Originally named Xom Market, Ba Chieu Market was built in 1942 in the heart of Saigon's Binh Thanh District, and was renovated and upgraded in 1987. This is one of the oldest markets here, with an area of nearly 8,500m2, divided into 8 main zones, arranged for nearly 800 households selling in 40 commodities. This is an interesting tourist spot in Ho Chi Minh city, where you can comfortably buy goods and eat.
1 - Where is Ba Chieu Market?
Source: Thanh Niên
Located on Bach Dang Street, the market belongs to Ward 1 of Binh Thanh District, about 6km from Hoa Ho Thi Ky Market, about 7km from Hanh Thong Tay Market and 5km from Pham Van Hai Market. Because it is in the city center, traveling to this area is very easy - you can completely use the bus as there are many stops right in front of the market, or ride a motorbike and park it in nearby parking lots.
Ba Chieu Market opening hours are from 5am to late at night, but if you want to buy clothes and necessities, most of the kiosks close at around 7pm - 8pm. Meanwhile, more eateries open in the evening, so depending on your personal needs, you should choose the time to visit, to avoid missing out your target.
2 - What do people sell at Ba Chieu Market?
The market has a very large space, being a paradise for all kinds of goods needed by people living in the city in particular, and in neighboring provinces in general. This place sells a wide variety of products, from food, fashion clothes, shoes to houseware, kitchenware, with all kinds of designs and quality. You can even exchange the famous Mi Hong gold in the market. Here also gathers a lot of genuine second-hand goods, so you can buy a pair of branded shoes with 95% quality compared to the authentic ones but the price is up to 1/10 cheaper than listed at the luxury stores.
Source: AnhTuan
Ba Chieu Market is also famous for its conical hat products, which is a gift bearing bold cultural traditions, accompanied by charming ao dai, four-body dresses, and Ba Ba shirt. On the other hand, if you want to buy cosmetics or accessories like bracelets, rings and earrings, this destination won’t make you satisfied because there are not many shops selling them, and the styles are also not really unique. During the day, the market mostly sells goods and clothes, while night is the time when the cuisine is on the top, offering countless extremely rich and attractive dishes.
The price of the items at Ba Chieu Market is very cheap, only from 20,000 VND ($0.85) for each shirt, while the pants are priced from 70,000 - 100,000 VND ($3 - 4.27). In particular, you can totally bargain for a discount of 20 - 30% of the price offered by the seller, so it is best to go with someone who has shopping experience. They can lead you to quality stores, show you the tips to buy or even choose good products for you. However, if you go in the morning, it is difficult to bargain because the sellers are just opening, so come in the afternoon to have a better price.
3 - What to eat at Ba Chieu Market?
Source: Thanh Niên
The market is not only a place for shopping with affordable prices, but also where to conduct “food tours” for diners in Binh Thanh district and visitors when coming to Saigon. With many bustling restaurants and eateries, gradually this place has formed a dining paradise with countless typical Vietnamese snacks, especially the typical dishes of the south. It is possible to list foods such as snails, milk snails with fish sauce, crab soup cakes, vermicelli with duck and bamboo shoots, crab noodle soup, Hue beef vermicelli, khot cake, rice paper dipped in salt, etc.
Fried Pha Lau
On the side of Ba Chieu Market, there is a prominent restaurant that sells Pha Lau with a unique fried style, which is commented on by many as being clean, mouth-watering and delicious with sweet dipping sauce. The pieces of Pha Lau are seasoned with rich flavor, left absorbed and then deep-fried to create an attractive, fragrant crust, adding color with fresh, delicious green spinach. In addition, the eatery sells water Pha lau, not as famous but still attractive with the soft, delicious fat from the coconut milk broth. If you want to be full, you can also order more bread with dipping.
- Price: 15,000 - 20,000 VND / dish ($0.64 - 0.85)
Chicken sticky rice
Source: Tripzone
Vietnamese chicken sticky rice at Ba Chieu Market is famous throughout the city for its soft and chewy sticky rice, which is mixed with a rich sauce and flavorful toppings. Although only a few common ingredients such as fried chicken, char siu or eggs are used, this place has brought them to the next level, making it difficult for anyone who eats them to forget. A sticky rice serving is also wrapped in banana leaves, so it keeps the hot and fragrant aroma, always attracting guests. If you don't want to eat chicken sticky rice, you can also try the greasy durian sticky rice, delicious with sweet green beans.
- Price: 8,000 - 50,000 VND / serving ($0.34 - 2.14)
Snail shop
Opening at 3:30pm, this famous snail shop in Ba Chieu Market has an airy and roomy space, but you should come early because around 5:30pm it will be very crowded. There are countless extremely typical dishes such as fried snails with coconut, with water morning glory or blood cockles with onion, steamed snails with tamarind, in addition to oysters, crabs, and grilled quail eggs. Ordering, you will also be provided with 3 additional cups of special milk snail sauce, and the prices here are not too high, consistent with the quality of the food you are offered.
- Price: 30,000 VND / serving ($1.28)
4 - Tourist sites near Ba Chieu Market Ho Chi Minh City
It is expected that the time for you to fully explore the market is about 2 hours, so you can combine visiting some nearby attractions such as:
Tomb of Mr. and Mrs.Chieu
Source: Thanh Niên
About 300m from Ba Chieu Market, Mr. and Mrs. Chieu Mausoleum is located at no.1 Vu Tung Street, Ward 1 of Binh Thanh District. This is a complex of tombs and temples to worship Ta Quan Le Van Duyet - Head of Gia Dinh citadel and his wife, Do Thi Phan. People nearby and from other regions often come here to wish for peace and health for their loved ones, as well as to revere this shrine. The entire mausoleum has a total area of 18,500m2, surrounded by a 500m-long wall, still retaining the ancient architecture despite many years and changes, witnessing the development of the city,
Gia Dinh Park
Having a prime location in the heart of the city, Gia Dinh Park is located between Ward 3 of Go Vap District and Ward 9 of Phu Nhuan District, 3.5km from Ba Chieu Market. This place is known as the green lung of Saigon, also a popular entertainment place for residents on weekends, with a large and airy space for picnic activities. In the park, there are also diverse game areas, many beautiful natural corners making this a perfect check-in paradise for youngsters, giving the photos thousands of likes.
With very cheap prices and extremely diverse products, Ba Chieu Market has become an extremely famous destination in Ho Chi Minh City. Here, you can walk around the shops and buy brand second-hand goods, and experience the culinary paradise with attractive dishes. If you intend to bring some gifts or souvenirs for your loved ones after your trip to Saigon, Ba Chieu Market is the address that you should not miss.
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— Giang Pham
