Must-Buy Souvenirs

Dark-roasted Robusta ground coffee from Vietnam's best-known coffee brand, sourced from Buon Ma Thuot — the same beans used to brew ca phe sua da islandwide. Listed prices at the Ben Thanh Market booth are usually negotiable down 10-20%.

The palm-leaf conical hat seen across the Vietnamese countryside, sold at Ben Thanh in both plain and decorated versions (painted scenes, sequins, or a hidden poem/image visible only when held up to light). Ben Thanh's prices tend to run higher than markets elsewhere in the city — bargaining is standard.

A small-to-medium bowl finished in traditional multi-layer lacquer (son mai) — real lacquerware takes weeks of layering, sanding, and polishing, so prices climb quickly with size and detail; this shop's workshop lets you see the process before you buy.

Vietnam's iconic fitted long tunic-and-pants, custom-measured and sewn to order — plain-fabric versions can be ready within 24-48 hours, while hand-painted silk or heavily embroidered pieces take longer and cost several times more. Prices vary enormously by fabric and detail across Saigon's many tailor shops, so treat any single quote as one data point, not a fixed rate.

A lightweight printed or dyed silk scarf from this long-running Dong Khoi-area gift shop, known for pop-art-style Vietnam-themed postcards, textiles, and packaged local snacks (coffee, tea, cacao) aimed squarely at foreign visitors — a step up from Ben Thanh's mass-market souvenirs.