5 Best Shopping in Around Pham Ngu Lao, Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam's best-known contemporary art gallery showcases art from drawing and painting to video and installation over four spacious levels. Established in 2003 by Quynh Pham, who fled Vietnam for the United States at the end of the war, Galerie Quynh is known for its consistently focused programming and educational initiatives.

A tiny little T-shirt shop that opened in 2007 has grown into a chain of stores featuring its own Ginkgo-branded clothing and backpacks. Their graphic T-shirts are especially popular souvenirs as many of them highlight whimsical aspects of Vietnamese culture. There is also a store at 10 Le Loi.

The vendors in this short street crammed with shops might claim their wares are genuine, but the truth is they're mostly replicas—interesting and beautiful, but definitely not worth the first price quoted. It's a great street for browsing, especially if you're into old photographs, but it will test your negotiating skills.

Built in 1914 and renovated in 1985, the sprawling Ben Thanh Market has 3,000 booths. The outlets at the front are tourist-oriented, selling clothing, shoes, bags, and lacquerware; in the middle there's food and at the back fresh produce. The vendors can be incredibly pushy and pickpockets often roam the narrow aisles. There are better places to pick up souvenirs and much better places to eat. Once a must-see in Ho Chi Minh City, now it's a place best avoided, although it's a handy landmark, lying as it does between the central business district and the backpacker's area.

Once the go-to place for army surplus items and Vietnam War memorabilia, this market now has an eclectic range of hardware and camping supplies alongside the military-esque products. So if you're in the market for a Zippo cigarette lighter, a hand truck, an army-green hatchet, or a life jacket, this is the place for you.