Ben Thanh Market is the most photographed building in Ho Chi Minh City and one of the most recognisable symbols of the city internationally. It’s also, if we’re being honest, a tourist market — meaning the prices start high, the vendors are aggressive by Vietnamese standards, and the experience is more transactional than atmospheric. That said, it’s worth visiting once, for a specific set of reasons, and this guide tells you exactly how to make the most of it.

What Ben Thanh actually is

The market building itself dates to 1914, built under French colonial administration on the site of an older market. The current structure — with its distinctive clock tower gate — is the building that appears on every postcard. Inside, it’s divided into a dense grid of stalls selling clothing, souvenirs, handicrafts, dried foods, spices, and fresh produce in the wet market section at the back.

The wet market section (vegetables, meat, fish, dried goods) at the rear of the building is the most authentic part of the market experience — where local shoppers actually buy food, and where prices are not negotiated. The souvenir and clothing sections in the front and middle are entirely geared toward tourists.

What to buy (and what not to)

Worth buying: Dried spices (pepper, star anise, cinnamon, dried chilies) from the spice vendors — these are genuinely good quality and make excellent gifts. Vietnamese coffee (whole bean or ground) from the coffee stalls — check the roast date if possible. Lacquerware from reputable stalls — Ben Thanh has some decent lacquerware vendors, though quality varies significantly.

Not worth buying: Clothing with brand names — all counterfeit and poor quality. “Handmade” items that appear in identical form across 40 different stalls — they’re mass-produced. Silk items unless you can verify quality.

How to bargain at Ben Thanh

Bargaining is expected and required. The first price quoted to a foreigner at Ben Thanh is typically 2–4 times the actual selling price. Start by offering 40% of the quoted price and work toward a middle point. Don’t feel obligated to buy after negotiating — walking away is a normal part of the process. The vendor will often call you back with a lower price. If they don’t, you can return 20 minutes later with a slightly higher offer.

The best approach: research prices at a second stall before committing to any purchase. If two vendors independently converge on a similar price, you’re close to fair value.

The night market

After 6pm, the streets surrounding Ben Thanh — particularly Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh — transform into a night market with street food stalls, clothing, and accessories. The food here is tourist-priced but convenient, and the atmosphere is more relaxed than the daytime market interior.