Some markets in Ho Chi Minh city

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Ben Thanh Market



Ben Thanh had been founded early before the time the French occupied Saigon. At first it was located  near Ben Nghe riverside, next to Gia Dinh citadel. Near the market there were  river watering wharves for passing guests and soldiers to get in the citadel. As a result, it was called Ben Thanh Market (Cho Ben Thanh). At that time, Saigon had only about 100.000 people and Ben Thanh was the most crowded place.
 

In February 1859, the French occupied Gia Dinh citadel and destroyed it with fire, Ben Thanh Market was fired too. Later, it was built at the old site (old General Office for Treasury or Treasury of the City today). In July 1870,  one compartment of the  market was burnt down, and was rebuilt after that. On this time it was made of brick pillars, wood frames with tiles, including five compartments: foodstuffs, fish, meat, food and drink and groceries.
 

When the market had been completely built, its surrounding area became crowded. Several shops were set up, most of which owned by Chinese, Indian, and French. Being near to Mui Tau, Ben Thanh was always in a bustle. In the middle of 1911, it was badly damaged and nearly fallen down. The site to choose to rebuild Ben Thanh market was near to My Tho station where Ben Thanh Market is today.
 

New Ben Thanh was completely finished in the end of March 1914. Its inauguration was praised as "New King Festival" (Tan Vuong Hoi) by journalists at that time. When the market was just done, its old base was used to construct the Treasury Office; however streets around were still busy so this place was called old market, and the market today - new market which remained the name Ben Thanh. After 1975, Ben Thanh was restored and redecorated but its appearance was still unchanged. Nowadays, Ben Thanh still plays the role of the biggest trading center with thousands shops, buying and selling a variety of goods in Ho Chi Minh city.


<HCM City's People Committee>

[Manga4vn]

An Dong Market
 
This three-story market in District 5 features some modern architecture than Ben Thanh or Binh Tay markets, including escalators. It is both a retail and wholesale market.

The basement is reserved for processed and packaged foods and small eateries that sell Vietnamese dishes such as noodle soup, rice and sweet soup. On the first floor are jewelry, footwear, fabrics, eyewear and hat stalls. The second floor features garments and the third has lacquer ware, woodwork and handicrafts. Jackets and knitwear are also available on this floor.

• Tips for travelers:

Pros: Many shopkeepers can speak Chinese. Many items have price tags. Cons: There are fewer people who can speak English at An Dong than at Ben Thanh

• How to get there

Take the Ben Thanh-Dam Sen bus rout. It departs at the central bus station just cross the south gate of Ben Thanh Market. Get off on An Duong Vuong Street in District 5 and walk to the market just a few blocks away. The bus route operates from 5a.m. to 6:45 p.m. at intervals of 15 minutes.

A taxi from Ben Thanh to An Dong costs about VND28,OOO ^^


<HCM City's People Committee>

[Manga4vn]

Binh Tay Market



Binh Tay Market was built, or at least was provided financial support heavily by a Chinese businessman named Quách Đàm (1863-1927), operated his businesses with the trade name of Thông Hiệp. Quách Đàm was best known by his nick-name as the "Handicapped Thông" by the local Chinese. Quách Đàm started out very poor, he made a living by recycling garbage and other used material, he later striked gold by picking up other types of businesses, and soon after that gained his enormous fortune. There used to be a human-size bronze statue of Thông Hiệp standing right in the center of the Binh Tay Market, surrounded by four bronze lions, and four bronze dragons spitting water to the fountain under where the statue of Thông was standing. The full size statue of Thông was replaced with a smaller glass-altar somewhere between 1976 and 1980, with reasons unknown, although some local people speculated that the statue itself was being recycled. The four bronze lions and dragons are still standing as of 2002.


<HCM City's People Committee>