Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh market has long been viewed as a symbol of the country’s largest economic hub. The market, a destination for many tourists, possesses ancient architecture, which is praised as one of the most attractive tourist sites in the megacity.
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| Photo by trungydang |
Built before the French arrival in Vietnam, the original market was located on the riverside of the Ben Nghe River, at a wharf near Fort Quy (Gia Dinh). It was named Ben Thanh. By 1911, the French colonial government decided to relocate the market position, which was a marshy pond. The construction started from 1912 until the end of March 1914 and continued operation henceforth.
Ben Thanh market is considered to be the most extensive retail market in Vietnam, which means that you can find all kinds of goods here, from low-budget to luxury, especially food in various choices. There is no lack of anything, from onions, chillies, vegetables, fish, seasonal fruits, candy, clothing, shoes, handbags, electrical goods, souvenirs …
When set foot inside Ben Thanh market, one cannot ignore the food area with lots of traditional dishes from all over Vietnam. In January 2012, Ben Thanh Market was considered by the magazine Cuisine Food and Wine as one of the most attractive 10 street food destinations on the planet.
Visitors to the Ben Thanh market is mainly divided into two types: visitors and loyal customers. Most visitors are foreigners. Loyal customers include people living in the regions around the city as well as longtime residents of Saigon.
The most unique feature of Ben Thanh market is that its sellers are stylish and language-proficient. Entering the market, one can hear greetings in English, French, Japanese, Thai …. It can be said that there is no such market around the globe that has the attraction of tourist with multiple nationalities like Ben Thanh market.
