Every price below converts at about 26,000 VND per 1 USD. Ranges reflect typical, not best-case, prices in 2026.
The 10 best things to buy in Vietnam at a glance
- Vietnamese coffee. Buy small-batch Dalat Arabica or a good phin, not the G7 boxes you can find at home. VND 80,000 to 250,000 (USD 3 to 9.60) per 250 g. Best in Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot or specialty roasters in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
- Tea. Thai Nguyen green tea, Da Lat artichoke tea and Hanoi lotus tea travel light and last for years. VND 80,000 to 250,000 (USD 3 to 9.60) per 100 g.
- Tailor-made clothing and ao dai. Hoi An is the hub, with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as solid alternatives. Shirts from VND 350,000 (USD 13.50), suits from VND 3,000,000 (USD 115).
- Silk. Van Phuc village near Hanoi, Hang Gai Street and Hoi An. Real scarves start around VND 250,000 (USD 9.60). Cheap "silk" is polyester.
- Lacquerware (sơn mài). Multi-layer pieces take weeks to make. Coasters and boxes VND 100,000 to 600,000 (USD 3.85 to 23). Hanoi Old Quarter galleries and Binh Duong workshops.
- Bat Trang ceramics. A village 13 km from central Hanoi where you can watch and try the wheel. Tea sets VND 250,000 to 800,000 (USD 9.60 to 31).
- Hoi An lanterns. Foldable, light and genuinely local. Small ones VND 40,000 to 100,000 (USD 1.50 to 3.85).
- Ethnic minority textiles. Hmong, Dao, Tay and Cham hand-woven and indigo pieces from Sapa, Bac Ha and Ha Giang. Indigo bags from VND 150,000 (USD 5.80).
- Dried fruit, cashews and chocolate. Ô mai, Binh Phuoc cashews and Marou bars. VND 60,000 to 150,000 (USD 2.30 to 5.80) per box or bar.
- Fish sauce, Phu Quoc pepper and spices. Check the nitrogen degree on the label. Fish sauce VND 60,000 to 150,000 (USD 2.30 to 5.80) per 500 ml.
| Item | Typical price VND (USD) | Best place to buy | Luggage friendly | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee | 80,000 to 250,000 (3 to 9.60) per 250 g | Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot, specialty roasters | High | Medium (civet coffee) |
| Tea | 80,000 to 250,000 (3 to 9.60) per 100 g | Thai Nguyen, Hanoi, Da Lat | High | Medium (flavoured "lotus") |
| Tailored clothing | 350,000 to 7,000,000 (13.50 to 270) | Hoi An, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City | Medium | Low |
| Silk | From 250,000 (9.60) per scarf | Van Phuc, Hang Gai, Hoi An | High | High |
| Lacquerware | 100,000 to 600,000 (3.85 to 23) | Hanoi Old Quarter, Binh Duong | Medium | Medium |
| Bat Trang ceramics | 30,000 to 800,000 (1.15 to 31) | Bat Trang village | Low | Low |
| Hoi An lanterns | 40,000 to 350,000 (1.50 to 13.50) | Hoi An Old Town | High | Medium |
| Minority textiles | 150,000 to 3,000,000 (5.80 to 115) | Sapa, Bac Ha, Ha Giang | High | High |
| Snacks and chocolate | 60,000 to 150,000 (2.30 to 5.80) | Supermarkets, Marou shops | High | Low |
| Fish sauce and pepper | 50,000 to 150,000 (1.90 to 5.80) | Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet, supermarkets | Low (leaks) | Medium |
How to shop in Vietnam without overpaying
Fixed-price shops vs markets
Bargaining is expected at markets, street stalls, cyclo vendors and lantern sellers. It is not expected at chain stores, supermarkets, boutiques and specialist shops with printed price tags. Offering half price at a fixed-price store is not rude, it just does not work.
