Ben Thanh Market, located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, is one of the most iconic and bustling markets in Vietnam. Established before the French colonial period, the market has a rich history dating back to the 17th century.

The market is known for its distinctive yellow façade and clock tower, making it a recognizable landmark in the city. It opens early in the morning and operates until late at night. The market is a vibrant hub for both locals and tourists, offering a wide array of goods, including clothing, textiles, handicrafts, fresh produce, and local street food. Ben Thanh Market is not only a place for shopping but also a cultural symbol, reflecting the lively spirit of Saigon.

Ben Thanh Market - History and Architecture

Here before the French came to the region, the market was initially located along the Ben Nghe River, near a pier close to the Quy Thanh (Gia Dinh) citadel, hence the market was named Ben Thanh (“ben” means pier, “thanh” means citadel). By 1911, the French colonial government decided to relocate the market to what was then a swampy pond called Bồ Rét (the Vietnamese way of pronouncing Boresse). After a while, the market deteriorated and was at risk of collapsing at any moment. Therefore, the French authorities decided to rebuild and expand it after filling the swampy pond. It took an additional 2 years, and in 1912, the French contractors Brossard et Maupin completed the project, and the market has been in operation to this day.

Ben Thanh Market features ancient architectural elements, brick walls, iron columns, tiled roofs and a clock tower for people to keep track of time. Did you know? This same clock tower houses a small temple where merchants come to pray for the success of their businesses. The market was constructed in the style of a cage house on an area of 13,056 square meters, with 4 main gates and 12 side gates opening in four directions. Inside, there are numerous stalls arranged in an orderly manner:

The main gate of Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City is the Southern Gate (facing Quach Thi Trang Square) with the iconic three-facade clock tower. Inside the cage house is where fabrics and dried foods are sold.

The Northern Gate (on Le Thanh Ton Street) is vibrant with stalls selling fresh flowers and fruits.

The Eastern Gate (on Phan Boi Chau Street) attracts customers with a variety of cosmetics and colorful desserts.

The Western Gate (on Phan Chu Trinh Street) is where shoes, handicrafts, and souvenirs in all shapes and sizes are sold.

It was not until 1952 that ceramic decorative details were added to the four gates of the market. These reliefs depict animals and plants, using the two familiar colors of Bien Hoa ceramics: white and bronze-green. The reliefs were made from many small ceramic pieces assembled, fired in Bien Hoa, and then assembled at Ben Thanh Market. In addition to the relief panels, the arched doors and skylights at the market entrances were also later additions, presenting a linear and modern appearance quite different from the original architecture in 1914.

What to buy at Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Day Market

This market is an indispensable destination for any tourist in Ho Chi Minh City. Visitors come to the market not only to buy goods or souvenirs but also to capture a glimpse into the daily life in Ho Chi Minh City.

So, what to buy at Ben Thanh Market ? This market is considered the largest retail market in Ho Chi Minh City where you can find a wide range of products, from affordable to high-end. The market boasts nearly 1450 stalls and 6000 traders, attracting an average of around 10,000 visitors each day.

Ben Thanh Market is probably one of the only markets in Vietnam where vendors can speak many languages. Stepping into the market, you’ll likely hear them greeting you in English, French, Japanese, Thai, and more. It’s safe to say that few markets in the country attract such a high number of visitors of all races and nationalities as Ben Thanh Market does, day and night.

You can find a diverse range of goods in Ben Thanh Market, from exported goods, processed goods to high-end imported goods. The foods are of quality, including seasonal vegetables, imported fruits, fresh seafood, and special local products such as bao ngu (abalone), vi ca (shark fin), and sea cucumber readily available.

Ben Thanh Night Market

The Ben Thanh Night Market officially started operating in 2002. The night market is organized along two streets beside the market, Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh. From around 7 PM, the stalls put their lights up and offer a variety of items from fashion to souvenirs and handicrafts.

