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VietnamDescription and is it worth a visit
Ben Tan Market or Ben Tan (Cho Ben Thanh) is one of the oldest markets in Ho Chi Minh City and the most popular among tourists, no guest of the city will miss it. The market building is an architectural landmark and a must-see object for all sightseeing tours of the city. It is necessary to visit here, and what is good, you will not have to go far, because it is located in the very tourist heart of the city next to the famous tourist street Pham Ngu Lao in district No. 1.
But the Ben Tan market is interesting not only as an architectural landmark, but rather as a place for tourist shopping. After all, you can find anything here. Mostly tourists go here for souvenirs, dried and fresh fruits, casual clothes and suitcases, coffee, tea, rice, local alcohol, bottles with a snake. True, the prices of goods in recent years have become simply cosmic, sometimes overstated 3-4 times compared to neighboring shops and supermarkets, or other markets. Therefore, if you decide to make a purchase, you need to be able to bargain well. There are departments with fixed prices, but also high.
For example, the dragon's eye fruit or Pitahai were sold here for 50,000 DONG (1.9 USD), and at the street market for 15,000(0.57 USD)!!! For example, 100 grams of Arabica coffee beans costs from 120,000 VND. The same arabica coffee beans at another local Thai Binh market in this area we bought for 40,000 DONG. However, only here you can buy local alcohol in the whole district. The choice is not very large, but for some reason it is not found at all in supermarkets and shops in the center, only foreign is sold there. And yet, only here we met bottles of "snake whiskey" in Ho Chi Minh City, this is a bottle with a snake, scorpion, centipede or other reptiles, filled with rice moonshine or whiskey.
The market is divided into the outer rows and the inner part. Inside there are mainly private merchants selling everything from products to "branded" clothing. The outer rows, or the so-called public sector, are mostly packed with souvenirs, handicrafts, local works of art, clothing and toys. In the northwestern part of the market, products and flowers are sold, fruits and spices can be found. Also part of the indoor market is occupied by a food court with a variety of national dishes, where the cheapest dish rice and chicken starts from 60,000 DONG.
In the evening, at 18-19 hours, the indoor market closes, and trade moves to the numerous streets around the market. There are also many restaurants and cafes that prepare specialties from all over Asia.
For tourists, this place is also important because the tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City and many inexpensive hotels are located not far from the market. The market is also the starting point and landmark for most tourist routes, meetings are scheduled here, and festive events are held in a small square in front of the market.
🕐 Working hours
Ben Tan Market is open every day from early morning until about 18-19 hours. After closing, all trade moves to the streets around the market.
💵Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
Ben Tan Market is located in the city center (Ben Tan market on the map). From anywhere in the tourist area of Ho Chi Minh City (District No1) you can get here on foot.
From other districts and places in the city, you can get by taxi (from 30,000 VND when ordering through applications), city buses (travel from 5,000 VND), and now also by metro to the Ben Thanh station of the same name. From Ho Chi Minh City Airport you can get here by bus No. 152 for 5,000 VND and No. 109 for 15,000. It's more like everything about Ho Chi Minh City transport and what to use here.
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