Ben Thanh Market is one of the top tourist destinations in Ho Chi Minh City. The market has a rich history, beautiful architecture, and a great place to do shopping, and observe the local life.
Every sightseeing tour around Ho Chi Minh City will take you to the market. It’s a good stop to buy traditional Vietnamese souvenirs and many other things with bargaining prices.
Even if you’re not into shopping, it’s still a good stop to learn about the history, taking photos, and experience the authentic local daily life. The market is not only a place of commerce but also a cultural heritage site, reflecting the vibrant and diverse life of the city.
In a travel guide about Ben Thanh market, I will give you everything you need to know about the market, including its location, things to do, the history, how to get to the market, and where to stay near Ben Thanh market.
Is Ben Thanh market worth visiting?
Yes, I recommend visiting Ben Thanh market at least once for the experience. It’s a popular attraction in Ho Chi Minh City, so it’s often included in the sightseeing tours and food tours around the city. It’s a good stop for first-timers to the city.
The market is a great spot to find souvenirs and traditional Vietnamese products. You can buy T shirts, shorts, suitcases, hats, bags, with reasonable prices. It’s a fun place to do bargaining and interact with local people.
I agree with some comments that say it’s a touristy place and the prices are usually more expensive than other markets in Vietnam. But, you can find good deals if you know how to do the bargaining.
Additionally, you don’t need shopping to go to the market, you can go there for its local atmosphere, rich history, and unique architecture style.
The market dates to the French colonial period, and the majority of its structure and design remain true to the original. You can take some good photos at the clock tower, which is an unofficial iconic symbol of the city.
Ben Thanh market is free to visit and it’s centrally located in the heart of the city, so I highly recommend visiting the market and experiencing it yourself.
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History of Ben Thanh Market
The Old Ben Thanh Market was located on Kinh Lon canal, a canal connecting the Saigon River to Turtle Citadel (Thanh Quy). Kinh Lon Canal is now Nguyen Hue Walking Street.
The location of the old market is between Ben Nghe Canal and Turtle Citadel, so it was called Ben Thanh Market. “Thanh” means “citadel” in Vietnamese. “Ben” means “river wharf”. In its early days, the market was built with brick walls, a wooden frame, and a thatched roof.
During the French colonial period, in 1870, the market caught fire, causing one of the thatched-roof market halls to be burned down. They rebuilt the market using an iron frame and a tiled roof.
In 1887, the French filled Kinh Lon Canal, built the Boulevard Charner and the tramway on it. The Old Ben Thanh Market was located at the location of the current Bitexco Financial Tower and National Treasury.
The old market no longer met the demands of rapidly growing trade and aligned with the French vision for planning central Saigon. The French authorities wanted to build a new, more solid and grand market.
They chose the swampy marshland called marais Boresse by French (“ao Bồ Rệt” by Vietnamese) to build the New Market.
The French colonial government started to build the New Market in 1913, and it was inaugurated in early 1914. They also demolished most of the old market.
The new Ben Thanh market covered more than 13,000 square meters with a laterite foundation. The prominent clock tower has become an iconic symbol of Saigon.
It has four gates. The southern gate is located on Place Cuniac street (now Le Loi street). The northern gate is located on Espagne street (now Le Thanh Ton street).
The eastern gate is located on Viénot street (now Phan Boi Chau street). The western gate is located on Schroeder street (now Phan Chau Trinh Street).
In 1952, 12 ceramic bas-reliefs were installed at four gates of the market. The large reliefs measured 2.2 × 1.5 meters, and the smaller ones 2.0 × 1.4 meters. Each gate featured three reliefs: one large at the top and two smaller ones below.
The western gate has reliefs with the images of stingray with bananas. The northern gate has images of ducks and bananas. The eastern gate has a cow with pig relief, the southern gate has reliefs with a cow head with carp.
The market was under renovation in 1985, with the “CHỢ BẾN THÀNH” was added under the clock tower. The electrical system was upgraded in 1992, and all the stalls were changed from wooden ones to iron stalls.
What to do at Ben Thanh Market?
1. Taking photos with the Clock Tower
The clock tower side is a popular place to take photos when visiting Ben Thanh Market. It is an iconic structure of Ben Thanh market and Ho Chi Minh City. Although it has undergone renovations, the exterior and the clock tower have been preserved intact.
