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Chi Minh City info · Guest Home Country: countryx

Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) information

As corny as it sounds, Saigon is a paradise for shoppers. Beautiful handicrafts and deliciously tacky tourist junk are in endless supply. If you love to shop and have at least elementary bargaining skills and a good eye, your money will go a long way and you can enjoy virtually endless retail entertainment. Your bargaining skills will come in handy everywhere except major tourist shops. Generally speaking, anything not marked with a price sticker can be had for about two thirds the price first quoted.

While there are fine shops throughout District 1, there are several streets which are especially good for shopping, particularly Dong Khai, and Le Thanh Ton behind the Rex Hotel. Many shops here sell jewelry, amber, ceramics, antiques, furniture, silk and apparel. The stalls along Le Loi Street between Ben Thanh Market and the New World Hotel sell all kinds of war surplus and hardware items.

Lacquerware made here is practically the best in the world and is still a real bargain. Scores of shops around District 1 sell boxes, trays, desk accessories, vases and other lacquerware items. Rosewood boxes and bowls are especially lovely. These make wonderful gifts.

If your friends at home love tacky tourist crap, you are in luck! You will find an astounding array of toy helicopters made from Coca Cola cans, fake Zippos and cigarette lighters made from hollow M-16 ammunition, and Good Morning Vietnam T-shirts.

HCMC's tailors are reminiscent of Hong Kong's before the seventies. Custom made shirts usually take three to four days and cost seven to ten dollars, not including the fabric. While there are dozens of good tailors in District 1, my pick is Nha May Cuong, who has shops at 59 Ly Tu Truong and at 247 Le Thanh Ton. Mr. Cuong will escort you to Ben Thanh Market to help you select the fabric first. Another fine choice is Albert Thanh, whose shop is at 22 Vo Van Tan Street District 3.

If you are a Coffee lover, buy enough to fill those empty corner of your luggage. Vietnamese coffees are among the best in the world, and very inexpensive. Because Saigonites drink so much of it, the beans on display in scores of shops around District 1 are always quite fresh. Whole beans sealed in a plastic bag will last quite well until you return, and provide a lingering souvenir of your visit to Ho Chi Minh City.

MrTudo · Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 12:01 am Post subject:

Good post! Very informative. Far as the coffee is concerned, I was a devout drinker of Cafe Bustello ( Cuban coffee) for many years. After my very first trip to Vietnam and having tasted VietNamese coffee, especially Trung Nguyen, I have never drank Bustello again!

Mr T Smile

BizTravel · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:16 pm Post subject:

I agree, Saigon is a great place for shopping, and my wife loves the shoe and clothes shopping, I found this page which gives a good overview of shopping in Saigon