Saigon Markets

There doesn't appear to be anything that can't be bought in a market in Saigon.  I visit several markets, including the Ben Thanh market (1/2 hour walk from my hotel), with over 3000 stalls and lots of tourists, and the Binh Tay market in Saigon's Chinatown, about a 1-1/2 hour walk from the hotel and with almost no tourists.

Ben Thanh market offers silk, clothing, handicrafts, souvenirs for the tourists, and street cuisine.

  Strolling the aisles of Ben Thanh Market

In contrast, Binh Tay market has few tourists making the trek from central Saigon and more of a focus on practical necessities of life, from food to hardware, with lots of places to eat.

 Binh Tay Market

Hardware shops in the market

A block from the Ben Thanh market is Le Cong Kieu Street, Antique Street, lined with small stores selling porcelain, art, furniture, religious artifacts, and US military relics.

 Le Cong Kieu (Antique) Street

One could spend days wandering through the markets, although I go through a little faster since I'm not shopping for anything, just soaking up the ambiance.  I do stop for lunch at a counter in Ben Thanh Market (a later blog), but otherwise just wander.