Ho Chi Minh City Shopping Guide 2025

Ho Chi Minh City stands as Vietnam's ultimate shopping destination, where ancient markets meet cutting-edge malls in a symphony of commerce. From the bustling corridors of Ben Thanh Market to the marble halls of luxury boutiques on Dong Khoi Street, this city offers an unparalleled retail experience that caters to every taste and budget. Whether you're seeking authentic Vietnamese silks, contemporary local designer pieces, or international luxury brands, the former Saigon delivers shopping adventures that extend far beyond mere transactions—they become cultural immersions.

Shopping by District: The Complete Guide

District 1: Luxury & Tourist Shopping Hub

District 1 remains the crown jewel of Ho Chi Minh City shopping, where international sophistication meets Vietnamese craftsmanship. This central district concentrates the city's most prestigious shopping experiences within walking distance, making it the perfect starting point for any serious shopping expedition.

Dong Khoi Street - Luxury Shopping Boulevard

Vietnam's answer to Fifth Avenue, Dong Khoi Street stretches through the heart of District 1, lined with flagship stores of international luxury brands. Here, discerning shoppers browse boutiques housing Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Hermès alongside sophisticated Vietnamese designer ateliers. The street's colonial architecture provides an elegant backdrop for afternoon shopping excursions, particularly beautiful during the golden hour when the historic buildings glow in warm light.

Markets

Bến Thành Market

As one of the oldest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, the building dates back to 1912, but the market can be traced back to the 17th century, when a number of street vendors gathered on the bank of the Bến Nghé river. This location was destroyed by a fire, and the market was moved to where it stands today in 1912. The 17th century version of the market reportedly sold more food and groceries, whereas today’s Bến Thành Market sells more souvenirs and decorations suited towards tourists.

Bình Tây Market

Situated in Chinatown, it is the largest market in Ho Chi Minh City. Getting lost is almost inevitable, and most of the fun!

Shopping Malls

Ho Chi Minh City has a few large shopping malls, which are normally aimed at tourists or the rich and wealthy Vietnamese businessmen, although some shops will be frequented by locals.

• Vincom Centre
  Opened in 2010, Vincom Centre is the biggest shopping mall in Vietnam. With 26 storeys and about 58,000 sq metres (~624,300 sq feet) of floor space, a wide range of products are on sale here. Famous multinational companies have opened branches here, however, due to the fact that the building is so big, lots of local stores have been set up as well. What this basically means is that you have a choice of buying things from Armani or Versace, as well as being able to pick up cheap toys, clothing or other accessories, including some which may well have ‘fallen off the back of a lorry’. As well as shops, Vincom Centre also houses offices and several western restaurants, such as Popeye’s Fried Chicken and Carl’s Jr. Hamburger. There are also several coffee shops and restaurants. The biggest problem is that prices can be rather high in this mall, and it can feel rather empty, especially on working days.
  Opening hours: 9am -10pm
  Address: 72 Le Thanh Ton and 45A Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

• Diamond Plaza
  Diamond Plaza also hosts many famous brands, but attracts more visitors as it has more shops suited to local Vietnamese people. Featuring a cinema and a food court, western food is also available here, such as KFC and Pizza Hut. As the cinema (Lotte Cinema) is one of the largest in Ho Chi Minh City, it is quite a modern set-up, with the latest movies being shown there (although probably in Vietnamese!).
  Address: 34 Le Duan Street, District 1

Stalls/Street Vendors

Street vendors are mainly found around tourist spots, such as the markets mentioned above. However, they are rarely around any government sponsored or government run tourist attractions such as museums as they are seen by the government