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
-
.jpg)
A trip to Muong Hom market
Many weekend visitors to Sapa opt to visit Bac Ha market, which is easily accessible on an organised day trip from Sapa. But if you want to avoid the tourist hordes, Muong...
-
Kayaking in Halong Bay
Kayaking is a kind of paddling, using a kayak to move across water. With thousands islands and isles, calm tides, clean, and emerald green water, Halong Bay is ideal for the...
-
Take a boat trip in Ninh Binh
The best ways to enjoy the scenery in Ninh Binh is to take a boat trip. The main kicking off points for boat trips are Tam Coc and Trang An or Thung Nham, although...
-
Trekking to Son Doong Cave
Son Doong is the largest natural cave in the world. The majestic and monumental landscape of Son Doong Cave is considered as the great wall of Vietnam. Trekking to Son Doong...
-
The adventure activity - Canyoning in Dalat
Canyoning in Da lat is a kind of famous adventure activities and it is one of the most things to do when traveling to Dalat.
-
Visiting Bac Lieu longan orchard
Bac Lieu longan orchard has many characteristic values of geology, geomorphology, ecology, culture, tradition and cuisine. Moreover, the ancient longan orchard is over...
-
Sapa Museum
The museum is housed in an attractive stilt house with a static exhibit upstairs which runs uninspiringly through the history of the Sapa region before moving on to some...
-
Visit a French Cafe
The best part of the French influence has survived in Hanoi… the food. I love that in Hanoi you can walk around one corner and eat a bowl of Pho, but also treat...
-
Exploring Bac Lieu salt fields
The salt fields in Bac Lieu have existed for a long time and provide a huge of salt for the Mekong Delta . The salt fields are divided into squares and rows with full...
-
Marvel at the Madness of Traffic
The roads are crazy. You know it and I know it. Get an aerial view from Highland Coffee. Best time to go is half an hour before sunset. You’ll get some amazing...
Destinations
Most popular tours
-
Waking up with HANOIANS
Price from: 13 US$
-
Saigon Tour by Vintage Vespa
Price from: 90 US$
-
Hoa Lu – Tam Coc Day Tour
Price from: 33 US$
-
Home Cooking Class
Price from: 33 US$
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