You want to make sure you go with the crowd when you are not familiar with the place you will be staying.
The facade and main entrance of Ben Thanh market in front of a large rotunda.
So we were spared from doing a Ben Thanh market day excursion in Saigon because our hotel is literally located across it. In fact, the view from our family room is the whole market which is really nice. We see the scurry of vendors below and the motorbikes zipping through Le Thanh Ton street as we relax in our room. I like the idea that I can take a peek into the busy outside world without having to be physically part of it. Just watching from a distance from the comforts of our room, no pressure at all. A voyeur, haha.
After a delicious pho meal at Pho2000 on our first day in Saigon, the family hit Ben Thanh market.
As we stepped inside, we/I were greeted with, “Hello miss, what you want?”
Following you from behind, “What you want miss?”
“You want coffee? Bag? T-shirt?”
“Miss, what you want?” (Pretty persistent, huh)
The vendors greet you one by one with the same phrase, and this goes non-stop when you turn another alley. The vendors do mean serious business and some will even follow you around!
My mom has plans buying certain items in her list whilst sister and I were more like her cohorts, without any solid plans except to just go along with the flow. True enough we didn't buy anything. But I managed to take a lot of pictures. What we did was to follow around and wait on mom who is the shopping mood and is very much energised about it. She bought lots of dried fruits and nuts, some medicinal stuff and Kipling bags to bring home. We were informed before the trip that Vietnam is the outsourced manufacturer of Kipling and that they sell many original bags in the market. Well, I just realised Kipling is a Belgian brand.
Did I say that shopping makes me lethargic. *sigh*
But on a separate note, I enjoyed my walk around the market. They sell almost everything under the sun here. Popular local Vietnamese stuff sold were Vietnamese coffee, face masks for the motorbikes, dried fruits and nuts, Vietnamese inspired souvenirs and many more. There is a eating section inside the market. We haven't tried but very tempting. I probably would have ordered a Bon bo hue if I didn't have company with me.
The market scene is not only exclusive to the Ben Thanh covered market. Outside you will find more stalls and shops and a lot of fruit and street food vendors. I eyed the crunchy looking jackfruit and bought a pack. I have eaten this as a kid and they are usually soft, chewy and juicy, but the Vietnamese jackfruit is quite different. It is tasty sweet but dry and crunchy. We all liked it, so we ended up buying more.
Like in any market, you have to haggle here. The vendors will always give you 'tourist prices' so be prepared to start haggling at half the price.
I will stop now and let the pictures do the rest of the story telling.
The Vietnamese conical hate called Non La is used everywhere by many local street food and fruit vendors.
A typical store inside the Ben Thanh covered market.
We stopped by at this fried fruit stall and my mom bought some. I also requested if she can buy me some spicy shredded dried squid =)
These are dried Persimmons. I prefer them fresh. We call them 'Sharon' here in the Netherlands, well at least that's what I saw in the supermarkets.
Longan fruit (similar to Lychee but they are not Lychee). One of my mom's favourite.
An eating stall inside the Ben Thanh covered market.
Cobra snake liquors. Drinking cobra blood is popular in the city, as well as eating snake. Eww!
Your fashionable motorbike face masks. Pick one!
This is the eatery area of the Ben Thanh covered market.
These eatery stalls are only serving Vietnamese food.
The market has entrances on all 4 corners.
She is selling sampaloc (tamarind) and longan fruit.
Street food and fruit vendors outside the Ben Thanh market.
The jackfruit that we all fell in love with. The jackfruits in Vietnam are delicious and crunchy.
Travel Period: December 2016
Destination: Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City (Southeast), Vietnam
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.
