8 Night Markets In Ho Chi Minh For An Evening Shopping Spree

Shopping in fancy malls and departmental stores is now a banality. Whereas, shopping under a sky full of stars is something you wouldn't want to miss on your trip to Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam has an old charm and the country brims in culture. Night markets in Ho Chi Minh is a perfect reflection of that. They are an ideal blend of everything you need, at an unbelievably low price compared to malls.

Have a look at the night markets in Ho Chi Minh for your local insights also to sharpen your bargaining skills: 

1. Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is arguably the best market in the city. It is the ideal place to buy everything, from local handicrafts to art pieces and even branded goods. Heading to market early in the morning or late at night to avoid the crowd (and sun) will be a good choice. This is also a time you will get a good bargain on the products like clothing articles, handcrafted bamboo goods, watches, electronics, luggage, spices, fruits, and nuts are few of the many things people prefer buying here. You need to be an excellent negotiator to pick up a good bargain. After getting done with your shopping spree, head over to the eating stalls to get a taste of authentic Vietnamese cuisine and combine it with a cold drink. The market is like a big maze, and challenging to navigate if you lose the sense of directions. The market looks best illuminated when night falls. This is also the time when restaurants in the area open to serve you the best of the local cuisine - fish, barbecued meats, noodles fried on a wok, and more

Timings: 6:00 AM to 12:00 AM

Address: Le Loi, Ben Thanh, Quan 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

How To Reach: Located in the centre of the city, getting to Ben Thanh Market is smooth-sailing. A taxi from Tan Son Nhat International Airport will take you only 15-20 mins (7km) and would cost between VND 100K to VND 150K. If you choose to travel by bus, bus no. 152 from the airport will take you to the market.

2. Minh Phung Night Market

Whether you're haggling over Vietnamese handcrafted goods, munching on pho and com tam, or rummaging for bargains, the bustling Minh Pung Market is the heart and soul of local life. This is a shopaholic's paradise where one can quickly get a good bargain on handbags, designer knock-offs, jewellery, children's clothes, home furnishings, handcrafted goods, and electronics. Also known as Cay Go Night Market, you will notice that there are no stalls here. People display their products on the street-side. There is a bright side to this market - The products sold are already with a cheap price tag, so you need not bargain much. After the shopping, you can cool off with a drink or two and enjoy the local cuisine.

Timings: 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Address: 122 Minh Ph'ng, 6, Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam

How To Reach: A 20 min taxi ride (costing VND 120k to VND 160k) from the airport will take you the market

3. Ba Chieu Market

Located in Bình Thanh District, Ba Chieu Market is a place where you can find everything, from flip flops to fancy head wears. Built back in 1942 and renovated in 1987, the market is a big, shaded place, which overflows into the neighbouring streets. It is not located in the centre of the city. This means that not many tourists will be hanging in this area, resulting in fewer crowds. Although, the place is filled with friendly, genuine locals going about their daily routine. The market can be visited in any part of the day but looks best in the night time. You might face a bit of language issue here. As not many tourists visit the area, the traders (majorly) are fluent in Vietnamese only. Carrying a phrasebook or translator will be handy. Head over to the food stalls for a satiating, yet cheap lunch. There is a massive line of stalls selling a variety of foods, including freshly cut fruits, down the lane. Although it goes without saying, always remember to bargain! Here are the two most common phrases you will get to use here: "dat qua" = "expensive" and "bot di" = "give a discount."

Timings: The market is open 24/7

Address: 10 Dien Hog, Ward 1, Bình Thanh District, Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam

How To Reach: Located 11km away from the airport, it will take a 30 min taxi ride to reach the market and would cost close to VND 150k to VND 200k

4. Hanh Thong Tay Market

When you are in Saigon, it is easy to spot the Hanh Thong Tay Market. Arguably the most crowded market of Ho Chi Minh for its bustling crowd and the lingering smell of freshly cooked local food. The fair attracts a large number of Vietnamese population, especially students looking for cheap accessories like cell phone covers, handbags, cosmetics, and casual wear. This doesn't mean that there aren't an abundance of products for other age groups. Experiment with the local cuisine when you get done with shopping. The market has got the best food stalls in the whole city, offering mouthwatering delicacies at remarkable prices.

Timings: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM

Address:  10/2 Quang Trung, Ward 11, Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

How To Reach: It takes 41 min from the airport to Hanh Thong Tay Market via taxi. You can also board the bus - 32 to reach there.

5. Hoa Binh Night Market

It is interesting to see how vendors crawl of out corners and dark spaces in the street when the sun goes down, just like how spiders come out of narrow spaces at homes. They set up their stalls and wait for customers to approach them. Ho Binh Night Market functions only at night time and gets busier as time goes by, unlike regular markets, which die down around midnight. Here, you will find the usual street goodies like at other markets - casual wear, watches, cosmetics, bags, footwear in a wide range of shapes, colours and sizes.

Timings: 8:00 PM till stock lasts

Address: 18 Bui Ho Nghia, Ward 5, District 5, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

How To Reach: A 20 min taxi ride from the airport will take you to the market.

6. Ky Hoa Night Market

The liveliness of Ky Hoa Night Market is reflected in the sellers calling out their customers. The market is one of the best places to look for peach blossoms, especially during the Lunar New Year festival. Functioning from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM every day, here you can find other items like clothing articles, furniture, accessories, hair and skin products, footwear, and more at quite a bargain too. Each stall has different selling prices for the same products, so make sure you hover around looking for the best price before settling on one.

Timings: 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM