Table of Contents
1. About Binh Tay market
a. General information
Address: 57A Thap Muoi, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City
Open hours: 6 am – 7 pm daily for the main market, but for the outdoor wet market street – about 5 am – 9 am.
What people say about Binh Tay market:
- A nice place to visit and wander
- Bargainers paradise
- The world of wholesalers
- Ideal for a cultural experience
b. History
Source: Manh Hai (Flickr)
Binh Tay Market (Cholon Chinatown Market means “big market”), one of the biggest markets in Saigon is established by the French since the 1880s. It is located in the centre of Vietnam’s largest Chinatown area as the major business hub and attraction in Saigon’s Chinatown.
Unlike Ben Thanh Market in District 1 for foreigners, Binh Tay market is the gathering place of the local population with its diversity of fresh fruits, vegetables, food, seafood and specialties from different regions across Vietnam, especially from Mekong Delta.
Tourists can also find an assortment of handicrafts, lacquerware, and textiles sold in bulk. Along with the interesting culture of Cholon Chinatown, Binh Tay is also an amazing place for experiencing the Southern local lifestyle and especially the unique Vietnamese-Chinese delicacies. Despite being designed by a French architect, Binh Tay features a gorgeous mix of Chinese and French style with its lotus-flower shaped roofs, its belfry and its clocks.
In the late 18th century, Cho Lon Market was growing bigger and bigger as many retailers and wholesalers from different places of the South, and even from Cambodia came to do business. Cho Lon became cramped and could not develop anymore so the government planned to establish a new one. However, there was no place for this plan. At that time, Quach Dam bought a large marshy land of 25,000 m2, flattened and built a new market on its ground as a gift for Saigon Government. Quach Dam didn’t require anything from the market, but he asked to build some blocks of floor surrounding the market and erected the statue in the middle of the market after his death. Unfortunately, Binh Tay Market was not active till 1930 due to the Quach Dam’s death in 1927.
Source: Lux Travel DMC
When traveling to Binh Tay, you can admire the Chinese architecture in the shape of bagua (a Chinese religious motif incorporating the eight trigrams of the I Ching, typically arranged octagonally around a symbol denoting the balance of yin and yang, or around a mirror) with 12 different gates in four directions. Sophisticated patterns of Cho Lon have still existed for nearly 100 years. The main gate covered by yin-yang tiles with overlapping style to create ventilation is opposite to Cho Lon bus station. Binh Tay market is on the gateway to the Southwestern provinces, which is convenient for transportation of goods from this area to Ho Chi Minh. There is a spacious ground for guests to rest overlooking the four dragons spraying water into the lake and 4 unicorns at the door. The roofs at the corners of the market are decorated with winding dragons and phoenixes in accordance with the typical architecture of Oriental pagodas.
Along with the market, there are plentiful food stalls selling a variety of Southern Vietnamese dishes at very reasonable prices to serve the visitors and small traders. The market is also vibrant and romantic under the red lanterns swinging in front of the wind at night. It is not only an important trading place but also one of the amazing attractions for locals and foreigners.
Binh Tay was officially recognized by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City as architectural relic in 2015. Although supermarkets and shopping malls are densely increasing, Binh Tay Market remains one of the largest wholesale markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Binh Tay market has been still with time and always the pride of the Chinese community in Saigon over the past 100 years.
c. How to get Saigon’s Binh Tay market
Source: Lux Travel DMC
The best time for wandering Binh Tay market is in the morning when the locals come to have breakfast and buy fresh food as well as household supplies.
By Motorcycle taxi: 15-minute xe om ride from Saigon center.
By Taxi: 110,000 VND from Ben Thanh Market – about 15 minutes.
By Bus:
- Take Bus No.01 on Tran Hung Dao street, District 1
- Go with bus No. 01 to Cho Lon station (Bến xe Chợ Lớn)
- Get off bus at Cho Lon Station Walk to Binh Tay Market.
2. What to buy in Binh Tay market?
Source: Lux Travel DMC
As one of the biggest and cheapest markets in Saigon, it is the gathering place of wholesalers in Southern Vietnam so many retailers come to buy their wholesale goods and sell them on at other markets around the city. You can choose Binh Tay to cut out the middleman and shop here yourself, but learn to make bargain.
Over 2,300 stalls have created an electrifying atmosphere in Binh Tay, and plied with various wares such as dried shrimp, fragrant rice, handmade soaps, discount woks and papaws in Chinatown’s masses.
