Ben Thanh Market in Saigon (Visitor Guide)

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This is the largest in Vietnam, the Ben Thanh Market and its surrounding streets is home to one of the most vibrant shopping districts in Ho Chi Minh City. From fresh vegetables, meats, and spices to sweets, tobacco, clothing, and household essentials, this market offers everything locals use in their daily lives. It’s also a great spot to find a unique souvenirs from Vietnam to take back in memory of your trip.

For those used to shopping in supermarkets and malls, Ben Thanh Market would be an entirely different experience. This iconic local market buzzes with energy throughout the day and transforms into a lively social hub by night. Whether you’re looking for what to buy in Saigon or searching for a hotel near Ben Thanh Market, this area puts you right in the heart of everything. Also, it is a 5 minute walk to the walking street in Saigon.

Ben Thanh Market has the best prices and widest selection of both regular and weasel coffee. These coffee beans are fed to weasels first, then harvested from their droppings before being sold to you.

Ben Thanh Market location & opening times

The largest market of Vietnam, the Ben Thanh Market, located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City at Le Loi Street, District 1, welcomes visitors daily from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM with no entrance fee (The parking charge 10.000VND as parking fee), making it a must-visit spot for couples, families, and solo backpackers. Here is the location on the map;

Ben Thanh Market: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm

Ben Thanh Night Market: 17:00 – 22:00

A Guide For Shopping at Ben Thanh Market, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City’s Ben Thanh Market, is a must-visit spot in Vietnam, offering everything from clothes and souvenirs to local street food, in the evening, the nearby food market including Night Market create a lively atmosphere after sunset perfect for walking and perhaps buy a few things with great price.

Ben Thanh Street Market

The Street Food Market offers an exciting local foodie experience, attracting both local youths and tourists with its diverse selection of Vietnamese dishes as well as the foods form other countries such as Tacos, Steak, Italian Sausages, Middle eastern style Kebab and more. I feel like the foods here are slightly pricier compared to food stalls along the streets, but hey, the foods here are more hygiene and you feel safer. The foods price start at 50.000VND (USD2)

It is just an easy walk from nearby Thu Khoa Huan Street, right net to the Ben Thanh, this lively area is surrounded by bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and shops selling fashion clothes, making it a must-visit place while walking around. If this is your first time in Vietnam, you may be surprise by the lined-up tables that face the street.

At night, the reddish paper lanterns cast a warm glow, many restaurants impress visitors with their stylish décor, while clearly written menus in English—and sometimes other languages—make ordering easy and stress-free.

Ben Thanh Street Food Market caters mainly to tourists, offering a cleaner and more inviting alternative to traditional street food. Many travelers hesitate to try local street food, so this market was set-up to provide a more hygienic and comfortable experience. Lot’s of tourists are eating here everyday for dinner, try it!

Things to Buy in Ben Thanh Market

This market has everything—from essentials to rare finds! Whether you want food, fruit, or clothes, just ask, and vendors will have it. For first-copy items, bargaining works best—start at half the price, and chances are, they’ll agree.

In addition, the colorful flowers nearby help balance the scene. The wet market runs only from early morning until midday.

A quick tip: The market is huge, so note the gate number above to avoid getting lost. For branded shops, cross the road and head toward Saigon Centre—just like that, you’ve reached the mall!

Ben Thanh Market is home to around 3,180 stalls, creating a lively shopping place. Expect to see endless stacks of colorful goods as you walk around. Vendors offer everything from electronics, clothes, jewelry, and shoes to handicrafts and food, propaganda posters and many more items, generally from pin to plane. Every day, about 10,000 visitors, including many foreigners, check the market out.

For unique gifts, any sort of traditional handicrafts make the perfect choice. Lacquerware and coconut dinnerware, including bowls, chopctick, plates, and silk clothes and more than thousands of T-shirts printing tan tan in Vietnam and anything else. Ben Thanh also showcases stunning fabric items with embroidery and patchwork. If you love woodcraft, handcrafted boats and figurines make excellent picks.

Prices & bargaining for items

Fixed priced items: For those who prefer straightforward shopping without the hassle of bargaining, the outer ring of Ben Thanh Market is the perfect place. Some stalls, easily recognizable by sellers wearing light blue T-shirts, offer items at fixed prices. This section makes shopping more convenient, allowing you to browse and purchase without negotiating.

Bargaining: Sellers believe their first sale brings luck, so mornings offer better deals. Prices are often inflated, so compare stalls and negotiate, especially for bulk buys. Stay friendly—smile, be polite, and sellers may lower prices. If the deal isn’t right, walk away; they might call you back.

