Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best places to shop in Ho Chi Minh City

5 markets, malls and shopping districts in Ho Chi Minh City — what to buy, when to go, and the tourist traps to avoid at each one.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Ben Thanh Market

The 1914 covered market at the centre of District 1 — lacquerware, coffee, textiles, souvenirs and a large cooked-food section.

Where: Market
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 06:00–18:00; the surrounding night market runs 19:00–23:00
Cost: Budget

Watch outThe most aggressively marked-up market in the country: opening prices routinely run four to six times what sellers accept. Check the same goods at An Dong or Tan Dinh first, then come back knowing the number.

2. Saigon Square

A dense indoor market of small units near Ben Thanh — sportswear, bags and apparel, much of it factory overrun from Vietnam's own garment industry.

Where: Market
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 09:00–21:00
Cost: Budget
Tip: Genuine factory seconds and overruns sit alongside outright fakes at similar prices. Check the label and the stitching rather than the logo.

3. Dong Khoi Street

The colonial spine from the opera house to the cathedral — international luxury, lacquer galleries, silk houses and the Vincom Center underneath.

Where: Luxury
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 09:00–22:00
Cost: Mid–Luxury

4. An Dong Market, District 5

The wholesale fabric and clothing market in Cholon — four floors, where the District 1 sellers buy, at a fraction of Ben Thanh's prices.

Where: Market
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 07:00–18:00
Cost: Budget
Tip: The basement is the fabric floor and the place to have ao dai made. Two days is normal for a fitting.

5. Binh Tay Market, Cholon

The great Chinatown market — a French-era hall around a courtyard, trading dried goods, spices, herbs and household wholesale.

Where: Bazaar
Map: Open in Maps
Best time: Daily 06:00–19:00
Cost: Budget