3. What to eat in Binh Tay market?
Binh Tay market has long been a favorite breakfast spot of the locals with hundreds of food stalls selling Vietnamese staples ranging from the North to the South in the market including Pho, Bun Bo Hue (with rice noodles, beef, pork sausage, herbs and spices, and a broth with a salty, sour, and spicy), Goi Cuon (Spring rolls), Banh Beo, Com Ga (Chicken rice) or Com Tam (Broken rice) and Chinese-influenced delicacies like Man Thau (steamed buns with pork or chicken, onions, eggs, mushrooms, and vegetables).
Source: Lux Travel DMC
Significantly influenced by Chinese culture, popular dishes here include Chinese-style roast duck, Pha Lau (pig’s organs), black chicken braised with Chinese medicine, and fish curry. The unique taste and sophisticated cooking will definitely satisfy even the pickiest customers.
A courtyard is in the middle of the marketplace with a stone altar commemorating Guangdong-born philanthropist Quach Dam, the founder of Binh Tay market.
The market is laid out in sections and there is a map at the front of the market to help navigate. There are many stalls selling a large array of foods such as nuts, sweets, rice, noodles, and dried mushrooms, as well as pre-prepared salads and pickled vegetables.
So we can visit Binh Tay market for breakfast, for wholesaling and for bargain making skills of Vietnam locals.
Source: Lux Travel DMC
4. Tips & tricks for not being scammed in Binh Tay market
a. Pickpockets
Be careful with pickpockets – Pay attention to your belongings when you are wandering around both Binh Tay Market and any other parts of Saigon.
b. Bargaining
As Binh Tay is the place for wholesalers and retailers so when you buy something as souvenirs, bear in mind to make bargain as foreigners are used to be overcharged.
5. Nearby attractions
a. Cha Tam Church
Cha Tam Church (Church of St. Francisco Javier) is an old Chinese temples’ style church since 1902. Cha Tam remains active till these days. Cha Tam Church has Gothique design, but it still has featured the horizontal lacquered boards of Chinese culture style in the interiors.
The church reflects the European churches like Roman Catholic Parish Church in Ho Chi Minh City with a distinctive colonial façade in pastel yellow and white.
The tower holds the statue of Tam Assou, a Chinese born vicar apostolate or representative of the Pope. He took care of the Chinese Catholics affairs in the Cho Lon neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh city. A daily mass is held and the congregation consists of 3000 Vietnamese and 2000 ethnic Chinese parishioners.
Opening Hours: Daily: 7am – 12pm / 2pm – 6pm / 7pm – 9pm
b. Phuoc An Hoi Quan
Another must-see destination around Binh Tay market is Phuoc An Hoi Quan, one of the most beautiful ornamental temples in Cholon dedicated to Chinese general Quan Cong since 1902.
When travelling to Phuoc An Hoi Quan, you will feel relaxing as it is surrounded by abundant greenery and exquisite wood carvings on all altars, walls and columns.
After over a century, you find the colours just as bright and gorgeous. With the usual red and gold of a pagoda and its typical incense filled aroma, the temple is also spotted with blues, greens and an unexpected purple of Quan Cong’s face.
Address: 184D Hung Vuong, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 7.00 am – 5.00 pm
c. Thien Hau Temple
Source: Lux Travel DMC
Built in 1760, Thien Hau Temple near Binh Tay market is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess, Mazu the ‘Lady of the Sea’, who is believed to protect and rescue ships and people on the sea by flying around on a mat or cloud. Mazuism is connected with beliefs and values from both Taoism and Buddhism, thus it is the harmony of different aspects and traditions which have merged to form a new belief.
When traveling to Thien Hau Temple, you will pass the iron gate filled with massive stone incense burners in front of the entrance of Mazu’s altar. You will be amazed by the stunning traditional curvy roof with small porcelain figures are standing symbol for themes from Chinese religion and legends in the exterior and the colourful dioramas decorating the roof by representing scenes from the nineteenth century in a Chinese city in the interior. The three prominent statues of the “Lady of the Sea” dominating the main altar is amazing as well. Every single small corner in this temple as well as many sculptures, statues and artworks are great to discover too.
Location: 710 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 8.00am – 4.30pm.
6. About Lux Travel DMC Ltd
Being the first luxury tour operator in Vietnam with 15+ years of experience in the travel industry, Lux Travel DMC offers tailor-made private holiday packages to explore Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Tay market in particular. Our company is a full-service travel agency with licensed and accredited and inbound and outbound luxury tour operators. The company has won many national and international awards. Our company excels on business trips and leisure trips.
If you are planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh city, contact us and share your demands with the traveling experts of Lux Travel DMC, we will suggest where to go and what to do to make your trip full of memorable experiences.
Nous contacter
Adresse: 456, rue Lac Long Quan, Dist Tay Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Phone: (+84) 4 3927 4120
Email: [email protected]
Hotline: (+84) 936880183
Website: https://luxtraveldmc.com (Anglais)
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