Shopping Saigon – shoppers guide to Ho Chi Minh City

Warning – shopping in Saigon is dangerous. That’s not so much because of the pickpockets who hang around markets and shopping malls (though you do need to be on your guard against them), but more because the items on offer are so attractive and prices are so cheap that you won’t know when to stop spending.

Few come to Saigon with shopping on their mind, but along with the city’s intriguing sights and fantastic cuisine, shopping in its markets and malls is a memorable experience for many. You’ll find everything here from elegant dresses by the country’s top designers to fridge magnets with paintings of cyclos and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Some of the most popular souvenirs are conical hats, water puppets and ao dai – the traditional outfit of a figure-hugging tunic over long pants. If you browse a few shops selling silk and cotton fabrics, you’re bound to find a colour or pattern that looks just right for an ao dai. Other items in high demand on the streets of Saigon are original and reproduction paintings, fabrics embroidered by ethnic groups in the north, lacquerware and ceramics.

As well as plenty of choice of what to buy, Saigon shoppers have lots of options of where to spend their cash. A visit to Ben Thanh market, one of the city’s best-known landmarks, is obligatory both for the staggering range of products on display but also for the buzz of human interaction.

The city’s shopping malls such as Diamond Plaza offer a respite from the heat as well as the opportunity to blow a few bucks on cosmetics or electronic gadgetry. The boutiques along Dong Khoi seduce passers-by with their eye-catching window displays, while the cluttered but colourful shops around De Tham are the ideal place to stock up on small presents for the folks back home.

Markets
Get lost in Ben Thanh market, delve into Chinatown’s Binh Tay market and look for war relics in Dan Sinh market… more

Malls
Escape the heat and spend some dong in Ho Chi Minh City’s flashy malls which feature international brands and restaurants… more

Souvenirs
Take home a tailor-made ao dai, a Ho Chi Minh T-shirt, conical hat or perhaps a bag of aromatic coffee… more

Glossary
Whether you are looking for a new camera battery, late night pharmacies or a unique gift for a collector, we have the comprehensive guide here… more