Price Guide ben thanh market saigon

Item	Price in Vietnamese Dong (VND)	Price in US Dollars (USD)
Tourist T-shirts	120,000 – 360,000 VND	$5 – $16
Pants	240,000 – 480,000 VND	$11 – $20
Non la (Conical Hat)	60,000 – 120,000 VND	$2 – $5
Ao dai	360,000 – 960,000 VND	$16 – $42
Wallet	120,000 – 360,000 VND	$5 – $16
Shoes	360,000 – 960,000 VND	$16 – $42
Handbag	240,000 – 600,000 VND	$11 – $26
Small Souvenir	24,000 – 60,000 VND	$1 – $2
Ceramic/Porcelain	120,000 – 600,000 VND	$5 – $26
Lacquerware	240,000 – 1,200,000 VND	$11 – $52

Foods inside the market

There are also a food section inside the market from where you can try all sort of the local foods. Stalls and eateries inside serve a variety of local dishes such as pho noodle soup, rice and other dishes. Don’t miss the iconic Banh Mi (Sandwich), tropical fruits and or the seafood dishes.

Ben Thanh Night Market

This is street stalls set up right outside the main Benh Thanh Market. Named Benh Thanh Night Market and attracts just as many visitors as the daytime market. Starting at 5 p.m. and running until 10 p.m., the sellers line the east and west sides with stalls selling everything from t-shirts and silk clothing to electronics and souvenirs.

Attractions nearby Ben Thanh market

Okay, so once you’re visiting the Ben Thanh Market , you can walk out and explore few other attractions, walking is possible, so it is quite convenient, here are few of them;

Statue of Tran Nguyen Han

Right outside the market’s main entrance stands a statue of Tran Nguyen Han, a respected general from the Later Le Dynasty (1428–1527). He played a crucial role in helping Emperor Le Loi defeat the Ming army.

Reunification palace

Just a less than a KM walk, some 10 minutes away north of the market, the Independence Palace stands as a key historical monument. It offers insight into the history of war and marks the moment Saigon fell, as Viet Cong tanks crashed through its gates.

War Remnant Museum

Another nearby Ben Thanh market within some 10-minute walk takes you to one of the must-see sites in Saigon, the War Remnants Museum, where visitors can explore a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, and documents from the American War. The museum opens daily at 08:00 a.m.

Notre dame cathedral & central post office

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office, two iconic French colonial landmarks, stand right next to each-other in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, just a 10-minute walk from nearby Ben Thanh Market.

Saigon walking street

Saigon’s walking streets—Bui Vien and Nguyen Hue—offer exotic nightlife and lively entertainment, with Bui Vien catering to backpackers and Nguyen Hue featuring a spacious promenade; both are just a 5 to 10-minute walk from nearby Ben Thanh Market.

Hotels nearby Ben Thanh market

Since the location of the market is very central and it is accessible to a lot of attractions, parks, shopping centers, it may be a good idea to check out with hotels near the Ben Thanh Market.

Several hotels surround the Market, ranging from luxury to budget-friendly stays, with most located within a short 2-10 minute walk; top choices include;

The Reverie Saigon (5-star luxury)
Liberty Central Saigon Centre Hotel (4-star comfort)
Sanouva Saigon Hotel (3-star mid-range)
Avanti Hotel (affordable and convenient)
City Backpackers Hostel (budget-friendly for)

How to Get to Ben Thanh market

Here i explain several different ways to get to the Ben Thanh Market, from the airport or any other area in Saigon. Alternatively, this place is very well-known, just ask a taxi and they would take you here wit fixed price.

Bus from Airport to Ben Thanh Market

Public transportation has become increasingly popular in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, offering an easy and budget-friendly way to travel from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Ben Thanh Market.

Taking Bus 109, the bright yellow airport shuttle, is one of the easiest options. With clear signs in both Vietnamese and English and staff who can assist in English. Just ask them to stop at Ben Thanh Market. A ticket costs VND 20,000 (Less than USD1), and the travel time takes around 45 minutes.

Taking taxi (ride-hailing app)

Another very popular, convenient and an easy to book way. Install Grab or Xanh SM (works exactly like Uber), book and pay per go.

Bottom line

Ben Thanh Market is a must-visit simply because it is a place to see local culture, buy and trade, get souvenirs, eat local foods and much more. From delicious Vietnamese street foods like pho and banh mi to souvenirs and handicrafts, this iconic market is within an easy walk from anywhere in teh center of Saigon.