Visiting Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam

We checked out from our first hotel located in District 3 after breakfast. Wherever we visit a town / city, we usually check out one of the local markets; there are a number of them here. We visited the Ben Thanh Market, the biggest market and an iconic landmark in Ho Chi Ming City. Right in the heart of the city, Ben Thanh Market is easily recognizable by its large clock tower entrance, which has become a symbol of the city.

While some markets are for wholesales only, Ben Thanh Market is a retail market where everyone can go, both locals and tourists. Selling everything anyone could be looking for such as Vietnamese coffee, dried fruits and spices to lacquerware, traditional dresses, conical hats and brand name knock-offs etc, the Market was like a feast to my eyes. I felt like a kid in a candy store!

I could have spent a whole day there tasting all the different dishes, snacks, coffee, ice drinks and desserts. It was only due to sheer determination and great discipline and restraint, I only had one drink at the food section part and bought 4 handcrafted bags as gifts for my friends.

This was what I enjoyed doing the most - strolling n browsing at the many different stalls at my own pace.

That was exactly what I did at Ben Thanh Market. I got to sample some of the local food there. While my husband and J. were having their coffee and doing some reading in a restaurant nearby, I went to one of the food booths and tried one of their local fruit drink and their famous Banh Mi sandwich, sooooo good!

This market was like a huge mall where you could buy anything you were looking for. If you needed a suit or any clothes made, they could tailor make for you in 24 hours with a reasonable price. If I ever need a fancy dress for a wedding or something, I will definitely come here.

In fact my friend in Canada told me that when her son was planning his wedding, his fiance flew to Vietnam and had all the bridesmaid dresses as well as the groomsmen's suits made there. This is something we would keep in mind!

Having visited the Market satisfied my shopping desire; I went to join the rest of my family at the Pho restaurant where J. was doing some work and my hubby was taking a rest. We all got to do what we wanted. Everyone was happy! RT, Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam 02022026