What to buy in Ho Chi Minh City
The best things to buy in Ho Chi Minh City are the ones that are actually Vietnamese, not the global brands you can get at home. Think coffee, chocolate, handicrafts, and clothing rather than luxury labels. Here are the buys worth your suitcase space, with honest advice on each.
1. Vietnamese coffee and tea
Coffee is one of the best and cheapest things to take home. Vietnam runs on strong robusta beans, quite different from the beans most Western coffee uses, and a bag of whole beans plus a cheap metal phin filter makes a great, packable gift. You will find everyday brands like Trung Nguyen in any supermarket, while specialty roasters around the city sell better single-origin beans if you want something nicer. Look out too for coconut coffee and egg coffee mixes, and for local teas like lotus and artichoke. Buy from a supermarket or a proper coffee shop rather than a tourist stall, where prices jump.
2. Marou chocolate
If you buy one edible souvenir, make it Marou. It is single-origin chocolate made from Vietnamese cacao, and it is genuinely world-class, the kind of thing that has put Vietnamese chocolate on the map internationally. The bars are beautifully wrapped, which makes them easy gifts, and you can buy them at the Maison Marou cafe on Calmette Street in District 1 or, cheaper, in larger supermarkets. It is a far better present than the mass-made trinkets most people bring back.
3. Ao dai, silk and tailored clothing
The ao dai, Vietnam’s elegant national dress, is a popular buy, either off the rack or tailored to fit. You can have one made in a few days, and silk scarves, ties, and fabric by the meter are easy wins too. Be honest with yourself about tailoring, though: Ho Chi Minh City can do it well, but Hoi An is Vietnam’s real tailoring capital, so if custom clothes are a priority, you may prefer to wait. For fabric and reliable tailors here, An Dong Market is the best starting point. For more on getting clothes made, see our guide to tailor-made clothes in Vietnam.
4. Lacquerware, ceramics and handicrafts
Vietnamese handicrafts make some of the nicest souvenirs. Lacquerware boxes and bowls, Bat Trang ceramics, embroidered textiles, hand fans, sand paintings, and the classic conical hat are all widely sold. Quality varies enormously, from cheap tourist tat to genuinely fine pieces, so look closely and pay for the better work if it matters. The one catch is that lacquer and ceramics are fragile and awkward to carry, so factor in careful packing, which we come back to in the tips below.
5. Propaganda art and prints
One of the most distinctive things to buy here is Vietnamese propaganda art: bold, retro reproduction posters and prints in a style you will not find anywhere else. They are cheap, flat, and easy to roll into a tube for the journey home, which makes them a practical gift as well as a striking one. Dogma is the best-known name for these, and you will also find prints and original art in galleries around Dong Khoi.
6. Clothes, shoes and knock-offs
Here is where a bit of honesty saves you money. Vietnam makes clothing for many global brands, but that does not mean branded goods are cheaper here, they usually are not. What is cheap is good-quality plain clothing, no-name fashion, and basics, which can be excellent value. You will also see endless knock-offs of designer bags, shoes, and sportswear, especially at Saigon Square. The quality of these fakes ranges from decent to poor, and if you plan to fly them home, read the customs warning further down first, because it can cause real trouble.
Best markets for shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
Markets are the heart of local shopping, and a few stand out for visitors. Here are the ones worth knowing, with a quick honest take on each.
1. Ben Thanh Market
The most famous market in the city and the most central, Ben Thanh Market is the easy one-stop option for souvenirs, clothes, and food. It is also the most touristy, which means prices are marked up and you need to haggle hard to get a fair one. Good for convenience and browsing, less good for value. After the stalls pack up in the late afternoon, the Ben Thanh Night Market sets up around the outside, trading souvenirs for street food and a livelier evening buzz.
2. An Dong Market
A better bet if you are serious about fabric, tailoring, or handicrafts. An Dong Market is less touristy than Ben Thanh, cheaper, and popular with locals, with floors of clothing, textiles, and craft stalls. You still bargain, but you start from more honest prices.
3. Binh Tay Market
Out in Cho Lon, the city’s Chinatown, Binh Tay Market is a grand old wholesale market that is more about atmosphere and bulk goods than souvenirs. Come for the building and the local buzz rather than gifts, and pair it with a wider wander around the neighborhood.
These are just the highlights. For the full rundown of every market worth your time, including the specialist ones, read our complete guide to markets in Ho Chi Minh City.
Best shopping malls in Ho Chi Minh City
A quick reality check before you go mall-hopping: the malls here stock the same global brands you get at home, and prices are rarely any lower. Come for the air-conditioning, the food courts, the cinemas, and a break from the heat, not for bargains. These are the ones most worth a tourist’s time.
