If you are expecting an extra touch to your lively journey around Sai Gon, visit Ho Thi Ky flower market. This place is well-known for its long-standing local floral shops. Moreover, it’s a perfect destination for street food lovers.
Vietnamtour.in will help you explore those two signatures of this bustling market. Follow us to know what you can experience there and some local-advised tips for a memorable trip.
Location and Opening Time
Ho Thi Ky flower market is just four kilometers from Ho Chi Minh city center. So, you can easily get there by using multiple means of transport. Located amidst Le Hong Phong apartment, it offers a short walk along the alley to visit various floral and food stalls.
Renowned as the biggest flower market in Saigon, Ho Thi Ky is the go-to place for many locals to shop for vibrant bouquets in small quantities or in bulk. Also known as “the market that never sleeps,” it attracts visitors at any time of the day. The street food market is more vibrant at night, mainly from 3 pm to midnight.
How To Get There
To visit Ho Thi Ky flower market, you can rent a motorbike or a car, take a taxi, or book a ride-hailing service (Grab, Be, Gojek, etc.). If you want to go by bus, there are two options:
- Take bus numbers 05 or 91 to 419 Le Hong Phong bus station. Then, walk for around 4 minutes to reach the Ho Thi Ky food market.
- Take bus numbers 27 or 69 to 170 Ly Thai To the bus station. Then, walk about 6 minutes to reach the market.
What To Expect When Visiting Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
Enchanting Flower Market Experience
Ho Thi Ky is the biggest flower market in Ho Chi Minh City, with a long history dating back to the 1980s. Also known as a small corner of Dalat Flower City, it makes you feel like you are wandering through a field of colorful blooms and fragrant aromas.
As mentioned, the market is alive all day, but it becomes busiest in the early morning (3 a.m.- 6 a.m.). This is when the vendors get packages of flowers delivered from different farms in Hanoi, Da Lat, and the Mekong Delta. They then classify, group, and arrange those flowers on their counters.
If you’re looking for a place that sells flowers at a reasonable price, this is it. The shops here provide both locals and wholesalers with the freshest cut flowers, priced around 3,000 – 5,000 VND for each. Whether you love roses, orchids, or sunflowers, the market has you covered. Other common types include lilies, marigolds, gerberas, chrysanthemums, and carnations. Besides flowers, Ho Thi Ky also offers plants as well as gardening tools and materials.
This place is like a haven for flower lovers. Beyond shopping, it serves as a wonderful spot for taking beautiful photos. Picture this: you are wearing Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional costume) and holding a bouquet of fresh blooms. With the charming atmosphere and a romantic background, you can expect the most captivating photos you can’t get anywhere else.
Cambodian Market’s Street Food Spectacular
Ho Thi Ky Flower Market isn’t just about flowers! After 3 p.m, a part of it transforms into a vibrant night scene, with over 100 street food vendors setting up shop. Wondering why it is called the Cambodian market? Many vendors here are Vietnamese – Cambodians who have been living in Vietnam since the 1970s. So, you’ll find a hint of Cambodian in many sideboards and the way they organize their stalls.
Foods here are traditional cuisines and goods of the two countries. You can find a lot of dishes such as green papaya salad, rice paper, num bo choc noodles, hu tieu, crab soup, grilled meat and seafood, sweet soup, peach tea, etc. Let’s dive into some of them:
Num Bo Choc fish noodle
Num Bo Choc is a traditional Cambodian dish that mainly includes noodles, snakesheads, and vegetables. Its unique flavor is due to the presence of Citrus hystrix, prahok paste, and other Cambodian spices. Visit the Tu Xe stall in Ho Thi Ky flower market to try this special dish.
Grilled food
It’s not strange to see many stalls selling grilled dishes in this market, creating a flavorful aroma along the road. You can find many grilled seafood items here, such as grilled octopus skewers, shrimp, snails, and sea urchins. Another must-try is grilled eggs with oysters and cheese.
Sweet soup
We recommend visiting the Co Co stall to try different Cambodia-style sweet soups, such as pumpkin flan, mung bean-egg sweet soup, xoi xiem, etc.
Mixed rice paper
You can still find this signature street food of Saigon at the Nhat Quynh stall in Ho Thi Ky flower market. It’s a perfect mix of many ingredients, including rice paper, dried shrimp, quail eggs, mango, peanuts, coriander. and unique sauce.
Attractions Nearby
- Bitexco Tower: The second-highest tower in Sai Gon, which will give you a breathtaking panoramic view of the city
- Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater: A popular theater that offers traditional nightly puppet shows to help you learn about Vietnamese life and culture
- Independence Palace: A historical symbol of Vietnam’s victory with minimalist-designed buildings and gorgeous exterior space
- Notre Dame Cathedral: One of the oldest and most popular cathedrals in Sagon, which is built by the French
- Saigon Central Post Office: A long-standing post office that is known for its European architecture and a touch of old Sai Gon
- Binh Tay market: A long-established market that offers you unique architecture and diverse specialties
- Nguyen Hue walking street: A perfect spot to wander by night and experience the lively atmosphere
- Saigon Opera House: This French-style building often hosts a variety of events and classical music performances
Tips When Visiting Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothes since the market can get crowded
- If you come to buy flowers, visit early in the morning to get the freshest ones
- Ask permission before taking photos of vendors or their stalls since some of them might not be comfortable with it
- Ask for prices before you buy, and don’t be afraid to bargain for a good deal.
- Consider carrying some cash for quicker payment
- Keep your valuables secure and close to your body to avoid pickpockets
Ho Thi Ky flower market will surely surprise you with fragrant blooms and mouth watering street food. So, if you are looking for an experience that goes beyond the usual tourist attractions, this is a must-visit! Contact Vietnamtour.in today and let us help you plan a vacation to this market as well as any attraction in Ho Chi Minh City.
