ShoppingFresh

Shopping in Vietnam: what to buy in 2026

Coffee, silk, lacquerware, ao dai, spices and pearls — a concrete list with 2026 prices in VND and rough USD, where to find each (markets, malls, craft villages), how to bargain and what customs will let you fly home with.

Updated 7 October 202610 min read

Vietnamese coffee beans — the top souvenir to buy in Vietnam — Vietnamese coffee is the single most popular thing travellers take home

Prices checked in March 2026 against Lotte Mart, Big C and brand stores; rough USD at ~26,000 VND = $1. Customs limits are stated in general terms — always confirm your airline's and your home country's allowances before you fly, using sources like your national customs site and the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

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Coffee — the top thing to buy in Vietnam

Roasted Vietnamese coffee beans close up — robusta and arabica — Vietnamese coffee beans are sold in brand stores and supermarkets

Vietnam is one of the world's largest coffee exporters. A 500 g pack of decent coffee runs 80,000–150,000 VND (~$3–6) — a fraction of what you'd pay back home. If you want the full story on varieties, brands and where to buy, we have a dedicated guide to Vietnamese coffee.

Quick facts

Vietnamese coffee — why it's worth the suitcase space

Vietnam is one of the world's largest coffee exporters

Prices a fraction of what you pay at home

Roasted or ground coffee travels freely (sensible quantities)

A great gift — compact, light, and universally liked

The main coffee types

Vietnamese coffee varieties
Variety	Taste	Caffeine	Best for
Robusta	Strong, bitter, with a nutty finish	High	Lovers of strong coffee
Arabica	Softer, brighter, fruity notes	Medium	Fans of a subtler cup
Culi (peaberry)	Arabica-robusta blend, intense	High	Trying something unusual
Excelsa	Rare, with a chocolate-berry aroma	Low	Collectors

Top brands — what to grab

Top Vietnamese coffee brands
Brand	Line	Price per 500 g	Notes
Trung Nguyen	Sang Tao #1–5	100,000–250,000 VND (~$4–10)	The #1 brand, in ascending strength
Trung Nguyen	G7 (instant 3-in-1)	60,000–80,000 VND (~$2.40–3.20)	The most popular instant
Trung Nguyen	Legend	200,000–400,000 VND (~$8–16)	Premium line
Me Trang	MC, Ocean Blue	80,000–150,000 VND (~$3–6)	Strong in Nha Trang, quality robusta
Highlands Coffee	—	100,000–180,000 VND (~$4–7)	Vietnam's answer to Starbucks
Vinacafe	3-in-1	50,000–70,000 VND (~$2–2.80)	Budget instant

Weasel coffee — the truth

Weasel or civet coffee (cà phê chồn, luwak) is the world's priciest coffee. The beans pass through the digestive tract of the palm civet, whose enzymes strip out the bitterness and leave a smooth, caramel-tinged cup.

Real civet coffee starts at about $385 a kilogram (around 10,000,000 VND). Anything cheaper is flavoured coffee with "Luwak" or "Chon" printed on the bag. A $5–20 pack is guaranteed imitation.

Heads up: don't buy "luwak" under $385/kg — it's a fake. If a vendor calls it "luwak on sale," it isn't luwak. Buy only from brand stores that issue certificates.

At markets and in tourist shops you are very likely to be offered "analogues" or outright fakes, where the beans have either passed through other animals or never been through that process at allTourProm news team, tourprom.ru, 2026

If you want the flavour without the price tag (or the ethics question), grab Trung Nguyen Legendee — an enzyme process with no animals involved, from 200,000 VND for 250 g.

The Vietnamese filter (phin)

The phin is the little metal drip filter Vietnamese coffee is brewed through. It costs 30,000–100,000 VND (~$1.20–4). Compact, light and basically unbreakable — a perfect gift for a coffee lover, and sold in every coffee shop and supermarket.

