Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

I had been invited to visit a friend’s family home for lunch one day and wanted to take a nice bunch of flowers along to show my appreciation to her mother, who would be preparing the food. So, a visit to Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, a wholesale flower market located in District 10, was in order.

Located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market is a must-see for any visitor to Vietnam. Open 24 hours a day, the market is a riot of color and activity, with thousands of fresh flowers on display. Roses, lilies, orchids, and daisies are just some of the blooms on offer, and the market also sells lucky bamboo and other plants.

In addition to fresh flowers, the market also offers artificial flowers, vases, and potting soil. Whether you’re looking for a special gift or just a bit of beauty in your life, the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market is sure to have what you’re looking for.

The market is stocked from the flower markets located primarily in the Mekong Delta and would supply many smaller markets around Ho Chi Minh City, such as Ben Thanh Market.

I had actually been wanting to visit Ho Thi Ky as part of my upcoming post, “Top Markets to Visit in Saigon,” so the timing was perfect. As opposed to most markets I visit, it wasn’t food based; however, I was in for a little surprise — but more on that later.

Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

When the taxi dropped me off, I wasn’t sure I’d arrived at the right place. The address, Ho Thi Ky, was right, but the street was empty, and no flower market in sight. I continued walking down Ho Thi Ky until I came across a few small shops with hardly an abundance of fresh flowers for sale.

To be honest, I hadn’t actually read very much about the flower market before arriving other than it was mentioned as one of the hidden gems in old Saigon, and at this point, the hidden part was proved correct! I had in my mind a large, centralized square flower market filled with flower shops.

However, after continuing to walk down Ho Thi Ky, the main street running through the middle of the flower market, it quickly became apparent that this market is actually made up of dozens of flower wholesalers lining narrow alleyways.

One of the flower shops with a wide array of choices at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market. This street being shown is Ho Thi Ky street, the street running through the flower market.

Some of the beautiful flowers at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

Normally, the best time to be at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market would be early morning when the supply is highest, and activity is at its peak. However, as I was planning to head straight to lunch after visiting the flower market, I arrived mid-morning.

As the hustle and bustle had subsided, it gave me a chance to wander through the maze of alleyways, stopping to take in the surroundings without getting in the way, which I managed to constantly do when I visited Saigon’s wholesale seafood market, Binh Dien.

A happy vendor at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

It should probably go without saying that the array of flowers was quite remarkable and the prices equally so. At each stall, I found the perfect bunch of flowers to take with me to lunch but thought it would be easier to buy them later, so I didn’t have to carry them with me as I explored.

A beautiful display of roses at Ho Thi Ky market from white to red and many shades of pink

Plenty of flowers to choose from at Ho Thi Ky Market in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Thi Ky Flower Market delivery van

By now, I’d been through most of the flower market and figured it was now time to buy the flowers. It was then I thought I saw, at the end of one of the narrow alleyways, dried fish hanging down from a small shopfront.

Having a bit of time up my sleeve, naturally, I had to explore and took off to see what else might be there.

It turned out that there was a small wet market selling the usual array of fresh fish, meats, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. I figured it was too good an opportunity to pass up, so I headed off down the alleyway to see what they had on offer.

As with most street markets in Ho Chi Minh City, this market was a vibrant place where you can find just about anything you need. The market stalls are piled high with fresh produce, seafood, spices, and more, and the atmosphere is electric with the sound of bargaining and laughter.

But it’s not just the food that makes a street market in Ho Chi Minh City special – it’s also the sense of community. Stallholders know their customers by name, and there’s a real sense of neighborliness in the air. Even if you don’t need to buy anything, it’s worth spending an hour or two browsing the stalls and soaking up the unique atmosphere.

An assortment of dried fish for sale near the Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

The food market is located on the side streets just off Ho Thi Ky

At one point, I realized I had probably spent enough time here and headed back to Ho Thi Ky Flower Market to take care of the reason I was here — to buy some flowers!

As I came out of the alleyway, I noticed a coffee stand with a few spare chairs and figured a quick coffee couldn’t hurt.

As I was heading there, I walked past a small stand with a lady making what appeared to be sweet snacks. She was pouring a thin batter over a charcoal-heated hotplate, making very thin crepes, then filling them with a few different ingredients out of small containers before rolling them up, ready to eat.

Preparing the crepe

Although I didn’t get a chance to see what was in the filling, I bought two anyway to have with my coffee. Turned out to be a great combination. I would have gone back for more, but I didn’t want to spoil lunch.

Just as I was finishing my coffee, I received a text from my friend, checking that I was going to be on time for lunch. It was then I realized I’d be cutting it fine if I stayed at the flower market any longer, so I settled up the bill and headed off in search of a taxi.

Fortunately, a taxi came along quickly, meaning I would make lunch on time.

Unfortunately, and it took me quite a while to realize, I’d forgotten to buy the flowers, the reason I went to Ho Thi Ky Flower Market in the first place.

Conclusion

Ho Thi Ky Market is a busy, colorful, and wonderful place to visit. Located in the city centre, this Ho Chi Minh City institution supplies flowers to markets throughout the city, such as Ben Thanh market. The flower market would be a sight to behold during the Lunar New Year and is a must-visit during any trip to see the beautiful flowers and taste some of the street food. And while there, don’t forget to head down one of the side streets off Ho Thi Ky to enjoy some street food such as crab soup and sticky rice.

Where: Ho Thi Ky Flower Market is located in District 10, off Ly Thai To, Ho Chi Minh City (simply type Ho Thi Ky into google maps)

When: Ho Thi Ky Flower Market is open 24 hours, but as with other flower markets, early morning would be the best time

Are you planning a family trip to Vietnam? Then check out this Family Friendly Itinerary, where you will find heaps of tips for family-friendly places to stay and family-friendly activities.

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