The clock tower is located on the main gate in front of Quách Thị Trang Square, Ben Thanh metro station, and Le Loi street.
The tower has four clocks facing the four directions. It has original French colonial architectural style, with three words “Chợ Bến Thành” inscribed below.
2. Shopping for clothes and souvenirs
With 13.000 sq.m, around 130m long and 108m wide, Ben Thanh Market is home to more than 3,000 stalls, attracting thousands of visitors every day. There are stalls inside the markets as well as along the two main streets, Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh.
The market has 4 main gates next to the four main roads and 12 side gates. Each entrance specializes in selling different types of goods, making it easy for you to explore and shop.
The South Gate (main gate where the clock tower is located) has a wide variety of goods, mainly fabrics and dried foods. It is also the entrance to the central food court area. The Eat Gate is where you can find cosmetic, body, skin, and hair care products.
The West Gate has stalls selling footwear, handicrafts, and souvenirs. The North Gate is where you can find stalls selling fresh flowers and tropical fruits.
At the market, you can find counterfeit clothes, bags, shoes at reasonable prices. Make sure to make a bargain before purchasing it.
The market has various styles and qualities of clothing and fashion accessories, from branded clothes to handmade items. There are also many types of fabrics and materials to design unique clothing items.
You can find souvenirs and traditional Vietnamese gifts. Popular handcrafted items are conical hats, bamboo paintings, woven baskets, ceramics, and brassware.
Additionally, the market has dried specialty products such as dried fish, dried shrimp, dried fruits. The vendor often offers free samples before buying.
3. Street Food and Snacks
Ben Thanh Market is a street food haven. It has a food court where you can find many stalls selling traditional Vietnamese food and drinks.
The main dishes at the market include fresh Summer rolls (Goi Cuon), Broken rice (Com Tam), Bun Bo Hue, Fermented noodle soup (Bun Mam), Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup),…
You can try local snacks such as Chè, Thai ice cream, sương sa hạt lựu, mixed rice paper (bánh tráng trộn), snails and clams, bánh bột lọc, cốm (green sticky rice), and more…
4. Ben Thanh Market at night
The stalls inside the market closed the door around 7pm, but there are many stalls and shops opening around the market, creating a lively nightlife atmosphere. You can find many stalls outside the market around Phan Chu Trinh and Phan Boi Chau street.
The area at night is very crowded and noisy, but the lights, the chaotic, and the energetic atmosphere makes it a good place to check out at least once.
Tip visiting Ben Thanh Market
The first tip is bargaining. You can bargain at all markets around Vietnam. It’s part of the culture in many South East Asian countries. I recommend starting with the half price from the original price the vendor offers and work from there.
The main visitors to the market are the foreigners and tourists, so the price is often a bit higher than the local market, so you should haggle to avoid being overcharged. It’s also a fun way to interact with local vendors.
The main market is open from 7.30 am to around 6-7pm. After 7pm, there is a night market outside of Ben Thanh Market.
It’s a huge market, so you’ll need at least 1-2 hours to do sightseeing, shopping, taking photos, and eating street foods.
Even though the authorities work hard to control the pickpocketing and snatching around the market, I recommend taking good care of your belongings and being mindful of your surroundings.
The road at the main gate is very busy with lots of traffic, so be careful when crossing the road, and taking photos at the clock tower. Speaking of taking photos and videos of the vendors, it’s always a good practice to ask for permission first.
Location of Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market is located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, in district 1. It’s located on Le Loi street, Le Thanh Tong street, Phan Chu Trinh, and Phan Boi Chau Street.
It is just a 5 minute walk to other popular shopping destinations such as Saigon Square and Saigon Central Shopping Mall. The Ben Thanh metro station is right in front of the main gate of Ben Thanh street, on Quach Thi Trang square.
Ben Thanh Market is located within 10-15 minutes walking from major attractions in the city such as Bui Vien Walking Street, Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Independence Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, War Remnants Museum, and Ben Nghe Street food.
How to get to Ben Thanh Market?
Depending on your location and distance to Ben Thanh Market, you can walk, take a Grab Bike/ Taxi, cyclos, or local taxi to the market. There are also local buses and metro lines connecting Ben Thanh market with other parts of the city.
Most visitors stay in District 1 and District 3 of Ho Chi Minh City, so it’s just a few minutes drive to the market. I recommend using Grab riding share services to get around. Grab is similar to Uber and you can also order food from the app.
