Shopping · Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam
Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Balon Greyjoy, CC0
Quick answer
Shopping ranges from luxury malls on Đồng Khởi to bargaining at Bến Thành and wholesale markets in Chợ Lớn. Tailored clothing, lacquerware, coffee and dried fruit are popular buys. Best souvenirs: Vietnamese coffee, Lacquerware and Tailored áo dài.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 3
- Top souvenir
- Vietnamese coffee
Where to shop
Đồng Khởi and Lê Thánh Tôn
Luxury malls including Vincom Center and Saigon Centre, boutiques and lacquerware shops in District 1.
Saigon Square
A covered bargain mall near Bến Thành packed with stalls selling clothes, bags and electronics accessories.
Thảo Điền
Design stores, homeware and independent fashion boutiques in villas.
Tân Định Market area
Fabric shops and tailors around Tân Định Market in District 1 and District 3.
Markets
Bến Thành Market
The central covered market for souvenirs, coffee, fabric and food stalls; bargain firmly but politely.
Bình Tây Market
Chợ Lớn's wholesale market, good for dried goods, spices and seeing local trade.
Tân Định Market
A local market known for fabrics and tailoring, with fewer tourists than Bến Thành.
What to buy
Vietnamese coffee
Robusta and arabica beans from the Central Highlands with a phin drip filter.
Lacquerware
Bowls, trays and boxes with traditional and contemporary lacquer finishes.
Tailored áo dài
Vietnam's long tunic dress, made to measure in a few days at Tân Định and District 1 tailors.
Coconut candy and dried fruit
Chewy coconut candy from Bến Tre and dried mango, jackfruit and banana chips from the markets.
Cashews and pepper
Vietnam is a major producer of both; buy packed bags from markets or supermarkets.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Bến Thành Market
The covered market with its clock tower, opened in 1914, sells fabrics, coffee, lacquerware, dried fruit and souvenirs, with a food section of noodle and rice stalls.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Shopping
- Food
- Free
- Rainy day
Street · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Nguyễn Huệ walking street
A broad pedestrian boulevard running from the yellow colonial City Hall, with a Ho Chi Minh statue in front, down to the Saigon River.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Chợ Lớn (District 5)
Chợ Lớn temples and Bình Tây Market
The Chinese quarter's highlights include the 18th-century Thiên Hậu Temple, dedicated to the goddess of the sea and hung with giant incense coils, several ornate clan assembly halls, and Bình Tây Market, a wholesale market built around a central courtyard.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
- Photo spot
Street · District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Book Street
Nguyễn Văn Bình, a short tree-lined pedestrian street beside the Central Post Office, is lined with bookshops and cafés with outdoor seating, a calm stop between the cathedral and the river.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Off the beaten path
Street · District 4
Vĩnh Khánh food street
After dark, this District 4 street fills with plastic tables and grills serving snails, clams, scallops and prawns cooked with garlic, tamarind or salted egg, alongside cold beer.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- After dark
- Free
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Fresh spring rolls, Iced coffee with condensed milk and Chè. Street stalls, markets and family restaurants; vegetarian versions with tofu are common at vegetarian (chay) restaurants. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| District 1 (Đồng Khởi) | $$$ | Colonial landmarks, international hotels, malls and rooftop bars by the river |
| Phạm Ngũ Lão and Bùi Viện | $ | Backpacker quarter of hostels, travel agents and a loud bar street |
| District 3 | $$ | Leafy residential streets, cafés in old villas and the pink Tân Định Church |
| Thảo Điền | $$$ | Riverside expat enclave of villas, cafés, international schools and craft beer |
| Chợ Lớn (District 5) | $ | The old Chinese quarter of clan halls, temples, herbal shops and wholesale markets |
| District 4 | $$ | Compact riverside district known for seafood and snail streets |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in VND. Tipping is not traditionally expected but is appreciated. Upscale restaurants may add a service charge; tip tour guides and drivers, spa staff and hotel porters, and round up for good service elsewhere.
- Give and receive money, business cards and gifts with both hands.
- Bargain in markets with good humour, but not in malls and shops with marked prices.
- Bargain at Bến Thành Market and compare prices between stalls before buying.
- Book day trips through reputable operators; very low-priced Mekong tours can mean crowded boats and long shopping stops.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in May–June and August–October; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- September: Mid-Autumn Festival — lanterns on Lương Nhữ Học street in Chợ Lớn (September or early October)
- December: Christmas Eve crowds around the cathedral and along Đồng Khởi (24 December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury, shopping and families
District 1 (Đồng Khởi)
Colonial landmarks, international hotels, malls and rooftop bars by the river
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Ho Chi Minh City?
Vietnamese coffee, Lacquerware, Tailored áo dài and Coconut candy and dried fruit.
+Where is the best shopping in Ho Chi Minh City?
Đồng Khởi and Lê Thánh Tôn: Luxury malls including Vincom Center and Saigon Centre, boutiques and lacquerware shops in District 1.
+What are the best markets in Ho Chi Minh City?
Bến Thành Market, Bình Tây Market and Tân Định Market.