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Ben Thanh Market and the Art of Tasting

You must be very curious about why Ben Thanh Market is so essential and popular and why it is often referred to as a “symbol of the City”. More than a century ago, the Market is also called Sai Gon Market. It is set up by the side of Ben Nghe River and near Gia Dinh Citadel. Its location had been changed many times. Today, the market is situated at the center of the city, and it has become a popular destination to Vietnamese as well as foreign tourists.

Like Đồng Xuân Market in Hanoi, Ben Thanh Market provides all kinds of commodities from domestic products to modern technical products from many countries all over the world. If you have chance to visit this market, you may not remember all sort of commodities here. However, you will not be able to forget the taste and flavor of local dishes. If you visit the market without enjoying the art of tasting with different kind of foods, it can be said that you have not come here yet.

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Passing through stores of souvenir, clothing, shoes, etc. you will reach the food stalls where you will find a variety of delicious dishes with many kinds of foods from all parts of the country. It can be said that the art of tasting in Ben Thanh Market is a skillful combination of various tasting style from different regions, which constitutes a diversified and unique cultural feature. Such special mixture will surely bring you a somehow strange but very familiar feeling. The sweet-scented taste of “pho” (noodle soup), bánh xèo, hủ tíu, etc. will lead you to a traditional rural world where each dish is a story, a legend.

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The space in the market is not very large. You may feel uncomfortable to hustle in the crowd but it may somehow bring you a cozy atmosphere. In addition, perhaps eating in such a cramped space may bring people closer and may find the common ideal in tasting.

It would be a miss if we do not mention Ben Thanh Market at night. In the night, many kinds of foods are displayed for sale. The atmosphere and space at night seem to be larger and more comfortable. The food stalls are offered more space, and the market is likely to be more noisy and animated with all sort of sound: the conversation of adults, the laughter of children and the cozy atmosphere of gathered families. After a hardworking day, the night market is the proper choice for friends and family members to gather.

Ben Thanh Market has long been an indispensable part for local people and a familiar destination for those who come from other regions. It has also become a well-known tourist attraction for foreign visitors.

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