Bargaining that works
At tourist markets, open at roughly 50 to 60 percent of the first price and expect to settle somewhere between 60 and 80 percent. Stay friendly. Walking away is the strongest move you have. Buying three items together usually gets a better per-item price than haggling hard on one.
Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Xuan in Hanoi and Hoi An's Old Town carry the largest markups in the country. The same lantern sold for VND 100,000 in Hoi An's market costs VND 40,000 at a workshop two streets back.
Pro tip: learn the Vietnamese numbers for 50, 100, 200 and 500 (năm mươi, một trăm, hai trăm, năm trăm). Sellers respond better to a number said in Vietnamese than to a calculator held up silently.
Paying
Cash in small notes solves most problems. VietQR and MoMo transfers are common with younger vendors, but foreign cards usually will not connect. Boutiques and tailors accept cards, often with a 2 to 3 percent surcharge. ATM limits are typically VND 2,000,000 to 5,000,000 (USD 77 to 192) per withdrawal. Always decline dynamic currency conversion when a terminal offers to charge in your home currency.
VAT refund for foreign visitors
Vietnam's VAT refund scheme exists but only applies at registered shops, requires an invoice and a minimum spend threshold that has changed in recent years. Check the current threshold and the airport procedure with the customs counter before you fly. Most souvenir shops and markets do not participate, so do not plan a shopping trip around it.
Food and drink: coffee, tea and snacks
1. Vietnamese coffee
Vietnam grows mostly robusta, which is why the coffee here tastes stronger and more bitter than the Arabica most visitors drink at home. A phin filter costs VND 30,000 to 100,000 (USD 1.20 to 3.85) and is the cheapest way to bring the ritual home.
Whole beans or pre-ground for a phin run VND 80,000 to 250,000 (USD 3 to 9.60) per 250 g. Instant 3-in-1 sachets such as G7 cost VND 55,000 to 80,000 (USD 2.10 to 3.10) per box.
Honest note: G7 and mainstream Trung Nguyen blends are sold in Asian grocery stores across Europe, North America and Australia. Buy the less exportable options instead, such as small-batch Dalat Arabica, flavoured instant in salt or coconut varieties, or a decent phin.
Skip weasel or civet coffee. It is widely adulterated with ordinary beans, and the caged-civet production behind most of it raises serious animal welfare concerns.
2. Tea
Thai Nguyen and Moc Chau green tea cost VND 80,000 to 250,000 (USD 3 to 9.60) per 100 g. Da Lat artichoke tea is a caffeine-free local specialty. Hanoi lotus-scented tea is the prestige buy: real hand-scented lotus tea runs several hundred thousand VND per 100 g, while very cheap "lotus tea" is usually green tea with artificial flavouring.
Tea is light, travels well and keeps for a year or more in a sealed tin. It is one of the best value-to-weight souvenirs in the country.
9. Dried fruit, cashews and chocolate
Ô mai, Hanoi's preserved fruit, costs VND 60,000 to 150,000 (USD 2.30 to 5.80) per box. Binh Phuoc cashews run VND 70,000 to 130,000 (USD 2.70 to 5) per 250 g. Dried mango and jackfruit are cheap and pack flat.
Marou bean-to-bar chocolate, made with Vietnamese cacao, costs VND 100,000 to 140,000 (USD 3.85 to 5.40) per bar and has shops in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Supermarkets such as Big C, GO! and Winmart sell the same snacks at fixed, lower prices than airport shops. Lotte Mart stocks a more limited local range, so do not count on it for Vietnamese gifts.
Clothing and fabric: tailoring, silk and ao dai
3. Tailor-made clothing and ao dai
Hoi An is the tailoring capital, with hundreds of shops within walking distance of the Old Town. Hanoi's Hang Gai area and Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 also have reliable tailors.