Where to buy coffee

Brand stores (Trung Nguyen, Me Trang) — guaranteed authenticity and freshness
Supermarkets (Lotte Mart, Big C, GO!) — fixed prices, easy to compare
Markets — cheaper, but higher fake risk. Buy only sealed packs

In Nha Trang, look for Me Trang stores and Viet Farm; in Ho Chi Minh City, the Trung Nguyen brand stores on the central streets. For loose beans, check the shape: arabica beans are elongated with an S-shaped crease, robusta beans are round with a straight one.

Tea from Vietnam

Vietnamese tea is a great alternative to coffee as a gift — cheap, light and long-lasting.

Types of Vietnamese tea
Tea	Notes	Price
Green Thai Nguyen	The classic, from Thai Nguyen province	50,000–200,000 VND (~$2–8)
Lotus (tra sen)	Prized, scented with lotus	100,000–500,000 VND (~$4–20)
Artichoke (atiso)	For digestion, caffeine-free	30,000–80,000 VND (~$1.20–3.20)
Ginseng	Energising, popular in Da Lat	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)
Oolong (highland)	Taiwanese-style, from Lam Dong	200,000–500,000 VND (~$8–20)

Artichoke tea and artichoke extract are among the most popular health gifts, and the Da Lat product — grown on the highland plantations — is the one to look for. Most of it is sold as food, not medicine, and artichoke is contraindicated with liver disease or gallstones. How to take it and who should avoid it is in our Vietnamese artichoke guide.

Traditional Asian tea ceremony — pouring tea from a clay pot into a cup beside a terracotta brazier — A traditional tea ceremony — clay pot, cup and a terracotta brazier

Our serviceAbout the service

Fast Track — no queue at the border

5–10 minutes instead of an hour in the immigration queue

AirportsNha Trang · Da Nang · Hanoi · Ho Chi Minh · Phu Quoc

from$11per passenger

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Spices and sauces

Vietnamese spices and sauces
Item	Notes	Price
Fish sauce nuoc mam (Phu Quoc)	The island's signature product	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)
Phu Quoc black pepper	Very aromatic	30,000–80,000 VND (~$1.20–3.20)
Chilli sauce tuong ot	The Vietnamese sriracha	20,000–50,000 VND (~$0.80–2)
Shrimp paste	For authentic Vietnamese dishes	30,000–60,000 VND (~$1.20–2.40)
Lemongrass, turmeric, chilli	Dried spices for marinades	20,000–50,000 VND (~$0.80–2)

Phu Quoc fish sauce is to Vietnam what Tuscan olive oil is to Italy. The island makes the country's best nuoc mam, and the factories are open to visitors — you can watch it being made and buy straight from source. Phan Thiet makes its own nuoc mam too.

The local pepper really is good, but at markets ordinary ground black pepper mixed with additives to bulk up its weight is often sold as "unique" or "exclusive"TourProm news team, tourprom.ru, 2026

Two wicker baskets of freshly harvested green peppercorn clusters on a Phu Quoc farm — Freshly picked pepper at a farmer's house on Phu Quoc. Photo: Tonbi ko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nuts and dried fruit

Fresh cashew nuts — Vietnamese cashews are large and inexpensive — a fraction of the price back home

Vietnam is one of the world's largest cashew exporters. The nuts are big, well-priced and everywhere — an easy, crowd-pleasing gift.

Nuts and dried fruit from Vietnam
Item	Notes	Price
Cashews (salted, honey, coconut)	Large calibre	150,000–300,000 VND (~$6–12)
Macadamia	Half the price of Australian	300,000–500,000 VND (~$12–20)
Dried mango	Light and easy to pack	50,000–100,000 VND (~$2–4)
Jackfruit chips	Crunchy and exotic	50,000–80,000 VND (~$2–3.20)
Coconut candy (keo dua)	From Ben Tre, the coconut capital	20,000–50,000 VND (~$0.80–2)
Lotus-seed sweets	Unusual flavour, pretty packaging	30,000–80,000 VND (~$1.20–3.20)

Tip: dried fruit and fruit chips make great gifts — light, compact and long-keeping, with no export headaches (unlike fresh fruit, which most countries won't let you bring in).

