Ho Chi Minh City Things to Do Tips by ice0degree

well, your trip to ho chi minh will not be complete without a visit to the Ben Thanh Market. Touted by my friends to be the chatuchak (bangkok) or the siang yang (shanghai) market of Saigon, i was alittle disappointed after my visit...perhaps my expectations were set too high. although it does not have the size and varieties compared to the other 2, it certainly has its own characteristic amist the whole gamut of sight, sound and smell.

The art of bargaining, a common sight almost everywhere in Saigon, more so in Ben Thanh Market where everything is marked up by 100% (especially when they see a foreigner..eyes go "ka-ching"; sound made by a cash register). But then again, if you observe the process carefully, you will realize that most foreigners are not that stupid either; they have certainly grown wiser as far as negotiation is concerned...I call that the art of walking away ie naming a price that is about 20% below what you are willing to pay and then slowly walk away (pretending that you dont really care much abt buying anyways). Most of the time, they will call you back (or rather, you pray that they will call you back if you know that they are the only store selling the product in the whole market). Rule of thumb: if the product is found everywhere, they are more willing to go down on their price; if it is a unique item, be realistic abt the opening price.

well, have fun bargaining...afterall, you dont get to do that everyday (or do you?)

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Directions: you wont miss it...ask anyone on the road and they'll know

It doesnt help that i was there on an extremely hot day; when i was inside the market, my body temperature just soar. The aisles were packed with goods that are waiting to be packed/shipped out. I didnt really get the chance to stop and look at things as I was pushed around by workers who are loading and unloading inventories. On the hindsight, it was pretty amazing for me to be able to squeeze myself through these aisles as they were hardly any walking space. After a while, you begin to feel that all the bag stalls look alike and sell the similar stuff and the same goes for all the shoes, textile and food stalls. Coupled with the still air inside the market, this place is definitely not for the faint hearted. Perhaps i went at the wrong hour (between 12-2pm) or it may be like that all day...i dont know.

If you are expecting to buy nice stuff from here, you might be disappointed (well, at least for me, i didnt manage to buy anything). Although they do have some of the embriodery bags and handicrafts that you would find in Dong Khoi street or Ben Thanh market, I certainly didnt enjoy the shopping experience in this place. and FYI: the fake products in Shanghai and Korea have better quality than the ones in Vietnam.

If there is anything worthwhile buying, i would give my vote to the food stalls. You will see bags and bags of pistachio nuts, cashew nuts etc. and the good news is, these stalls are located on the inside perimeters of the market, where there is a compound/airwell for light and air to come in ie not so hot and crowded.

Besides the food stalls, you can also choose to walk along the external perimeters of the market, which is more breathable or try the stores outside the market. In my case, i didnt as i was almost dehydrated by the time i stepped out of Binh Tay Market (yes, always have your water ready). However, i do remember seeing some interesting shops whilst in the taxi. Well, you check it out and let me know.

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Address: Cholon (Chinatown)

I'm basically a market fanatic; would not miss the opportunity to check out the markets in all the cities that i visited.

In fact, during my recent trip to Ho Chi Minh, i went to 2 markets; Ben Thanh (you can read abt my review of Ben Thanh market in my travel pages) and Binh Tay. Recollecting my experience abt the latter, i only have this to say: HOT (as in the temperature)!
PS: Check out more Binh Tay market writeup in my Tips pages.

SETTING THE EXPECTATIONS: Go to Binh Tay market for the experience rather than the shopping and you will not be disappointed. and who knows, you might be pleasantly surprised if you manage to pick up something that you like.

SURVIVAL KIT: handheld battery operated fan, a bottle of mineral water, dress light and tie up your hair (for those with long hair like me).

AVOID: Going there with pampered companion travellers who are grouchy and whinny as they will definitely complain abt everything in the market...and this will affect your mood too.

GETTING THERE: By Taxi, of course! The taxi fare from District 3 (where i had beef noodles - read abt it in my Restaurants pages) to Binh Tay market costs about US$12-13. Not sure if i got ripped off (the taxi meter was jumping really fast compared to the other taxis that i've taken). Just to put things into perspective: taxi fare from Binh Tay market back to District 1 was about US$7-8; and from airport to my hotel (Renaissance) only cost about US$5. Not sure if the different taxi companies have different rates but i do know that they have different flag down fare (some start with 14,000 vnd and some with 12,000 vnd). But honestly, dont be fool by the flag down fare as it is peanuts compared to how fast the meter jumps. If anyone knows the math, pls share so that fellow travellers can look out for this.

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Address: Cholon, Chinatown