MarketFree entry

Ben Thanh Market

#5of 10 places to visit in Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City, Southeast Vietnam, Vietnam

Also known as Cho Ben Thanh · Ben Thanh Central Market

Quick answer

Opening hours: 06:00–18:00 and 18:00–22:00. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 07:00 - 09:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: 06:00–22:00; Day market 06:00 - 18:00 daily; the surrounding night market runs from about 18:00 until 22:00 or 23:00, depending on the source.
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 07:00 - 09:00
Best months: Dec – Mar
Address: Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000

About Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market opens its day trading from 06:00 to 18:00 and covers 13,056 square metres, with about 1,500 stalls run by more than 6,000 small businesses, according to figures published for the hall. The current building opened in 1914 and is topped by a clock tower over its main south gate, a landmark that also lends its name to the Line 1 metro station beneath the roundabout. Stalls sell clothing, lacquerware, coffee, dried fruit, souvenirs and cooked food, and the market is the most visited shopping stop in central Ho Chi Minh City.

Best time of day: 07:00 - 09:00. When fresh-food stalls are fully stocked and heat inside the hall is manageable.

Ben Thanh Market timings

Ben Thanh Market is open 06:00–18:00 and 18:00–22:00. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.

Opening hours: 06:00–22:00; Mon–Sun 06:00–18:00 and 18:00–22:00; Day market 06:00 - 18:00 daily; the surrounding night market runs from about 18:00 until 22:00 or 23:00, depending on the source.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	06:00–18:00 and 18:00–22:00

Opening hours compiled from hochiminhcity.gov.vn and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Ben Thanh Market ticket price

Entry fees for Ben Thanh Market
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	Free
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Entry to the market is free as of 2026. Prices at stalls are not fixed and are usually negotiated. The night market around the building has no entry fee, and hours vary by source, so verify locally.

Prices compiled from hochiminhcity.gov.vn and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Ben Thanh Market

Quiet
Busy
Very busy

06:00 - 08:30
Early TradingBest time to go
Locals shop for produce and stalls are freshly stocked; the aisles are wide and the hall is at its coolest.
Quiet
08:30 - 12:00
Tour Group Peak
Group tours funnel through the main gate; aisles pack and haggling gets loud.
Very busy
12:00 - 16:00
Afternoon Heat
Independent shoppers and heat inside the hall; some stalls begin to close from mid-afternoon.
Busy
18:00 - 22:00
Night Market
Street stalls set up around the building; food vendors and visitors fill the neighbouring lanes.
Busy

History of Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market grew from informal riverside trading in the 17th century, and after the French takeover of Saigon in 1859 the market was formalised. The earlier hall burned in 1870 and was rebuilt, and trading moved to the present site around 1912. The current building opened in 1914, with the French firm Brossard et Maupin as main contractor, in a French Indochinese style under a tiled roof.

Ben Thanh Market is laid out around four gates, each tied to a type of stall. The south gate leads to clothing and accessories, the north gate to fresh produce and prepared Vietnamese dishes, the east gate to packaged goods, and the west gate to arts and ceramics. The hall draws more than 10,000 visitors a day, according to published figures, and vendors reorganise stall sections periodically, so the gate-to-goods split is a guide rather than a rule.

Rules & etiquette at Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market runs on negotiated prices for most goods. Vendors often open at two to three times the price they will accept, and a counter-offer around half the first price, followed by a walk-away, is the usual method. Fixed-price and tagged stalls exist, and fresh food is usually priced per kilo on a scale, so bargaining applies mainly to clothing, souvenirs and handicrafts. Photographing stallholders without asking is regarded as rude, and a nod or smile before raising the camera is enough.

Ben Thanh Market attracts pickpockets and bag-snatchers, especially at the crowded gate entrances and on Le Loi Street outside, where motorbike thieves have grabbed phones from hands. Keep bags zipped in front and phones out of hip pockets. Tipping is not expected at food stalls, and food-court restaurants inside charge tourist prices, so compare menus before sitting.

Tips for visiting Ben Thanh Market

1
Ben Thanh Market is at its most comfortable in the first two hours after opening, when produce is fresh and the hall is cooler; by 11:00 tour groups and heat combine to make the aisles slow. Stalls near the gates quote the highest prices, and the same items a few rows inside are often cheaper.
2
Ben Thanh Market's night market spills across the surrounding streets after 18:00, with food stalls, clothing and souvenir stands, and seafood grills that are popular but priced for tourists. Cross-check prices on a printed menu, and pay in small notes to avoid disputes over change. The market is a 1.2km walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral, 0.9km from Reunification Palace and 1.0km from the Nguyen Hue walking street, so it works as a hub for a walking day.

How to reach Ben Thanh Market

The red star is Ben Thanh Market; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City 700000Directions in Google Maps

From Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)
7 km · 25-40 min
150,000-250,000 VND taxi/Grab; bus 109, roughly 15,000-20,000 VND.
From Ben Thanh Metro Station (Line 1)
0.2 km · 2-3 min on foot
Metro fares run 7,000-20,000 VND depending on distance.
From Reunification Palace
0.9 km · 12 min
Free on foot; 20,000-30,000 VND Grab.

Nearest airport

From Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN)

about 7km, 25-40 minutes by road depending on traffic.

Nearest station

From Ben Thanh Metro Station (Line 1)

directly beneath the market roundabout, under 0.2km.

Ben Thanh Market FAQs

Is Ben Thanh Market free to enter?

Yes, entry is free as of 2026. Costs are limited to what is bought at stalls, and prices are negotiable at most non-food stalls.

What time does Ben Thanh Market open and close?

The day market opens at 06:00 and closes at 18:00 daily. The night market around the building starts at about 18:00 and runs to 22:00 or 23:00, depending on the source; verify locally.

Do you need to bargain at Ben Thanh Market?

Yes, at most clothing, souvenir and handicraft stalls. Counter-offers at around half the first quoted price are common, while fresh food and tagged stalls are usually fixed.

Is Ben Thanh Market safe?

Yes for general visiting, but pickpocketing and phone snatching by motorbike are common in the crowds and on Le Loi Street outside. Keep bags zipped in front and phones out of hip pockets.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places