If you have a short time in Saigon but still want to discover some nice places to shop, this tour definitely suits you. We offer to fun tour and the best value for our shoppers. Our tours are designed to provide excellent shopping as well as an illuminating and interesting day out in Saigon.
Itinerary: 10:00AM to 13:00PM
SAIGON CENTER MALL
This shopping arcade is packed with stalls on two levels selling fashion, accessories, and jewelry – be aware of forgeries though, and remember the old adage that if it seems too good to be true it probably is. Even though it’s always bustling with shoppers, Saigon Center Mall is air-conditioned and undercover so it is far more pleasant than shopping in the Ben Thanh Market and it’s generally accepted that prices are far better here.
RUSSIAN MARKET
You'll find more than just clothing suited to a harsh Russian winter at Russian Market, a popular stop for expats and tourists from Eurasia. Located inside an air-conditioned building, the market offers branded winter gear, shoes, luggage, and sportswear, usually sold at lower prices than at typical outlets. Expect big piles of clothing stacked on top of each other, and prepare to spend some time rummaging for the right size and style.
There are also shops selling Russian food such as vodka, smoked carp, caviar, nuts circuit, salmon eggs, black bread, sausages, canned meat, and souvenirs.
LACQUER FACTORY
If in Asia, one must visit a lacquerware factory. These pieces of art are highly prized for their durability and beauty and take skilled craftsmen months to perfect.
Originally thought to have been introduced to the region in the 1400s, excavations of some tombs in Vietnam have found examples of lacquer dating back to the third century AD. Although the process of making lacquer has now been streamlined for mass consumption, these factories still make pieces painstakingly by hand.
During the tour, you will get to see this process in action. Starting from a plain block of wood, a lacquer artist applies several layers of varying colors of varnish over inlays that may be made of many different materials, such as egg shells or mother of pearl. Your tour guide will help you talk through a piece of lacquer from concept to completion, leading you along the way as you watch artists at work.
PRIVATE SHOPPING
Go and buy great souvenirs, gifts or whatever you would love to. Our guides will take you around the city to enjoy and buy Vietnamese coffee, flower, lantern . . . explore handcrafted products like carved hair ornaments, hand-painted fans, silk bags, woven fabrics and so on.
