# Vietnam Shopping Spree? Here's How to Get It All Home

> Bought too much in Vietnam? Here's how to ship your souvenirs, coffee, clothing, and market finds home – from Ben Thanh Market to your doorstep.

Canonical: https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/articles/vietnam-shopping-spree-ship-it-all-home/
Last updated: 2026-04-23

Vietnam is a shopper's paradise. Between the markets, tailor shops, coffee stores, and art galleries, tourists routinely buy far more than their luggage can handle. If that's you – congratulations, you've had a great trip. Now let's get it all home.

## The best shopping spots and what to expect

### Ho Chi Minh City

**Ben Thanh Market** – the iconic tourist market. Great for lacquerware, clothing, bags, souvenirs, dried fruit, and coffee. Prices are negotiable – start at 50% of the asking price and work from there.

**Saigon Square** – better for clothing and accessories. Less touristy than Ben Thanh, slightly better prices.

**Dong Khoi Street** – upmarket shops and galleries. Higher quality art, silk, and designer goods.

### Da Nang and Hoi An

**Hoi An Ancient Town** – famous for tailors (suits, dresses, shoes), lanterns, silk, and ceramics. Plan 2-3 days for custom tailoring, including fittings.

**Han Market (Da Nang)** – similar to Ben Thanh but less crowded. Good for dried seafood, coffee, and local crafts.

## Smart shopping strategy: buy and ship

Instead of worrying about how everything fits in your luggage, adopt this approach:

1. **Buy freely** throughout your trip – don't limit yourself to what fits in a suitcase
2. **Keep all receipts** – you'll need them for customs declarations
3. **Store purchases at your hotel** – most hotels are happy to hold shopping bags
4. **Schedule a pickup** before your departure – we come to your hotel and collect everything

This way, you shop without stress and your items arrive home professionally packed.

## What tourists buy most (and ship home)

Based on thousands of shipments, here's what tourists buy and ship:

1. **Vietnamese coffee** – the number-one item. Buy at supermarkets or markets for best prices, not at the airport.
2. **Clothing** – custom-tailored suits, dresses, ao dai, silk scarves. Lightweight and easy to ship.
3. **Ceramics and pottery** – Bat Trang village near Hanoi, or available at markets everywhere.
4. **Art and paintings** – galleries in HCMC and Hoi An have beautiful lacquer and oil paintings.
5. **Lacquerware** – bowls, boxes, trays. Beautiful, lightweight, and distinctly Vietnamese.
6. **Spices and sauces** – Phu Quoc fish sauce, pepper, cinnamon, star anise.
7. **Dried fruits and snacks** – mango, coconut, jackfruit chips.
8. **Conical hats (non la)** – the iconic Vietnamese hat. Awkward to carry but easy to ship.

## Consolidation saves money

If you've shopped in multiple cities (HCMC, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hanoi), don't ship from each location separately. Instead:

- Ship everything from your last Vietnamese city
- One shipment of 15kg costs significantly less than three shipments of 5kg
- We can pick up from any hotel in HCMC or Da Nang

## Cost planning

Budget roughly **$25-40 per kilogram** for express international shipping, depending on destination. A typical tourist shopping shipment is 5-20kg.

Examples:
- 5kg of coffee and souvenirs to the US: ~$175
- 10kg mixed shopping to Australia: ~$300
- 15kg of everything to Japan: ~$375

[Get an exact quote](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/) – just list your items and destination.

## Timing your shipment

- **Ship 2-3 days before your flight** – gives us time to pack and dispatch, and your package may arrive close to when you do
- **Ship mid-trip** if continuing to other countries – travel light for the rest
- **Same-day pickup available** in HCMC and Da Nang during business hours

## The bottom line

Vietnam's shopping is too good to resist, and you shouldn't have to. Buy what you love, and let us handle getting it home. We've shipped everything from a single bag of coffee to an entire wardrobe of tailored suits.

[Start here: how tourist shipping works](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-souvenirs-home-vietnam-guide/) or [get a quote now](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/).

> **Bought a specific category?** Our dedicated guides have packing tips, customs rules by country, and instant quotes:
> [Vietnamese coffee →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-vietnamese-coffee-home/) · [*Bát Tràng* ceramics →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-ceramics-pottery-from-vietnam/) · [*Áo dài* and silk →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-ao-dai-silk-clothing-vietnam/) · [*Sơn mài* lacquerware →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-lacquerware-son-mai-from-vietnam/) · [Art and furniture →](https://gatewayexpress.vn/en/tourist-shipping/ship-art-furniture-from-vietnam/)