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Alcohol

Vietnamese alcohol
Drink	Strength	Price	Notes
Sugarcane rum (Rhum Chauvet)	40%	80,000–200,000 VND (~$3–8)	Smooth, a French Indochina legacy
Coconut rum	25–30%	100,000–250,000 VND (~$4–10)	An exotic gift
Rice wine (ruou nep cam)	29–35%	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)	A traditional strong drink
Apple wine (tao meo)	12%	50,000–120,000 VND (~$2–4.80)	Cider-like
Sim wine (ruou sim, Phu Quoc)	12–15%	80,000–200,000 VND (~$3–8)	From wild sim berries, a local rarity
Snake / scorpion liquor	40%+	150,000–500,000 VND (~$6–20)	A bottle with a reptile inside

Sim wine is Phu Quoc's signature drink, made from sim berries. Look for it at the Duong Dong night market and in local shops; for more of these after-dark bazaars, see our guide to Vietnam's night markets.

On flying it home: spirits go in checked luggage, and how much you can bring in duty-free depends on your home country, so check your destination's allowance. Snake liquor in particular may be restricted at some borders.

A Hoi An shop with dozens of glowing silk lanterns in floral prints — Hoi An silk lanterns fold flat and pack easily into a suitcase. Photo: Christophe95, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Pearls

Vietnamese pearls run 30–40% cheaper than in Europe. Cultured pearls are farmed off Phu Quoc island, in Ha Long Bay and around Nha Trang.

Pearl jewellery prices
Item	Where	Price
Earrings (freshwater)	Pearl farms, jewellers	from ~$50
Necklace (saltwater)	Long Beach Pearl (Phu Quoc)	from ~$150–300
Bracelet	Certified farms	from ~$80
Jewellery set	Official farm stores	from ~$200

How to tell a real pearl from a fake

Tooth test. Rub the pearl along the edge of your tooth. A real one feels slightly gritty — that's the nacre structure. A fake glides smooth
Check the drill hole. Fakes show flaking paint or a plastic core around the hole
Rub two together. Real pearls create a little friction and a fine pearly powder
Temperature. Natural pearls stay cool to the touch even in the heat; plastic feels warm right away

Where NOT to buy: beach hawkers and street stalls — near-certain fakes. Buy only from pearl farms that issue a certificate of authenticity.

Balms and remedies

Vietnamese balms and remedies are among the most practical things to bring home — they cost next to nothing and genuinely work.

Vietnamese remedies and balms
Item	Notes	Price
Golden Star balm (Cao Sao Vàng)	Headaches, blocked nose, insect bites. Ointment in a 10 g tin	~18,000 VND (~$0.70)
White Tiger (Bạch Hổ)	Warming rub for muscles and joints, 20 g bottle	~26,000 VND (~$1)
Cobratoxan	Cobra-venom cream for rheumatic and muscle pain, neuritis; 20 g tube	45,000–70,000 VND (~$1.70–2.70)
Artichoke supplements	For digestion	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)
Reishi-mushroom supplements	Immune support	100,000–300,000 VND (~$4–12)

The Golden Star balm sold here is Cao Sao Vàng by OPC, in small tins. The inhaler stick and liquid balm sold as "Golden Star" in Russia come from a Russian manufacturer; we found no OPC stick in Vietnamese pharmacies. A "Red Tiger" on the shelf is a version of Singapore's Tiger Balm, not the Vietnamese White Tiger. Ingredients, age limits and how White Tiger differs from Tiger Balm are in our guide to Vietnamese balms.

Tip: buy remedies and balms at pharmacies, not souvenir stalls — proper storage and no fakes. If you take supplements home, glance at your country's rules on herbal products first.

Cosmetics and skincare

Natural cosmetics — oil serum, cream and gel with plant extracts — Coconut oil, snail gel, aloe — Vietnamese skincare costs a fraction of Korean equivalents

Vietnamese cosmetics are natural, cheap and full of exotic ingredients you won't find on European shelves.