Realistic price bands for 2026:
- Shirt: VND 350,000 to 700,000 (USD 13.50 to 27)
- Dress: VND 700,000 to 1,800,000 (USD 27 to 69)
- Ao dai: VND 1,200,000 to 4,000,000 (USD 46 to 154)
- Suit: VND 3,000,000 to 7,000,000 (USD 115 to 270)
Bring photos of what you want. Allow 24 to 72 hours and schedule at least two fittings. Check seams, linings and buttons before paying, and ask for the fabric composition in writing. Quality varies enormously between shops on the same street.
Warning: touts and commission-driven tours steer visitors to specific tailors. Reviews on independent platforms are more reliable than a recommendation from a driver or hotel desk.
Tet closures matter. Lunar New Year 2027 falls on 6 February, and many tailors close for several days on either side. Rush orders placed in that window cost more and fit worse.
4. Silk
Van Phuc silk village near Hanoi, Hang Gai Street and Hoi An are the main sources. Real silk scarves usually start around VND 250,000 (USD 9.60). Anything sold as "silk" for VND 50,000 is polyester or a blend.
How to test: burn a thread. Real silk smells like burnt hair and leaves crushable ash. Polyester melts into a hard bead and smells like plastic. Real silk also feels warm to the touch and cools quickly when you let go.
Some price lists quote silk at suspiciously low figures. Treat anything under VND 200,000 per metre as a blend unless the seller can explain why.
Handicrafts: lacquerware, ceramics and lanterns
5. Lacquerware (sơn mài)
Vietnamese lacquer is built in layers, each one dried and polished before the next. A good piece takes weeks to months. Cheap pieces use spray lacquer or a single thin coat over a wooden base.
Check weight, smooth edges and the depth of the polish. A genuine piece feels heavier than it looks and reflects light evenly. Coasters and small boxes cost VND 100,000 to 600,000 (USD 3.85 to 23). Large paintings run into several million VND.
Buy from Hanoi Old Quarter specialist galleries or from workshops in Binh Duong province near Ho Chi Minh City. Street stalls selling "lacquer" bowls for VND 30,000 are usually painted plastic.
6. Bat Trang ceramics
Bat Trang village sits 13 km from central Hanoi and is reachable by bus or taxi in under an hour. The market street sells finished pieces, and several workshops let visitors paint or throw a bowl for a small fee.
Tea sets cost VND 250,000 to 800,000 (USD 9.60 to 31). Mugs start at VND 30,000 (USD 1.15). Many ceramics sold elsewhere in Vietnam come from Bat Trang anyway, so buying at the source mostly saves money and adds the workshop visit.
Packing advice: wrap each piece in bubble wrap and carry small items in hand luggage. For large sets, ask the workshop to ship, or accept that checked luggage is a gamble.
7. Hoi An lanterns
Hoi An lanterns are made from silk or synthetic fabric stretched over bamboo ribs. They fold flat, weigh almost nothing and survive a flight if packed between clothes.
Small lanterns cost VND 40,000 to 100,000 (USD 1.50 to 3.85). Large silk-heavy ones run VND 150,000 to 350,000 (USD 5.80 to 13.50). Cheap versions use shiny synthetic fabric that fades in sunlight.
Custom sizes take a day or two. The Hoi An full-moon lantern festival happens monthly on the 14th day of the lunar month, when the Old Town switches off electric lights. Mid-Autumn, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, is the biggest lantern season of the year.
Ethnic minority textiles and cultural crafts
8. Hand-woven and indigo textiles
Hmong, Dao, Tay and Cham textiles from Sapa, Bac Ha, Ha Giang and the central highlands are among the most distinctive crafts in Vietnam. Much of what is sold in Sapa, however, is machine-made, imported from China or mass-produced for tourists.
Signs of the real thing: irregular stitching, natural indigo that smells earthy and transfers slightly to skin, and handloom width that varies from piece to piece. Uniform patterns and perfectly straight machine seams are a warning sign.
