Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh

Overview of Ben Thanh Market 

Ho Chi Minh city has a variety of entertaining things to do. Ben Thanh Market is one of the must visit attractions. Its ancient architecture, extensive range of local and cultural products give a unique experience to its visitors. It has a very spacious food stall area that sells delicious local and international cuisines. It also has many restaurants, souvenir shops and local product stalls. You can find collectibles, beautiful clothes, accessories, lacquerware, and other Vietnamese things.

Try delicious crab noodles soup, fried scrambled egg rice cake, bloating fern shape cake, sweet soup and other Vietnamese delicacies. You can buy some dry, packed snacks to keep in your backpack for hiking and beach trips. Vietnamese market has a culture of bargaining so learn some skills and test them in Ben Thanh market.

Many visitors have friendly interactions with locals while roaming around in the market. They become a bargaining expert after getting some good deals.

Things to do at Ben Thanh Market 

There are many interesting things to do in Ben Thanh Market. You can enjoy shopping, foods and click a lot of photos in the market. Some traditional Vietnamese food stalls are more than 40 years old so you can try original taste.

Beautiful Architecture

It is one of the oldest architectural treasures in the country. Beautiful building is the fusion of Vietnamese and French architecture. It has 12 gates and 4 entrances whereas mostly picturesque side of the building is the southern entrance at Quach Thi Trang square. There is a three faced clock tower. East entrance is Phan Boi Chau street, West entrance is Phan Chu Trinh street and North entrance is LE Thanh Ton street.

Experience local life

Many locals also visit the market to buy their daily food ingredients and grocery. You can interact with locals and other tourists in the market. There are more than a thousand stores in the market were you can see typical Vietnamese life.  You can see fresh seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, many local ingredients and spices.

Buy souvenirs

Ben Thanh market is one of the best places to get local souvenirs. You can buy gifts for your friends and family in very affordable price.  There is a variety of products from clothing to accessories, watches, dried fruits and souvenirs. You can buy very good quality souvenirs in very affordable prices from the market.

Accommodation near Ben Thanh Market

From budget to luxury, every type of accommodation is available near the market. You can easily find a place to stay near Ben Thanh Market. It is located in the city center so there is a huge variety of places to stay near the market. You can also visit many places while staying in the area.

Vy Da Backpackers Hostel

Vy Da backpackers hostel is the best place for travelers with limited budget or solo travelers. Many tourist attractions are located near the hostel. It offers free Wi-fi, air conditioning and a restaurant. It is located on the Pham Ngu Lao street that is famous for different bars and small restaurants.

Eden Garden Hotel

Many interesting tourist attractions are located near the Eden garden Hotel. This is a very high quality place with many facilities like free parking, airport transfer, bicycle booking, shuttle service, free internet, restaurant and an onsite spa.

Things to eat

Banh Hue / Mixed Hue Cakes

Mixed Hue cakes are available at a stall in the Ben Thanh Market. It has been serving this delicious delicacy from the last 40 years. Food variety on the stall also contains Banh bot loc (Tapioca shrimp dumplings, Banh beo (Bloating fern shaped cake) and Banh it tran (Mung bean shrimp and pork rice dumplings with different toppings.

Bun rieu

This is a delicious crab noodle soup made with ground crabs from lakes and rice fields. Best place to enjoy this delicious soup is a 40 years old restaurant named Bun Rieu Ganh. You can also try Vietnamese sweet soup with some delicious toppings.

Bot Chien

It is a fried scrambled egg rice cake that is served with chili paste, soybean sauce, pickled papaya and chopped green onions. You can try this delicious crispy dish from various places in the city.

Airport info

Largest airport in Vietnam is located in the North of the center in Saigon or Ho Chi Minh city. It is known as Tan Son Nhat International Airport that welcomes different international and domestic flights. Many international airlines operate from this airport.

Transportation

The market is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh city that is accessible by different means of transportation. The exact location of the market can be checked from the side you are coming or staying. However, you can easily walk to the Ben Thanh market from many places in the city center.

Ben Thanh Market is one of the highly recommended places to visit. If you are staying in the city center, then you can easily enjoy breakfast or other meals in the market.

View more: Ho Chi Minh City Tour