In the entire market area, clothing stalls usually have the upper hand, always catching the attention of tourists when visiting the market. Clothes in different styles and designs, unique shoes, or unusual handbags are available at the Ben Thanh Night Market. Here, you can easily find and purchase high-quality clothing at reasonable prices. There are also eye-catching fabric and silk stalls with multiple colors and patterns.

Ben Thanh Market being a symbol of Saigon, attracts thousands of tourists every single day, so there’s no surprise that handicraft and souvenir stalls are everywhere. They offer a diverse range of items such as embroidered paintings, lacquer paintings, sand paintings, ceramics, charming conical hats, fabric lanterns, wooden figurines, bronze figurines of Buddha, and more.

If you are a fan of unique jewelry, then the jewelry stalls at the Ben Thanh Night Market are a must-visit. At the market, a myriad of jewelry items, rare and diverse in style, color, and mostly handmade, are available for you to choose from. The jewelry at the market is sold at reasonable prices, depending on the materials and craftsmanship.

Ben Thanh Market food court

When it comes to Ben Thanh Market, you cannot ignore the food court, offering a rich variety of traditional dishes from all regions of the country. The first thing you notice in the food court is probably all the Chè stalls located right next to each other, with over 20 different types of chè, such as lotus seed chè, rainbow chè (pomegranate seeds chè), Thai-style chè, durian chè, and weirder ones like chè mủ gòn (made from cotton tree resin) and chè mủ trôm (made from bastard poon tree resin).

In addition to chè, cakes are also a must-try when stepping into the market. Hue-style savory steamed rice cakes (banh beo), crispy Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo), translucent shrimp dumplings (banh bot loc), grilled banana cakes (banh chuoi nuong), and steamed layer cakes (banh da lon)—all contribute to the diverse and enticing culinary scene at Ben Thanh Market. These snacks are not only delicious but also affordable, with prices ranging from 15,000 to 25,000 VND per portion.

As for savory, more fulfilling foods, soup-based dishes are must-tries. From pho, rice noodle soup, vermicelli to noodles—there is a diverse range of specialties from different regions. You may come across Bun Bo Hue, Quang noodles, Binh Dinh-style thick noodle soup, or Hanoi-style pho in the food court. You can also indulge in other dishes such as rolled pho, nem nuong, beef jerky salad, banh trang tron, etc.

In early 2012, Ben Thanh Market was voted by the famous Food and Wine magazine as one of the top 10 destinations with the most attractive street food on the planet.

Ben Thanh Market address

Ben Thanh Market is located on Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 

How to get to Ben Thanh Market

By Bus:

This is a commonly used public transportation method. From Saigon, you can choose from one of these bus routes to reach Ben Thanh Market: 01, 02, 03, 04, 18, 19, 28, 36, 45, 52, 53, 56, 65, 93, 109, 152.

By Motorbike or Car:

Motorbike is also a great choice for getting around, but you’ll need to park your bike outside for about 10.000 VND. If you don’t know your way around Saigon yet, you could opt for services like Grab, Be or Gojek, which are way cheaper than getting a taxi.

Ben Thanh Market opening hours

Ben Thanh Market is situated in the center of the city so the market is always bustling with people coming and going. The day market opens from 6 AM to 6 PM, and the night market from 6 PM to 10 PM.

Just because the night market closes at 10, doesn't mean that the fun has to stop. Later at night, a vibrant food corner opens outside the market with different specialties, snacks and drinks ready to help you reenergize after a whole day of shopping.

Ben Thanh Market travel tips

The market primarily caters to a large number of foreign tourists, so prices may be higher than usual, maybe even twice or three times more expensive. Be prepared to haggle to avoid overpaying. Bargaining is a common practice in Vietnam, especially in markets like this.

The situation regarding theft and pickpocketing is not completely under control, so keep a close eye on your belongings.

If you’re just looking around and not buying anything, avoid touching or picking up stuff, people don’t like that.

Well, there you go! We hope this helped! There are also other attractions near Ben Thanh Market worth visiting such as: 

Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts

Independence Palace

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon

War Remnants Museum

Ho Chi Minh City Opera House

Saigon Central Post Office

=> Saigon Street Food Tours