Prefer cooperatives and social enterprises that state how artisans are paid. Indigo bags cost VND 150,000 to 400,000 (USD 5.80 to 15.40). Hand-embroidered blankets run VND 800,000 to 3,000,000 (USD 31 to 115).
Fish sauce, pepper and spices
10. Fish sauce, Phu Quoc pepper and spices
Fish sauce labels show a nitrogen degree, written as °N. Higher numbers mean more protein from fermented fish and a stronger, better sauce. Look for 30°N and above. The ingredient list should read anchovy and salt, nothing else.
Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet are the best-known origins. A 500 ml bottle costs VND 60,000 to 150,000 (USD 2.30 to 5.80). Phu Quoc pepper runs VND 50,000 to 120,000 (USD 1.90 to 4.60) per 100 g.
Packing is the real problem. Sealed glass leaks under cabin pressure. Choose plastic bottles, double bag them, wrap in a towel and place them in checked luggage, never in a carry-on.
Honourable mentions: nón lá, propaganda art, pearls and more
Nón lá (conical hat). Fun and cheap at VND 50,000 to 150,000 (USD 1.90 to 5.80), but bulky and easily crushed. Hue's Tay Ho village is the best-known source.
Propaganda poster reproductions. Good art at VND 100,000 to 400,000 (USD 3.85 to 15.40). Anything sold as an "original" is almost always a reprint.
Dong Ho folk prints and silk painting. Traditional and lightweight, though genuine old prints are rare.
Custom shoes and leather goods. Quality varies widely. Inspect the stitching before committing.
Pearls and jewellery. Vietnam is not known for fine jewellery. Pearls from Phu Quoc, Halong Bay and Nha Trang exist, but fakes are common, so buy only with a written certificate. Gold is priced by weight at jewellers such as PNJ and DOJI.
Instant pho and flavoured coffee. Ultra-cheap supermarket gifts that weigh almost nothing.
What to skip: fakes, illegal items and bad souvenirs
Illegal or restricted to export
Wildlife products are the biggest trap. Ivory, tortoiseshell, coral, rhino horn and bear bile products are illegal to buy and to export, and penalties include fines, confiscation and prosecution. Snake wine may contain protected species, which puts it under the same rules and creates CITES problems on arrival home.
Anything sold as an antique needs an export permit, assessed by Vietnamese authorities before it leaves the country. Without one, customs can seize the item.
Common scams and low-value buys
Counterfeit sports and outdoor brands fill market stalls. Beyond the quality issue, bringing fakes into the EU, US and several other countries carries legal risk.
Fake weasel coffee, fake pearls and "jade" that is glass or dyed stone are all common. Shops recommended by taxi drivers or tour guides usually pay commission, which is priced into what you pay.
Where to shop: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and beyond
Hanoi
Hang Gai for silk and clothing, Hang Ma for festival decorations, Dong Xuan Market for wholesale prices, Bat Trang for ceramics, Van Phuc for silk, and the Old Quarter's specialist galleries for lacquerware.
Ho Chi Minh City
Ben Thanh Market is convenient but marked up. Tan Dinh and Cho Lon offer better prices on fabric and food. Saigon Square is mostly copy goods. Marou has its own shops, and design stores cluster on Dong Khoi and inside the old apartment buildings on Nguyen Hue and Ly Tu Trong. Binh Tay Market in Cholon is the place for spices and tea.
Hoi An, Hue, Da Lat and Sapa
Hoi An for tailors and lanterns, Hue for conical hats and royal crafts, Da Lat for coffee and dried fruit, Sapa and Bac Ha for textiles, with extra caution about authenticity.
Customs, luggage and shipping: getting it home
Airport rules for liquids and food
Fish sauce, sauces and snake wine cannot go in cabin bags above 100 ml. Pack them in checked luggage, sealed inside plastic bags. A leaking bottle of fish sauce will ruin everything around it.
