BEN THANH MARKET

Ben Thanh Market is the biggest market in Ho Chi Minh City. Located at the
center of Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh market reflects totally the bustling life of
trading and busy people here. Ben Thanh Market is a symbol of Saigon and a place
where cultures and economies intertwine. The dome architecture, vibrant shopping
culture, and diverse cuisine are all hallmarks that tourists seek when visiting Ben
Thanh Market. It is now considered the symbol and soul of Saigon.

Ben Thanh Market is located at the intersection of Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung
Dao, and Le Lai Streets, right in the middle of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Ben Thanh Market Opening hours: You can spend 2 hours exploring this bustling
Ben Thanh market.
Ben Thanh Market: 07:00 AM – 07:00 PM: this is the main opening time of the
market, you can come to visit and shop.
Ben Thanh Night Market: From 05:00-06:00 PM to 10:00 PM: people often say that
Saigon lives at night. That's right, if you feel a corner of Saigon at night, go to Ben
Thanh market after 7 p.m. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the
bustling crowd and feel the joyful rhythm of life of this city.

Ben Thanh Market is the market with the oldest history among markets in
Vietnam. There are five sections in total: food section, fish section, meat section,
dining section and grocery section. Of these five stalls, only the meat stall is roofed
with corrugated iron and has a blue stone floor. The original name was Les Halles
Centrales and changed to Ben Thanh in 1912.
The market has an area of about 13,056 m2, with about 1,437 stalls and 6,000
merchants, 11 businesses operating continuously. The stalls in the market have all
kinds of items from retail to wholesale, from affordable to high-end. The main
industries in Ben Thanh market are clothes, fabrics, crafts, shoes, fruits, vegetables,...
Regarding architecture, at first, the market was only built in a rudimentary manner
with brick stalls, wooden walls, thatched roofs, and thatched roofs. Seen from the
outside, Ben Thanh market looks like a clock tower with classic architecture. A large
clock is placed right on the large face of the main gate, below is the words Ben Thanh
market.

Ben Thanh Market was built in from 1912 to march of 1914. Its history is divided
into two parts, the old market period and the new market period. The old market was
originally built with brick and wood. Even back then, it’s still one of the most
crowded places in the city. But after Le Van Khoi’s rebellion in 1833, the place
wasn’t as popular as it used to be.
In February of 1859, 2 days after the French took hold of Gia Dinh (Ho Chi Minh
City’s old name), the Vietnamese soldiers organized a fire attack on the whole city
and burnt the market in the process. However, in 1860, the French built back Ben
Thanh Market in its original location. In 1870, the market suffered another fire,
forces the French to build it again. However, around 1911, Ben Thanh Market
becomes old and in danger of collapsing. This forces the people to tear down the
market and the French to build it in another location. Which is near the My Tho train
station, that’s why it’s called the new market. The new market faces 4 roads, the
south faces Place Cuniac street, the north Rue d'Espagne street, the east rue Viénot
street and the west rue Schroeder street.
Later, the last three roads’ name was changed to Lê Thanh Ton street, Phan Boi Chau
street, and Phan Chau Trinh street. People still called the new market Ben Thanh.
However, up till 1975, the name Ben Thanh only appears in books, people often call
it Sai Gon Market or New market (to distinguish with the old market). On July 1st,
1985 Ben Thanh Market went through an all-out renovation. Today, the market is one
of the most crucial places in Ho Chi Minh City.

The name “Ben Thanh” derives from the words “harbor” (Ben) and “citadel”
(Thanh). According to an old story, the name comes from the nature of its location.
Initially, the market was built with bricks, wooden frames, and thatched roofs,
located on the bank of Ben Nghe River, near Gia Dinh City. This area served as a
port, where visitors and soldiers entered the city; hence, the name “Ben Thanh”.
From then on, this unique antique market has been affectionately called “Ben Thanh
Market” by the locals.

