Square also offers LOTS of polo shirts, from Abercrombie, Polo Ralph, Lacoste to Burberry... Prices are around US$7.

• Rolex, Tag Heuer and all different kinds of brands of watches here around US $15

• Handicrafts and souvenirs from Vietnam to bring home

• DVD from US $0.5 - some blockbusters even appear prior to the cinemas in American !!

• Abercrombie and polo ralph lauren shirt going for about US$9 here in Saigon Square.

• Levis, Diesel jeans, Guess

• Ladies clothes from cheap China made at US$3 to mini boutiques are aplenty in Saigon Square.

• Hip hop caps, belts and belt buckets..

• Kid's clothing like Gap and OshKosh cost around US$4, depending on sizes/age.

• Cloe, Chanel, LV, Burberry bags...

• Cute iPhone, iPad, smart phone cover.

Saigon Square address: 77 - 89, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Open till 9 PM.

Markets foreign should visit in Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)