Import rules for food
Australia and New Zealand have strict biosecurity rules. Declare all food, dried fruit, nuts, seeds and wooden items. The EU, UK and US restrict some meat, dairy and plant products. Roasted coffee and dried tea are usually fine, but check your own country's customs page before departure rather than relying on a general rule.
Shipping and fragile items
Shipping beats carrying for large ceramics, lacquer panels and tailor orders over about 3 kg. Air parcel services charge by weight and volume, take one to three weeks, and need insurance and tracking for anything valuable.
| Item | Cabin bag? | Checked bag? | Declare on arrival? | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee and tea | Yes | Yes | Usually no | Low |
| Fish sauce | No (over 100 ml) | Yes, sealed | Check local rules | Leaks |
| Silk and textiles | Yes | Yes | No | Low |
| Ceramics | Small pieces only | Yes, wrapped | No | Breakage |
| Lacquerware | Yes | Yes | No | Scratches |
| Antiques | No | No | Permit required | Seizure |
When to buy and how much to budget
Timing
The best period for fresh stock is the weeks before Tet, Lunar New Year, which falls on 6 February 2027. Shops and tailors close for several days around it, so plan orders before or after. Mid-Autumn, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, is lantern season. Avoid placing rush tailor orders during either holiday.
Sample budgets
- Gift-only: under VND 500,000 (USD 19). Coffee, tea, ô mai, bamboo straws, small lanterns.
- Mid-range haul: about VND 2,000,000 (USD 77). Adds silk, lacquerware, ceramics, Marou chocolate and a bottle of fish sauce.
- Tailor-and-crafts trip: about VND 6,000,000 (USD 230). One suit or ao dai, plus textiles, a large lantern and a lacquer piece.
FAQ
Q: What are the best things to buy in Vietnam? Coffee, tea, tailored clothing, silk, lacquerware, Bat Trang ceramics, Hoi An lanterns, ethnic minority textiles, snacks and chocolate, and fish sauce with pepper. The table at the top of this guide gives prices and the best place to buy each one.
Q: Which brand is famous in Vietnam? Trung Nguyen and G7 for coffee, Highlands and Phuc Long for café chains, Marou for chocolate, Biti's for footwear, Vinamilk for dairy and Vinfast for cars. Of these, Marou and specialty coffee are worth buying as souvenirs. G7 and Vinamilk are widely exported, so they are not.
Q: What are some unique things about Vietnam that are worth buying? Goods tied to specific Vietnamese techniques or places: sơn mài lacquer, Bat Trang ceramics, Hoi An lanterns, phin filters, lotus tea and hand-woven ethnic textiles. Generic silk scarves and fridge magnets could come from anywhere.
Q: Is Vietnam known for jewelry? Not for fine jewellery. Pearls from Phu Quoc, Halong Bay and Nha Trang and silver or lacquer pieces are the main local products. Fakes are common, so buy only with a written certificate. Gold is priced by weight at specialised jewellers.
Q: What are some cheap things to buy in Vietnam? Items under about VND 150,000 (USD 5.80): instant coffee, banana and coconut candy, ô mai, phin filters, bamboo straws, small lanterns and local snacks. Supermarkets and local markets beat airport shops on price.
Q: What is famous to buy in Ho Chi Minh City? Marou chocolate, coffee beans, lacquerware and design goods, spices from Cho Lon and tailored clothing. Ben Thanh Market is convenient but pricier than Tan Dinh or Binh Tay.
Q: Can fish sauce, coffee and tea go in hand luggage or through customs? Liquids above 100 ml cannot go in cabin bags, so fish sauce belongs in checked luggage, sealed in plastic. Roasted coffee and dried tea are generally allowed, but check your destination's biosecurity rules, especially for Australia and New Zealand.
Q: Is bargaining expected in Vietnam? Yes at markets and street stalls, with a realistic target of 20 to 40 percent below the first price. No at fixed-price shops, supermarkets and branded stores. Politeness and a willingness to walk away work better than aggressive haggling.