1. Saigon Centre (Takashimaya)
The most upmarket option, anchored by the Japanese department store Takashimaya. It is the place for luxury brands, cosmetics, and a slick basement food hall, all in a central Le Loi location. Good for a comfortable browse even if you are not buying.
2. Vincom Center Dong Khoi
Big, central, and busy, with a wide mix of international and local brands, plus restaurants and a cinema. Its location in the heart of District 1 makes it the easiest mall to combine with sightseeing.
3. Diamond Plaza
One of the city’s older malls, right beside Notre Dame Cathedral. It is smaller and less flashy than the newer centers, but the location is handy if you are already in that part of District 1.
4. Vincom Center Landmark 81
The mall at the base of Landmark 81, Vietnam’s tallest building, over in Binh Thanh. It has the usual range of shops, an ice rink, and a cinema, but honestly you come here for the tower and the views more than the shopping.
5. Saigon Square
Not a mall in the usual sense, but a packed indoor warren of stalls selling cheap clothes, bags, shoes, and plenty of knock-offs. Prices are negotiable, so haggle, and treat it as an indoor market rather than a department store. It is the best spot for cheap fashion in the center.
Best shopping streets and areas
Some of the most interesting shopping in the city is not in the malls at all, but out on the streets, where boutiques, galleries, and specialist shops cluster together. Here are the areas worth wandering.
1. Dong Khoi and around
The historic heart of upmarket shopping. Dong Khoi Street and the lanes around it are lined with boutiques, art galleries, and design shops, along with jewelry and souvenir stores. It is the polished, walkable end of the shopping scene, and pleasant to browse even without buying.
2. Le Thanh Ton and Pasteur
These central streets are a reliable bet for silk shops, tailors, and independent boutiques. The little side streets off Le Thanh Ton also form the city’s small Japan Town, packed with Japanese restaurants and shops if you want a break from souvenir hunting.
3. Le Cong Kieu antique street
A narrow street near Ben Thanh lined with antique and curio shops, selling everything from old ceramics and watches to Buddha statues and bric-a-brac. Be honest with yourself here: much of what is sold as antique is reproduction, so buy because you like a piece, not as an investment.
4. Ton That Thiep and the local design scene
For something more contemporary, this is where to find independent Vietnamese labels and concept stores. Shops like Dogma for propaganda prints and L’usine for local design and fashion sit among cafes and boutiques. The city also has a growing underground fashion scene, with spots like The New Playground drawing younger shoppers after local streetwear.
5. Nguyen Trai
If you want cheap, everyday clothes and shoes where locals actually shop, Nguyen Trai runs from District 1 out toward Cho Lon. It is less polished and more chaotic than the boutiques downtown, but prices are low and it is a more local experience.
Shopping tips for Ho Chi Minh City
A few practical things make shopping here smoother, cheaper, and less likely to cause problems at the airport.
When and where to bargain
Bargaining is expected at markets and at places like Saigon Square, but not in malls, department stores, or fixed-price boutiques, where the marked price is the price. At the markets, start well below the first number you are quoted, stay friendly, and be ready to walk away, which often gets you the real price. For a fuller rundown of how it works, see our guide to bargaining in Vietnam.
Spotting fakes and avoiding rip-offs
Assume most “branded” goods in markets and stall shops are fakes, and judge them on their own quality rather than the label. Check stitching, zips, and soles before you pay, and watch for the old trick of being shown one item and handed another. Overcharging tourists is common, which is exactly why knowing rough prices and bargaining matters. For the wider picture on staying street-smart, read our guide on whether Ho Chi Minh City is safe and the common scams.
Bringing it home: customs and counterfeits
This is the one most guides skip, and it matters. Many countries seize counterfeit goods on arrival and can fine you, even for a fake bag or pair of sunglasses in your luggage. Australia is especially strict, and border officers there have caught travelers returning from Vietnam with hundreds of fake luxury items. If you buy knock-offs, understand you are taking a real risk carrying them home, particularly to Australia, the US, and the EU. Genuine handicrafts, coffee, and clothing are no problem.
Packing fragile and bulky buys
Lacquerware and ceramics break easily, so wrap them well and pack them in the middle of your bag, or ask the shop to bubble-wrap them. Keep an eye on your airline’s baggage weight too, since coffee, ceramics, and fabric add up fast. For anything large, it is often easier to have the shop arrange shipping than to wrestle it into your luggage.
Paying and tax refunds
Cash is essential at markets and small shops, while malls and larger stores take cards without trouble. Vietnam also runs a tax refund scheme that lets foreign visitors claim back some VAT on eligible purchases from registered shops when they fly out, so keep the receipts and ask in-store if you are spending a fair amount. Check the current minimum spend and process at the airport, as the details change.