The market has 4 main entrances and 12 sub-entrances. Each main entrance is located
on a different street and displays many popular items for visitors to shop:
- South Entrance: Located on Le Loi Street and facing Quach Thi Trang Park, this
entrance is the main gate of the market. It features a famous 3-faced clock tower as
the highlight of the market. This entrance attracts many tourists with an array of stalls
selling a variety of goods, from colorful fabrics to aromatic dried foods.
- East Entrance: Located on Phan Boi Chau Street, the east entrance is a paradise for
cosmetic enthusiasts, with many cosmetic stalls offering a vast range of body, skin,
and hair care products.
- West Entrance: Located on Phan Chu Trinh Street, this entrance has many stalls
selling shoes, handmade crafts, and souvenirs.
- North Entrance: Located on Le Thanh Tong Street, this entrance offers a variety of
fresh flowers and tropical fruits.
Coming to Ben Thanh market, visitors can enjoy all the flavors of the three regions
from main dishes to desserts as well as all kinds of sweet soup and beverages.
Không chỉ là nơi mọi người có thể thõa mãn với các mặt hàng được bày bán trong
chợ, mà chợ Bến Thành còn được ví như là thiên đường ẩm thực với nhiều món ăn
mang đặc sản đến từ nhiều vùng miền trên đất nước hình chữ S.
Các món ăn được biến tấu lại để phù hợp với khẩu vị của người Sài Thành.
Ví dụ như:
Bún thịt nướng, cơm tấm, bánh mì: mang hương vị đặc trưng của Sài Gòn.
Bún mắm, bún riêu, bún suông: mang hương vị đặc trưng của con người vùng Tây
Nam Bộ.
Bún mọc: bún bung: mang hương vị của miền Bắc Việt Nam.
Bánh bèo Huế, chè heo quay: mang hương vị miền Trung Việt Nam.
Cùng với nhiều loại bánh thủ công đến từ nhiều vùng miền khiến bạn say mê...
Nơi đây còn bán các vật phẩm lưu niệm để du khách có thể ghé mua như: áo dài,nón
lá, áo bà ba, vải lụa, đồ thủ công mỹ nghệ, áo phông lưu niệm,..

Nearby Ben Thanh Market

When visiting Ben Thanh Market, you have the opportunity to explore several nearby
attractions. If you visit the market during the day, you can conveniently visit notable
landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post, Reunification Palace, and the
War Remnants Museum, all located within a short distance from the market.

In the late afternoon or evening, after immersing yourself in the bustling atmosphere
of Ben Thanh Night Market, you can go to Bui Vien street, also known as the
backpacker street, a popular place if you’re interested in the vibrant bar and club
scene. For a more local experience, head to Nguyen Hue Walking Street, where you
can enjoy the lively atmosphere, witness the beautifully lit City Hall and Opera
House, and indulge in street food.

Visitors should also be wary of pickpockets.

Be careful with your personal belongings.
Be prepared to bargain. The prices on Ben Thanh Market are often two or three times
higher than normal.
You can get better prices if you buy multiple items at the same time.
Smile and stay nice. People always respond to positivity here and it makes for a more
pleasant experience.
Be prepared to walk away from a deal. In many cases you will be recalled by the
seller with acceptance of your bid.
If you don’t want to buy anything, just look around. Do not touch any items and then
put them down again. Traders do not like this.
Negotiating can be a lot of fun, but the most important thing is that you always act
with respect and remain friendly.
Ask questions about quality, original, warranty of goods or products etc

TÓM LẠI
Chợ Bến Thành là một ngôi chợ lớn nằm ở trung tâm thành phố. Từ một khu chợ
được dựng bên bờ sông Bến Nghé vào thế kỷ 17, trải qua bao thăng trầm chợ Bến
Thành đã trở thành một công trình kiên cố mang tính biểu tượng của Sài Gòn.
Từ nơi mà thực dân Pháp chiếm cho đến khi mất đi nền văn minh thì bây giờ nó đã
trở thành một nơi mang vẻ đẹp của văn hóa, lịch sử và hiện đại.
Hơn thế, không chỉ là nơi mua sắm đơn thuần mà chợ Bến Thành còn là 1 địa điểm
du lịch, địa điểm văn hóa, lịch sử của Sài Gòn còn được giữ cho đến hiện tại.