Vietnam Travel & Business Diary – Day 5: An Dong vs Tan Binh Wholesale Clothing Markets in Ho Chi Minh City
Our Day 5 in Vietnam was mainly focused on something very important for our business planning — wholesale clothing market research in Ho Chi Minh City.
Since we were planning to explore the possibility of sourcing ladies', kids' and men's clothing from Vietnam for our business in India, I wanted to visit the markets personally instead of depending only on information available online.
On this day, we visited An Dong Market and Tan Binh Market and compared the products, prices, variety and overall shopping experience.
This was not simply a shopping trip for us. It was a proper business market research day.
If you are also planning a Vietnam trip for wholesale shopping, you may first like to read my detailed guide on Vietnam Wholesale Clothing Markets.
Starting Our Day in Ho Chi Minh City
We started the day from our hotel after breakfast.
As I have mentioned in my previous Vietnam diary posts, travelling with a family of eight meant that we had to plan our transportation and daily activities carefully.
For transportation around Ho Chi Minh City, we mostly preferred Grab, as it was convenient for our group and allowed us to check the approximate fare before travelling.
You can also read my Vietnam Trip Cost from India 2026 to get an idea of the expenses involved in a Vietnam trip.
First Stop: An Dong Market
Our first important market visit was An Dong Market.
An Dong is known for clothing, fashion products and wholesale shopping, so naturally I was quite interested in seeing it personally.
We walked through the market and checked different shops and clothing items.
There were products available, but honestly, my personal experience at An Dong was not as impressive as I had expected before visiting.
The market felt quite crowded and the shops were closely packed together.
For my particular purpose of finding suitable wholesale clothing for my business in India, I did not feel that the prices were attractive enough to make a purchase.
So I decided to continue our research rather than buying simply because we had reached the market.
Why I Did Not Buy from An Dong
This was an important lesson for me.
Before going to Vietnam, I had already planned a considerable amount for inventory.
But once you are physically standing in a wholesale market, you realise that the purchase price is only one part of the calculation.
For an Indian business, you also have to consider:
- Shipping charges
- Customs and duties
- Taxes
- Cargo expenses
- Transportation
- Other import-related costs
- Final landed cost in India
Therefore, a product that looks inexpensive in Vietnam may not necessarily be inexpensive after reaching India.
This is why I decided to research properly before purchasing.
If you are planning to import clothing from Vietnam, you can also read my guide on How to Import Clothes from Vietnam to India.
From An Dong to Tan Binh Market
After visiting An Dong, we continued towards Tan Binh Market.
Tan Binh was approximately 6–7 km from An Dong, depending on the route.
And this is where my experience became more interesting.
My Personal Experience: Tan Binh Felt Better for My Requirements
After visiting both markets, personally, I found Tan Binh more suitable for the type of clothing sourcing I was researching.
I found a good variety of clothing stalls and products.
While walking around the market, I also noticed many women managing or working at the clothing stalls, which was interesting to observe.
Of course, this is my personal experience from our visit. Different buyers may have different requirements and may have a completely different experience.
Men's Pre-Winter Clothing at Tan Binh
One of the products that caught my attention was men's pre-winter clothing.
I saw clothing being offered in quantities of approximately 100–200 pieces.
Some products were available in sets covering three sizes, for example:
M / L / XL
or
XL / XXL / XXXL
One example I checked was approximately 280,000 VND per piece.
At the exchange rate we were using, this was approximately ₹1,050 per piece.
However, I did not consider ₹1,050 to be the final cost.
After considering shipping and other import expenses, I estimated that the landed cost could potentially reach around ₹1,600–₹1,700 per piece, depending on the actual shipping and import costs.
That calculation made me think carefully about whether buying in Vietnam would actually give us enough margin in India.
For more information about shipping, see my detailed guide:
How to Ship Clothes from Vietnam to India
Checking Sunglasses and Other Products
While exploring the market, we also checked some other products.
For example, we asked about sunglasses and one seller quoted around 200,000 VND.
This was another useful part of our market research.
I realised that it is important to:
Ask → Compare → Calculate → Then Decide
Rather than buying immediately.
When visiting wholesale markets in another country, never assume that the first price you hear is necessarily the final or best price.
