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 | |  |  | Stores & Markets: Don't go home without visiting Ben Thanh Market! | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
HCMC has a number of huge indoor markets but the one that you MUST go is the Ben Thanh Market. The market and surrounding streets make up one of the city’s liveliest areas. Everything you need or want is found here. The stalls are opened as early as 7am but closed before 7pm, after which, a night market will be set up around the area. The prices of the product could hit rock bottom if you know how to bargain. I’ve learnt that you have to undercut the first suggested price by at least 75%. Slowly, you will move towards your desired amount you wish to pay. Generally, this amount would be about 50 – 60% of what the price first quoted. A trick I’ve also learnt from the local guide is to just walk away if you think the price is not right. The stallholder would call you back if he/she sincerely want to do business with you and he/she would definitely offer you the price you want. Note: This trick only works if you are prepared to walk away empty-handed from the stall or you don't mind to get scolded. Generally, I noticed that the stallholders located on the main corridor or those that have a big front are not generous in their bargain.
Anything you need is found here. However, as I am interested in ladies' fashion, I bought a few embroidered slippers and silk handbags. If you can drive the bargain hard, you can get a medium-sized silk bag with lots of embroidery for less than USD5! Of course, it helps that I bought quite a number of bags. My favourite shop is this pretty small stall but with lots of bag designs (and very nice designs with lots of choices - you will be spoilt!) located at a small corner of the market. It is not easily seen from the main corridor unless you are gamed to explore the market in details. I cannot remember the stall number but I know it's either number 754 or 759. It's a small stall and the lady boss is sharing it with another shoe stall. Don't be surprised by its size - but the range it offers can beat anyone in the Market!
If you buy more or thick-skinned enough to bargain (but get prepared to be scolded - I got scoldings a number of times), you can get a very nice medium-sized bag of high quality less than USD5! Leave a Comment Theme: GiftsAddress: Cho Ben ThanhDirections: Don't worry, the Market is a landmark in HCMC, District 1. A taxi ride from Dong Khoi street to the market should cost at most USD1!
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| | | | Stores & Markets: The Footwear Choice Of The Populace | Tip Rating: | | | | |
There are over 3000 stalls in Bến Thành Market, a good amount of them sell women clothing and accessories, which does not say much since women in general do spend a good deal of money on themselves (not a bad thing actually). Shoes are always placed at the top of women-related merchandises, so it's not surprising to see that there are many shoes stalls in Bến Thành. However, most of the shoes you find here are not the same as in shoe stores elsewhere, but the typical wooden sabots that are called "guốc" in Vietnamese. Guốc are made of balsa wood (except straps and soles) and have been popular with Vietnamese women for a century or more. The styles have changed a lot since my childhood. Back then, there was only one body style and three colours: black, white, and natural, with clear or coloured plastic straps and very little decorations. Nowadays, there are many body styles to choose from and straps are much more fashionable. Two things stay the same over the century: the location and the fitting procedures. Guốc are not sold in stores, you can only buy them at markets. Enter a stall that sell guốc and you do not see anything else, no other accessories, just rows and rows of wooden shoes with or without straps. Pick out the style, then bargain the price down a bit -- most guốc sellers do not ask for an outrageous price and wait for it to be bargained down, the price is more or less the same everywhere. After the price is agreed upon, you would sit down on one of the low stools and have your feet fitted for the straps of your choice. During the fitting stage, do not hesitate to ask the seller for second, third or even fourth alteration if the fit is not perfect, and do not pay before a trial walk. Guốc take some getting used to, although they are light on the feet, they are not cushiony thus not comfortable as regular shoes, so a trial walk is very important.
Handpainted or hand carved guốc. Price starts from VND 80,000 for the simplest design. If you buy guốc for a gift, ask the seller not to mount the strap at the point of purchase, and make sure to take plenty of studs with you. The most studs used to mount straps on a pair of guốc are 12, but ask for extra to be on the safe side. Leave a Comment Theme: Shoes
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| | | | Clothes: Fancy an ao-dai? | Tip Rating: | | | | |
There are many tailor shops in HCMC, especially in areas like Dong Khoi and De Tham Street that will tailor an ao-dai in 24 hours or less. Yes, at first I was a bit sceptical but how could I resist tailoring an ao-dai for a lot less than what I would pay at home for a blouse?
Get a lovely , tailor -made Vietnamese ao-dai ( say ow-yai ) for USD20 or less. These lovely dresses go for USD10 at Ben Tanh Market but they won't fit you properly as they are catered for the local sizes. I had my Ao Dai tailored at a small shop in De Tham St and it fitted me like a glove. Naturally, I choose Vietnamese Silk as they have a very lovely sheen. Needless to say, drive a hard bargain. I got mine at a US20 or so after I agreed to make 2 suits. Just walk away if you feel that the price is not right. But take this advice with a pinch of salt, afterall, some of my friends have commented that I'm the customer from hell. Tip update: Though there are a number of good tailors in De Tham St, you can go to "Nha May Cuong" owned by Mr Cuong. He has shops at 59 Ly Tu Truong and at 247 Le Thanh Ton. Best of all, this tailor will escort you to Ben Thanh Market to help you select the fabric first. Another fine choice is Albert Thanh, whose shop is at 22 Vo Van Tan Street District 3. Note:I'm tempted to remove this tip. Honestly, after I posted this, I received more than a thousand emails asking me how much a tailor-made suit or dress would cost. To be honest, I don't know since I'm pretty much a pret a porter girl when it comes to western dress. I've only tailored traditional dresses like the ao-dai, cheong sum and the kebaya since these dresses need to fit like a glove and will not be available in your average calvin klein store.
Do expect to pay about USD 30- 40 per ao-dai. cp Leave a Comment Theme: Women's ClothesDirections: See tip above
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| | | | Stores & Markets: Mega Parkson Opens in Ho Chi Minh City! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
As you can see by now, I am a die-hard shopper! Well, I was surprised the Malaysian giant retail store - Parkson is now opened in Ho Chi Minh City. This was my first surprise find after I took a bold step in walking out into the street all on my own at night. And guess what, Parkson is located just next to Continental Hotel! Woah!!! I was told that Parkson was opened in June 2005 - and I stepped into the new building only two months after its opening! Well, like any shopping malls in Singapore, Parkson has everything you need under one roof. The retail area took up about 3 storeys (if I can remember correctly) and the fourth storey is occupied by a big supermarket. In fact, I visited the supermarket every night to buy my daily supply of mineral water. There's also a modern foodcourt located on the same floor as the supermarket. Whatever brands you need like Nike, Shisedo, Kose and etc are found there - really felt like one of the Singapore's mega shop there. Security is tight - hence you feel safe. This is more so for a single lady like me travelling at night. If you are a fashion craze, check out the ladies section. Local and up and coming designers have their brands in Parkson too. Check out their clothes.
The locals feel that the prices at Parkson is high. Personally, I find the prices are on par with what we have in Singapore. However, it's the convenience, comfort and safety of shopping that you are looking for when shopping in this mega mart. Leave a Comment Theme: Department StoreAddress: 45 Le Thanh Ton St. (Parkson Saigontourist Plaza)Directions: This mall is located on the same stretch as the well-known Dong Khai Street
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