Using Grab is convenient as you don’t have to bargain the price with a taxi driver. There are also plenty of official local taxi companies to use such as Mai Linh, Vinasun, or Xanh SM. These taxi prices are based on km.
Taking the traditional cyclos ride is also a popular way to explore Saigon and to get to Ben Thanh Market. If you’re somewhere within a short ride away, you can consider using this traditional way of transport to get around.
Ben Thanh station is located right in front of the market, so you can easily take this Metro Line 1 to get to the market. This train line passes popular places such as Nguyen Hue street, Landmark 81, Thao Dien district 2, all the way to Suoi Tien Terminal.
Where to stay near Ben Thanh Market?
The area around Ben Thanh Market is one of the best areas to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s located in the prime location of district 1, offering easy access to all major attractions, restaurants, and bars in the city.
There are also dozens of mid-range and budget-friendly hotels around the markets, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. If you want a central location, and a wide range of accommodations, the Ben Thanh market area is a great base.
The Ben Thanh Metro station is located in this area, making it easy to get around the city by public transport. This area is also within a short walking distance and Grab Bike to most popular points of interest of the city.
Best hotels near Ben Thanh Market:
La Siesta Premium Saigon (luxury)
This 5-star hotel is located on Ly Tu Trong street, only a block away from the North Gate of Ben Thanh market. The hotel also has a prime location, close to the peaceful Tao Dan Park, Independence Palace, and War Remnants Museum.
The hotel has all quality facilities such as a rooftop pool, gym, onsite bar/ restaurant, and airport pickup and drop off services. The hotel has spacious rooms and comfortable beds.
GRAND HOTEL du LAC Boutique Saigon (luxury)
This is a 5-star hotel in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, located on Phan Boi Chau street, right next to the western gate of Ben Thanh market. It’s also within a short walk from other shopping destinations such as Saigon Central and Saigon Square.
Like many other hotels around the city, this hotel has a lovely rooftop area with a swimming pool and stunning views of the city.
If you’re on a budget, you can choose a room with no window. For a more comfortable stay, you can choose rooms on high floors and with windows or balconies for the views down to Ben Thanh market.
Silverland Bến Thành (mid-range)
This 4-star mid-range hotel is located on Le Lai street in district 1 of HCMC. It’s a short walk to Ben Thanh market and Ben Thanh metro line 1. There are many restaurants around the hotel.
The hotel has all facilities for a comfortable stay such as the pool with views of the city, as well as restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and spa. You can choose a higher floor for the view to the main road and the city.
Adora Art Hotel (mid-range)
Adora is a popular mid-range hotel in the central location of Saigon. It’s just a short walk to all major sights of the city like the Ben Than market, Unification Palace, and the War remnants museum. The nightlife areas such as Bui Vien and Nguyen Hue are just a few minutes Grab ride away.
The hotel has beautiful artsy style design. They also have good breakfast and a lovely pool with city views. It’s overall a good base for mid-range options.
Sanouva Saigon Hotel (budget)
This is a 3-star hotel near Ben Thanh market and is a good choice for budget travelers who want a good location and private room. The hotel has clean and spacious rooms. The breakfast also has a wide range of options including Vietnamese food and lots of fruits.
Other markets in Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh Market is one the most famous markets in the heart of the city. If you want a more local, authentic atmosphere, you can visit Binh Tay Market (Cholon), An Dong Market, and Ho Thi Ky Flower Market.
1. Binh Tay Market
Binh Tay market is a large wholesale market near Chinatown district 5. It’s around 20 minute Grab ride from Ben Thanh Market. I recommend checking out this market after exploring Chinatown. Nothing special, but it’s worth looking around to see local life.
Similar to Ben Thanh Market, Binh Tay market is a huge indoor market with thousands of stalls. The difference is that it’s a wholesale market and a popular shopping destination for locals rather than tourists. There is an outdoor west market outside of the indoor area.
You can find everything at the market, from clothes, accessories, Chinese medicines, textiles, handcrafts, lacquerware, homewares, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
The market was built in the 1920 by a wealthy Chinese man called Quach Dam. It was originally built for the Chinese community in Cho Lon, but later became a major wholesale hub in South Vietnam. There is a small statue Dam in the market to honor him.
2. An Dong Market
An Dong Market is one of the largest markets in Saigon, located very close to Chinatown district 5. It’s a 10 minute Grab Ride from Ben Thanh market and district 1.
