Ben Thanh Market is nearly what you absolutely have to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. See locals buying their yield for the week, cube merchandisers madly dealing you anything and everything, and excursionists shopping up a storm.
It’s the perfect place for someone who loves to shop and get a bargain (me especially). Merchandising is the norm then which can feel a little strange and daunting if you’ve no way done so ahead. We’ve got some bigwig tips on how to trade and how to not get ripped off.
We’ll also have you covered on EVERYTHING there’s to know about the request – from the history to a Ben Thanh price companion and most importantly what to buy at Ben Thanh Market.
Still, consider checking out this request stint and cuisine class, If you’re short on time. You’ll get an authentic view of the request (before the sightseer crowds rush in), plus you’ll learn how to cook some of your favorite Vietnamese dishes.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about Ben Thanh’s request!
History of Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market has been around over 100 times through important times of Vietnam’s history, including the Vietnam war. Believe it or not, there are thousands of booths packed into the structure with knockouts of thousands of callers daily.
Before the appearance of the French, Ho Chi Minh City ( known as Saigon at the time) was a fishing city bulging with dealers along the Saigon River. The original floating requests enthralled the Saigon River. The girding conduits offered the convenience for lower boats to pick up and drop off particulars for trade.
Unfortunately, the request burned down in 1870 which lead to the construction of the structure used moment. The name Ben Thanh actually derives from the words harbor (Ben) and Citadel (Thanh).
Since the structure was constructed around the time of the French Social Period, the structure holds strong French influence. The southern gate of Le Lai Street features the timepiece palace.
Currently, the request has come the most popular request in the total of the country. Its actuality contributes largely to Vietnam’s frugality.
Ben Thanh Market Opening Hours and Position
Ben Thanh Market is located at the crossroad of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung Dao, and Le Lai Thoroughfares, right in the middle of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh city. However, follow the mass of excursionists working towards the request, If you’re close (around 500m down) and aren’t 100 sure where to go.
There are both day and night requests to attend. The day request runs from 6 am – 6 pm and the night request runs from 6 pm – 10 pm. It runs for 16 hours a day which makes it accessible to attend. Hope you knew about ben Thanh market opening hours.
During the early evening, shop merchandisers tend to close as the caffs and cafes around the requests come to life.
Getting to Ben Thanh Market
The chances are if you’re staying in Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll be staying on or near Backpacker Street, Pham Ngu Lau. Getting to Ben Thanh Market is simple from there, it’s just an 8- nanosecond walk.
Still, Snare is your stylish bet, If you’re staying nearly too far to walk. The snare is the Uber of Southeast Asia, and in Vietnam, it’s super cheap! A 10- nanosecond drive will only bring you about 35k VND, or$1.5 USD. People frequently conclude for Grab motorbikes, but we tête-à-tête like to escape the heat and enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned auto.
Still, Snare is still a great option at around 160k VND, If you’re coming from the transnational field. Else, Bus 152 will take you straight to the request for only 15k VND.
Ben Thanh Market Map & Layout
Ben Thanh Market is a major sightseer magnet so it can get veritably busy. However, it’s still a must-do in Ho Chi Minh City, If you’re not so into shopping or crowds. Rather, go beforehand in the morning to beat the crowds. Generally, the before you go, the lower busy it is.
The request is huge (the shops gauge m ²) so you’ll be surprised how long it takes you to weave through the aisles. Give yourself at least an hour – further if you’re looking for monuments or are wanting to protect yourself.
There are four gates to the request, located at each girding street. However, check it out, If you don’t come through the Southern gate on Le Lai Street. It’s the side of the structure with the notorious timepiece palace.
Just window shop and compass out the prices as you’re guaranteed to find one, two, or ten other stores within the request dealing with the same item.
The external ring of the request tends to have fixed-priced particulars. This is a great place to browse prices or to buy particulars if you’re not so comfortable with merchandising.
Fake luxury and sporting brands especially are everyplace in Vietnam, not just in Ben Thanh or Ho Chi Minh City. Don’t be too eager to make a purchase unless you know what you should pay for the item or are comfortable dealing with.
Tips for First-Time Callers
Bartering
Funnily enough, I have given the surname‘ trade faerie from my musketeers when I was in Vietnam. I’m not sure if it was my competitiveness or love for shopping and bargains ( presumably a combination), but I feel to have the knack for landing a great deal.
The general rule of thumb is to pay around 40 of the original offer, so start logrolling lower than that and take it from there.
10k VND equals around$0.43 USD, so there’s no point wasting your vacation merchandising over small quantities. After all, 10k VND may mean a lot to the locals, but not to you.
Learning a little about Vietnam helps to communicate with the locals and make a connection. Before visiting, I learned to say Đắt quá ( pronounced dah kwah), meaning too precious. I’d generally say this after their first offer which is generally followed with a smile or laugh from the seller and a great counter offer.
Hope we provide relevant information ben Thanh night market hours. If you like this post, do let us know in the comments below.