Did We Finally Purchase Clothing?
No.
Even though we had planned an inventory budget of approximately ₹3–4 lakh, we ultimately decided not to purchase the planned stock on this trip.
Some people may think that if you travel all the way to Vietnam for wholesale shopping and come back without buying anything, the trip was unsuccessful.
But I don't think so.
For me, the purpose was not simply to spend money.
The purpose was to understand the market.
I wanted to know:
- What kind of clothing is available?
- What are the wholesale prices?
- What quantities do sellers offer?
- What is the quality like?
- How much would the products cost after importing them to India?
- Which market appears more suitable for my requirements?
- Can the final selling price in India provide a reasonable business margin?
Getting answers to these questions was itself valuable.
An Dong vs Tan Binh – What I Personally Found
After visiting both markets, my personal experience was quite clear.
An Dong Market
I found An Dong crowded and the shops were closely packed.
Although there were clothing products available, I personally did not find the prices attractive enough for my planned purchase, so I did not buy anything.
Tan Binh Market
I personally found Tan Binh more interesting for my clothing-sourcing requirements.
There was a variety of clothing, and I found some products more relevant to what I was looking for.
However, I would not say that one market is automatically better for every buyer.
Your best market will depend on:
- Your product category
- Your budget
- Quantity required
- Quality requirements
- Target customers
- Shipping cost
- Final landed cost
Therefore, if you have enough time, visiting both markets and comparing them yourself can be useful.
My Biggest Lesson from Day 5
The biggest lesson I learned on this day was:
Don't buy just because you have reached the market.
Before travelling to Vietnam, it is easy to think:
"I will go to the wholesale market and buy everything there."
But actual business is different.
You need to calculate the complete cost.
For example:
**Vietnam wholesale price
- transportation
- shipping/cargo
- customs/taxes
- other expenses
= approximate landed cost in India**
Only after calculating this should you decide whether the product makes sense for your business.
A Useful Tip for Indian Boutique Owners
If you are planning to visit Vietnam for clothing sourcing, prepare a list before travelling.
Write down:
- Product category
- Target purchase price
- Quantity required
- Preferred sizes
- Quality level
- Maximum landed cost
- Expected selling price in India
This will help you avoid emotional or impulsive purchases.
You may also find my Vietnam Currency Guide for Indians useful while calculating prices.
Quick Advice for Indian Travelers & Boutique Owners
Visit more than one market.
Compare prices before buying.
Check quality carefully.
Ask about minimum quantities.
Calculate your complete landed cost.
And don't feel pressured to buy just because you travelled to Vietnam for shopping.
For me, returning without purchasing the planned ₹3–4 lakh stock was actually an important business decision.
I learned more by visiting the markets personally than I could have learned from simply looking at online information.
Visa & Travel Planning for Vietnam
If you are travelling to Vietnam and also planning to explore business or sourcing opportunities, make sure you understand the applicable visa requirements and current immigration rules before travelling.
You can read:
Vietnam E-Visa Guide for Indian Travelers
You can also read:
Vietnam Tourist Visa vs Business Visa
And my personal experience:
DIY Vietnam Guide – How I Saved Thousands on Visa & Flights
Always check the latest official requirements before applying.
Final Thoughts – Day 5
Day 5 was one of the most useful days of our Vietnam journey because it gave me a real understanding of the wholesale clothing market.
We visited An Dong Market and Tan Binh Market, checked clothing prices, looked at different products and tried to understand whether importing from Vietnam would actually make business sense for us in India.
Although I had planned to purchase clothing worth around ₹3–4 lakh, I decided not to rush into buying.
Personally, I found Tan Binh more suitable than An Dong for the type of clothing sourcing I was exploring, but this is based on my own experience and requirements.
The biggest thing I learned was that good business research is not only about finding cheap products. It is about finding products whose complete landed cost, quality and potential selling price make sense.
Sometimes, not buying is also a business decision.
And our Vietnam journey continued…
Read My Other Vietnam Guides
👉 Vietnam Wholesale Clothing Markets – Complete Guide
👉 How to Import Clothes from Vietnam to India
👉 How to Ship Clothes from Vietnam to India
👉 Vietnam Trip Cost from India 2026
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