The market has 5 floors, and a basement where you can find almost everything you need. It is especially famous for fabrics, fashion, and handicrafts. There is also a food court inside this indoor market.
The market was built in the 1950s as the trading place for Chinese communities in Cho Lon, similar to Binh Tay market. If you visit Chinatown, make sure to stop by this market to have a look.
3. Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
This market is located around 10 minutes drive from Ben Thanh market. It’s also very close to An Dong market. As its name suggests, it’s the largest wholesale flower market where you can see colorful blossoms and a lively vibe.
Next to the flower market is the vibrant night market, where you can eat many local street food and seafood. You can visit the market both day and night for a different experience.
Top attractions near Ben Thanh Market?
Due to its prime location in the heart of the city, there are plenty of things to see near Ben Thanh market. Here are my recommendations for the best things to do near Ben Thanh market:
1. Saigon Central and Saigon Square
For more shopping experience, you can just walk 5 minutes along Le Loi street to get to Saigon Central and Saigon Square. While Saigon Square is a good destination for budget goods and bargain-friendly shopping, Saigon Central for brand products.
Saigon Square has an air conditioning system, so it offers a more comfortable shopping experience than Ben Thanh market.
You can find everything at Saigon Square including clothing, souvenirs, and counterfeit products. It has less varieties but is generally cheaper than the Ben Thanh market.
Saigon Centre Shopping Center is a place to go for high-end and mid-range shopping experience. It has a beautiful design, dozens of shops, a department store, and a food court.
You can have free views of Saigon from the garden on the top floor. It’s a good stop to escape the outdoor heat of Saigon, so it’s worth stopping by even if you don’t plan to buy anything.
2. Ben Nghe street food
Ben Nghe street food is one of the good places in Saigon for street food. I used to have dinner at this place when I stayed at the nearby Orchids Saigon Hotel on Pasteur Street. Ben Nghe street food is located just around 6 minutes walk from Ben Thanh Market.
Even though it can be touristy and crowded, it’s still worth checking out. You can find dozens of restaurants in one place. There are Vietnamese or international restaurants such as Korean, Chinese, and Japanese.
There are seats both indoor and outdoors. It has no air conditioning, just fans, so it’s best to visit in the evening when the weather cools down.
3. Independent Palace
Independent Palace is a historic attraction in Saigon, located just 7 minutes walk from Ben Thanh market. It was originally built in the French colonial period, later used as the President Palace for the South Vietnam government during the Vietnam-American War.
The highlight of Independent Palace is the event that happened on 30th April, when a North Vietnamese tank crashed through its gates, ending the war. It’s now a symbol of Vietnam’s reunification.
At the palace, you can see the War Rooms, underground Bunker, helicopter pad, and various other rooms such as reception rooms, dining areas, presidential office and living quarters.
4. War Remnants Museum
The War Remnants Museum is located 15 minutes walk from Ben Thanh Market. It’s a must-see place for history buffs and for those who want to learn more about the war.
The area has a 3-floor building and an outside area. The outside area displays helicopters and military equipment used in the war. Inside the building, you can see photos, videos, personal stories, and the devastating effects of Agent Orange on the Vietnamese people.
5. Bui Vien Walking street
Bui Vien Walking street is the backpack and vibrant nightlife area located just 11 minutes walk from Ben Thanh market. This is a great place to see hot dances, try local cheap Bia Hoi, and watch the street performances.
The area can be chaotic, but it’s still a good spot to experience the nightlife and youthful energy of Ho Chi Minh City. Just be careful with your belongings in the crowded area, as you do in any party area in the world.
6. Nguyen Hue Walking street
If you want a trendy vibe, opposite the vibe in Bui Vien Walking street, head to Nguyen hue Walking street. It’s a 10 minutes walk from Ben Thanh market.
Nguyen Hue walking street is the upscale part of the city, home to many trendy bars, cafes, and restaurants. There are also many French colonial style hotels and buildings located in this area.
You can explore Ho Chí Minh City People’s Committee, Opera House on Dong Khoi Street, the Cafe Apartment Building, and Saigon Skydeck. There are also luxury shopping experience at Vincom and the Union Square Shopping Center.
Ben Thanh Market is one of the oldest markets in Ho Chi Minh City. I highly recommend putting the market in your list of top places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. You can find some bargaining goods and souvenirs at the markets and experience local daily life here.