Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 is a perfect place for visitors to Vietnam to get a truly authentic experience. Here, you can purchase local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese art and other souvenirs. You will also find eating stalls inside the market where you can get a taste of hawker-style Vietnamese cuisine or simply to cool yourself down with a refreshing cup of cold drink when the bargaining becomes too much. The market is very spacious, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day. Nonetheless, it is still well worth a visit for those seeking an authentic experience of local life, one that is like no other. When night falls, restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors, creating a vibrant street side scene filling the air with the scents of wok-fried noodles, barbecued fish and meat.

One of Saigon’s oldest landmarks, Ben Thanh offers a great atmosphere that is absolutely and authentically Vietnamese.