Located in District 10, Ho Thi Ky Street has many alleys with different things to do. When speaking of Ho Thi Ky, you may think of the famous, beautiful, and colorful Ho Thi Ky Flower Market. However, there is another market located right next to it where you can try exotic cuisines from Cambodia. This guide will help you explore and find out what to do in the markets in Ho Thi Ky alleys.
About Markets in Ho Thi Ky Alleys
Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
Address: 52 Alley Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Le Hong Phong – The Cambodian Market in Ho Chi Minh City
Address: 57 Alley Ho Thi Ky Market or 374 Alley Le Hong Phong, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
The two markets have been a part of people living in Ho Chi Minh City with a lot of merchants selling here for almost 40 years. While Ho Thi Ky Market is famous with the wholesales and retails of fresh flowers from Da Lat and the Mekong Delta, Le Hong Phong Market’s sellers are mostly from Cambodia and sell foods that are specialties of this country.
Ho Thi Ky Street
When turning right to Ho Thi Ky Street from Ly Thai To Street (Ward 1), you will find the flower market’s entrance on the left and most of the flower shops are also on this side in different alleys. The Cambodian Market where there are many local food stalls, fresh produce, and daily necessities is on the opposite.
Recommended visit duration: 30 minutes+
The flower shops and some food stalls are opened from early morning to late at night. You can see the markets most crowded in the morning from 8 AM to 11 AM.
Notes: Because of the number of sellers and the flowers and fresh produce’s containers, you will find the ground is always bit wet and slippery. However, Ho Thi Ky Street and the alleys are narrow and crowded, so it is better to walk on foot.
If you come to the market on a motorbike, you can park your vehicle at the kindergarten near the corner of Ho Thi Ky and Ly Thai To Street or in the market. The parking fee in the flower market is VND 10,000/bike. Also, it is advisable to always be careful with your stuff, ask for the price, and bargain before buying anything. If you do more than sightseeing, you should have a local guide to help you during shopping and introduce you to different kinds of foods.
Getting Around Markets in Ho Thi Ky Alleys
You will find the markets are clearly divided into two sides of Ho Thi Ky Street. You can get into the alleys and follow the paths to explore the daily life of locals here. Most of these alleys are about 10-meter long, some of them are dead ends, while some will lead you to the main roads like Le Hong Phong, Tran Binh Trong, and Hung Vuong.
Flower Shops in Ho Thi Ky Market
If you want to shop for fresh flowers, Ho Thi Ky Market is the right place. Ho Thi Ky Market is one of the three biggest flower markets in Ho Chi Minh City. Going through all the alleys of Ho Thi Ky Street and you can find hundreds of flower shops. They sell the flowers on days and nights, but you can get the flower the freshest before dawn around 4 AM – 5 AM because that is the time they receive flowers delivered from other provinces. They also sell bouquets and baskets to arrange flowers the way you want.
Cambodian Groceries in Le Hong Phong Market
On the street along the right side of Ho Thi Ky Primary School, you will find the dry market with many shops selling clothing, bags, and bed drapes. As you go deeper into the market, you will find many stores selling meats, fish, vegetables, and Cambodian specialties like dried seafood and fermented fish as well as ingredients go with these dishes like dipping sauce and greens.
Foods in Ho Thi Ky Alleys
Alleys on Ho Thi Ky Street are also famous for the variety of delicious street foods. You can have Vietnamese foods like Banh beo, Banh bot loc, Balut, and even Cambodian specialties.
Beef Hotpot. Just behind the kindergarten, you will find the alley that sells hotpot and BBQ, especially beef hotpot at a reasonable price, about VND 150,000 – VND 200,000/person. It starts to get crowded in the evening, and you may be stopped by many sales outsides of the stores, so make sure to know which one you want to go into.
Hu Tieu Nam Vang. This dish is a signature of the Cambodian and the people in Southwest Vietnam. It is a kind of rice noodle but not soft like Pho. The dish is usually served with shrimp, pork, fried shallots, peanuts, and bean sprout. Come here, and you can try the authentic taste of Hu tieu Nam Vang, a typical dish in Vietnamese breakfast, made by people from its origin for about VND 40,000.
Bun Num Bo Choc. Bun Num Bo Choc is a dish that you can hardly find anywhere else in Ho Chi Minh City. It is originated in Cambodia, made of vermicelli, snakehead, and turmeric-colored soup. You can have a bowl of this special dish for only VND 40,000.
Cambodian Sweet Treats. If you are a sweet tooth, you have come to the right place. In the Cambodian Market, you can try various sweet treats like sweet soups and grilled bananas. The price range is from VND 10,000 to VND 20,000.
Check out our private motorbike tours with professional local guides
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Conclusion on Explore the Markets in Ho Thi Ky Alleys
While Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, one of the most famous flower markets in Ho Chi Minh City, will not fail to entertain you with the joy of shopping and of looking at beautiful flowers, Cambodian Market will let you to another world of interesting and delicious cuisine from a neighbor country of Vietnam. Like other local markets, you will find them crowded in the morning, but they are no less exciting in the evening with hotpots and continuous merchandise of fresh flowers.
Want to explore more of Vietnamese local markets and backstreets in Ho Chi Minh City? Check out our Saigon’s Other Side tour or read more on the Vietnam travel guide.