Vietnamese cosmetics and skincare
Item	Notes	Price
100% coconut oil	Unrefined, cold-pressed	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)
Face masks	Snail extract, ginseng, mucin	10,000–50,000 VND (~$0.40–2)
Aloe vera gels	Natural, for skin and hair	30,000–80,000 VND (~$1.20–3.20)
Pearl powder	For brightening the skin	80,000–200,000 VND (~$3–8)
Scrubs and peels	Natural ingredients	50,000–150,000 VND (~$2–6)

What sets Vietnamese cosmetics apart are the exotic components: noni extract, bird's nest, bitter melon, agarwood. In Ho Chi Minh City, head to the shops near Ben Thanh Market for the local brand Thorakao, which has a good range.

Silk, ao dai and lacquerware

Clothing and silk goods from Vietnam
Item	Where	Price
Ao dai (made to measure)	Hoi An — 1,000+ tailors	from ~$60
Silk (by the metre)	Hoi An, Phan Boi Chau St	250,000–750,000 VND (~$10–30)
Silk scarves	Markets, shops	from ~$8
Lacquerware	Craft villages, art shops	from ~$5
Conical hat (non la)	Everywhere	30,000–150,000 VND (~$1.20–6)
T-shirts, shorts	Markets	50,000–200,000 VND (~$2–8)

Lacquerware (sơn mài) is a signature Vietnamese craft — bowls, trays and boxes built up from many layers of resin and often inlaid with eggshell or mother-of-pearl. The best prices are in the craft villages rather than tourist shops. The ao dai, the national silk dress, is worth a section of its own — see our guide to the ao dai.

A rack of colourful silk scarves outside a painting shop in Hoi An — Silk scarves outside a shop in Hoi An. Photo: Fa2f, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Tip: Hoi An is the town of tailors — over 1,000 workshops and around 500 clothing shops. A made-to-measure ao dai takes as little as 5–6 hours: pick the fabric, get measured, collect the finished dress. Doable in a single day.

Buying at the source — ceramics, silk and incense are cheapest in the craft villages of Vietnam.

Where to shop, bargaining and customs

You'll shop in four kinds of place, each with a role:

Markets (Ben Thanh in Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Xuan in Hanoi, the night markets in Hoi An and Da Lat) — the widest range and the cheapest prices, but fakes and tourist mark-ups are common. Bargaining expected
Supermarkets and malls (Lotte Mart, Big C, GO!, Vincom, AEON) — fixed prices, sealed goods, fakes are rare. Best for food, coffee and gifts you want to trust
Brand stores (Trung Nguyen, Me Trang, pearl-farm outlets) — authenticity guaranteed, certificates for pearls
Craft villages — silk, ceramics, lacquer and incense straight from the makers, at the lowest prices

How to bargain: at markets, prices are a starting point, not a rule. A fair opening counter is roughly half the quoted price, then settle somewhere in the middle. Stay friendly, smile, and be ready to walk — the price often drops as you turn to leave. In supermarkets and malls, prices are fixed; don't haggle there. For the full playbook on haggling and market etiquette, see our guide to markets and customs.

Customs, in general terms: most of what's in this guide — coffee, tea, spices, dried fruit, cosmetics, silk, pearls — travels freely in sensible quantities. Watch the limits on alcohol and know that fresh fruit, meat and some plant or animal products are barred at many borders. The binding rules are your airline's and your home country's, so check both before you fly.

Checklist

Shopping checklist: food, drink, cosmetics

Grabbed 2–3 packs of coffee (Trung Nguyen or Me Trang) plus a phin filter

Bought Phu Quoc fish sauce (nuoc mam) and black pepper

Stocked up on cashews and dried mango for gifts

Picked up a Golden Star balm (Cao Sao Vàng) at a pharmacy

Checked my home country allowance for alcohol

Checked pearls for authenticity (tooth test, temperature)

Eyed cosmetics with coconut oil and snail extract

Asked about a made-to-measure ao dai in Hoi An

Done: 0 of 8

Prices current as of March 2026, at ~$1 = 26,000 VND. Checked at Lotte Mart, Big C, brand stores and markets in Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang; they vary by season and venue. Customs figures are indicative — always confirm your airline's and your home country's allowances before travelling.