Markets and independent shops in Ho Chi Minh City

27 markets, bookshops, record shops and makers in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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Ben Thanh Market
Chợ Bến Thành
A den of thieves, but great shopping for tourists — locals rarely head here for their every day needs. Ben Thanh is recognizable from its clock tower on the large roundabout. Due to its popularity with tourists, the market is now divided between tourist goods (jeans, T-shirts, smaller souvenirs in abundance) and regular items (fruit and vegetables, rice, kitchen wares, flowers, meat, fast food and local-style pickled fruits). Most items are not price-marked, and vendors always quote a 50-100% higher price to tourists, so bargaining hard will save you money. Bargaining is common in traditional markets. Feel free to negotiate the price before purchasing items. The chief method of parting visitors from their money is ambiguity: for example, never making it quite clear how much you are being quoted or what the exact price is or what exchange rate is being used to calculate your change. Be ready for these ruses (often by a sweet, smiling young lady), or be prepared to part with more cash than you need to. At the north side (back) of Ben Thanh Market are some shops that are operated by Ben Thanh Group and they sell goods at fixed price and much cheaper than the stalls in the market. No bargaining needed. If the good selection of knock-offs here just won't do, there's plenty to be had in the surrounding side street shops or night market later. If retail warfare isn't your cup of tea, you could skip the touristy Ben Thanh altogether and go to Chợ Bình Tây.
Till 18:00
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Bum Shop
Shop Specializes in selling unisex clothing such as loose-fit T-shirts, hoodies, jogger pants for men and women. Special sizes for foreigners.
Closed · opens 9 amTshirt 100,000 dong, Jogger Pants 180–260,000 dong, Hoodie 200,000 dong
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Bách Hóa XANH
A inexpensive supermarket in the center with evening specials of fruits, meat and fish.
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CGV Giga Mall Thủ Đức
In Thu Duc district, a large shopping mall with numerous options to keep the kids occupied.
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CGV Vincom Center Landmark 81
Located at the bottom of the tallest building in Vietnam, with numerous mid tier luxury brands
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Chợ Bình Tây
The underrated twin of Ben Thanh, selling everything from fruits, meat, spices, Chinese medicines, and silk to obscure varieties of fermented fish, dried seafood, and jerky. If you are searching for a variety of Vietnam silks and velvets, skip the tourist trap Ben Thanh Market and go to Bình Tây instead. Most of Chợ Bình Tây is wholesale goods. Much of Ben Thanh Market's goods are from here.
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Crescent Mall
In District 7, a large shopping centre primarily filled with mid-ranged international brands. Also home to a gaming stadium where you can watch some e-sports.
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Diamond Plaza
A department store behind Notre Dame Cathedral, across the street diagonally.
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SC VivoCity
In District 7, a large shopping centre with a rooftop garden and a playground to keep children occupied.
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Saigon Center
A mall near Ben Thanh Market, just across the street from Saigon Square. Look for the Takashimaya sign. Many high-end luxury brands have branches here.
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Saigon Square
A good place for a visit. It is a twin of Ben Thanh but with air conditioning. Haggling your way through this place is the rule of thumb. Local middle-class Vietnamese shop here on the weekends too. Consider planning your shopping here during the day and go to Ben Thanh for the night market. The daytime Ben Thanh can be planned as a sightseeing trip instead of a shopping spree.
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Thái Bình Market
Chợ Thái Bình
Not that large but got all the things locals need on a daily basis. Head inside the market where you can also find food stalls.
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War Surplus Market
Dan Sinh Market
Sometimes called the American Market or "Cho Cu" or "Khu Dan Sinh". Hidden behind rows of hardware and electric supplies shops, just brace yourself and enter. Dense warrens of stalls include those selling old American military gear of indeterminate authenticity (e.g., "nice collection of so-called authentic GI's Zippo lighter from the war era"), cheap T-shirts and military paraphernalia: just don't hope to find a genuine US wartime Zippo, they're all fakes now. Do not rely on this market for military surplus gear that can stand up to serious use, even boots sold here are often low quality knockoffs that will quickly break. Despite the name, most stalls now specialise in various industrial-type products such as hand tools and personal safety equipment.
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ÆON Mall Binh Tan
In Binh Tan district, a large shopping mall with the food hall where you can get some Japanese food.
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ÆON Mall Tan Phu Celadon
The first branch of Japanese retail chain Aeon in Ho Chi Minh City.
Buy Not mapped
Book Street
Book Street has a number of book shops, both run by individual vendors and some of Vietnam’s publishing houses. You can find books in both English and Vietnamese, as well as a few other languages. Prices vary from bargain used book racks to pricy illustrated volumes hot off the press. There are two cafes on the street that are a nice stop for coffee while exploring a newly-purchased book. The centre of the street often has art exhibits or special displays and there is a stage that is occasionally used to hold live talk shows and other events. Book selection is often curiously limited, with many of the books in English being safe business and self-help titles, or obviously touristic in nature.
Buy Not mapped
Co-op Mart Supermarkets
Co-op Mart can be found everywhere around HCMC. Prices are reasonably lower, though the selection leans more toward Vietnamese foods. 32 stores in Ho Chi Minh City.
Daily 07:00-22:00
Buy Not mapped
Galerie Quynh
A serious contemporary art gallery in District 1. Unlike the galleries that focus on more decorative works, this gallery represents innovative local and international artists including Tiffany Chung, Do Hoang Tuong, Hoang Duong Cam and Sandrine Llouquet.
Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00
Buy Not mapped
Giant Supermarket
Part of dairy farm Hong Kong which has supermarkets all over Asia.
Closed · opens 9 am
Buy Not mapped
Ginkgo T-shirts
Souvenir T-shirts with creative designs inspired by Asian cultures.
Closed · opens 8 am210,000 dong
Buy Not mapped
Night Market
Here you can enjoy many kinds of different foods and drink and do your shopping as well. But it is just a small street with traffic passing and pushy sellers, not the nicest place to hang around.
Daily 18:00-late
Buy Not mapped
Oil-Paintings
There are several shops along this street selling oil paintings. If you want a portrait of a Vietnamese painting or even have your own photograph oil-painted, shop around here. You can get a portrait within a day or two.
450,000-5,000,000 dong
Buy Not mapped
Tri Books
Stocks a wide range of English language textbooks and reference books.
Buy Not mapped
Fahasa
Several locations around the city.
Buy Not mapped
Kool Audiophiles
Headphone and earphone shop selling genuine products.
Closed · opens 9 am
Buy Not mapped
Lotte Mart
Nguyen Thi Thap Tan Hung Quan 7
Buy Not mapped
ÆON Citymart
It has 22 supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City.
Closed · opens 5:30 am

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Ho Chi Minh City (CC BY-SA 4.0).