Haggle for bargains in Ben Thanh market

Ben Thanh market is one of the more exciting places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a chance to truly get stuck in with the locals and test your bargaining skills. It’s a very different experience if you get used to fixed priced items that the idea of bargaining never comes to mind but after visiting a few markets, you almost start to limber up at the prospect of haggling your way through amazing bargains. 

 

Ben Thanh market, located in District 1 across from the bus station, is probably the best known. It is especially popular in the evening and at night, when food vendors set up stalls and locals and tourists alike gather to eat and shop.

Ben Thanh is possibly more regulated, so you may have to worry less about knock-offs or price gouging. That said, you should always be wary of knock-offs and gouging.

Shopping inside the market will require you to practise the art of bargaining and, as they commonly deal with unsuspecting tourists, the vendors at Ben Thanh are pros. A common practice is to inflate prices to double or triple their actual value, meaning you must work the price down to get a reasonable deal. A quick tip in bargaining at Ben Thanh is to cruise the outer ring of the market, where all stalls are fixed priced and most items are actually marked with a price tag. This will give you a good idea of what a moderate price will be when you go inside to haggle.



Bartering is the way to shop here, so jump right in, offer a price that you think is fair, and have fun. Be extra careful if prices are absent or not clearly marked – that goes for everything, everywhere, every time.

See more

  • Get Custom Made Clothes

    A top to-do item for many visitors is to have custom clothes made before they leave. Phan’s Custom Tailor is a very popular destination for suits and other items of...

    Read more

  • Explore the Mosaic Wall

    We discovered the mosaic wall from our taxi, zipping along the Yen Phu major roadway. It was a patchwork quilt of ceramic tiles creating little scenes, both from history and...

    Read more

  • Puku 24 Hour Cafe

    If you’re venturing out to Sapa , chances are you’ll be arriving back from an overnight train at the godawful hour of 4:30 in the morning. You can’t check...

    Read more

  • Dining in a cave

    Coming to Halong Bay, you should never miss a unique activity, dining in a cave. There are few cruises offering this feature on their trips. The crew members will prepare a...

    Read more

  • Brush up on your Bargaining

    Unless you see a stickered price on the souvenir you’re eyeing up, the price is probably negotiable. Remember your poker face, keep a limit in your head and be prepared...

    Read more

  • Slide sand dunes

    Sand Dunes in Phan Thiet are very famous not only with domestic tourists but also foreign tourist. And on the sand dunes, the most exciting thing to do is taking a sand...

    Read more

  • Experience Hanoi Weekend Night Market

    Spending the day time to explore and admire the stunning and beautiful landscapes and cultural and historical heritage sites in Hanoi , taking your night time to take part...

    Read more

  • Sip a Cocktail and Enjoy the View at Saigon Skydeck

    It’s hard to get a true appreciation for the scale of HCMC without seeing it from up above. You could just pay to go up to the tourist deck, or… you could skip...

    Read more

  • Expand Your Understanding of Vietnamese War History

    If you’ve read my blog, you all know that war tourism isn’t my thing. That said, traveling as a couple means compromises, and I don’t regret learning more...

    Read more

  • Mekong Delta by Vespa!

    When most people hear Vespa, they think about Italy. Not in Saigon! Vespa Adventures can take you out on tour to the lush Mekong Delta, or if you’d rather stay in the...

    Read more

Destinations

Most popular tours

Business info

  • Vietnam Local Guide

  • Address: 18th Floor, VTC Online Tower, 18 Tam Trinh Str.,Hai Ba Trung Dist., Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Email: info@vietnamguider.com
  • Phone: (+84) 0904989890
  • Hotline: (+84) 0904989890