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Typical Souvenirs from Haiphong (2026)
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Haiphong on a Budget: Tips 2026
Street food is your best friend here. A bowl of banh da cua at Quan Ba Tam costs just 30,000 VND ($1.25). For a filling com binh dan (rice with meat and veggies), expect to payβ¦ π Eat Like a Local
Street food is your best friend here. A bowl of banh da cua at Quan Ba Tam costs just 30,000 VND ($1.25). For a filling com binh dan (rice with meat and veggies), expect to pay 25,000-40,000 VND. Avoid tourist-heavy spots near the Opera House for cheaper meals.
π Budget Accommodation
Dorm beds in hostels like The Secret Garden Haiphong start at 150,000 VND ($6.50) per night. Private rooms in guesthouses near the city center run 250,000-400,000 VND. Book directly or via local apps like VNDirect for the best rates.
π Cheap Transport
Local buses cost 7,000 VND per ride and cover most attractions. For short trips, rent a bicycle for 50,000 VND/day from shops on Dien Bien Phu Street. GrabBike (motorbike taxi) trips within the city are typically 10,000-20,000 VND.
π« Low-Cost Attractions
Entrance to the Du Hang Pagoda is free, while the Hai Phong Museum charges only 10,000 VND. The Cat Ba National Park entry is 40,000 VND. Many temples and parks, like Tam Bac Lake, have no admission fee.
π Free Things to Do
Stroll along the Lach Tray River promenade at sunset for free. Visit the local flower market on Tran Phu Street early morning. The Haiphong Opera House offers free outdoor concerts on weekends.
π‘ Local Money-Saving Tips
Locals often eat at street stalls rather than restaurants, saving up to 50%. Use the bus instead of taxis for longer trips. Shop at Cho Sat (Saturday Market) for fresh produce and snacks at half the supermarket price.
π΅ Getting Around Cheaply
Renting a motorbike for a day costs about 150,000 VND from shops on Nguyen Duc Canh Street. Gas is cheap, around 20,000 VND per liter. Always negotiate the rental price and check the bike's condition before riding.
π± Useful Apps
Download Grab for affordable rides and food delivery. Use Google Maps offline to avoid data charges. For bus schedules, the app BusMap Haiphong provides real-time routes and stops.
The banh da cua recommendation is spot on, but I'd also suggest trying the banh mi at Banh Mi Que on Lach Tray Street. It's different from the Saigon style with a thicker, crispier bread and a filling of local pork roll, only 15,000 VND. For getting around, the bus to Cat Ba Island from the central station is a steal at around 50,000 VND, and the ferry is included in the ticket price. I've found that renting a bicycle from the shops near the Tam Bac Lake area is usually a bit cheaper than Dien Bien Phu, around 40,000 VND, and they're often less busy.
This is a really solid budget breakdown. One thing I'd add is that the Cat Ba ferry tip is true, but the bus from the central station can get packed on weekends, so if you're flexible, a weekday trip is much more comfortable. For a free activity, I always recommend walking the old railway tracks near the Lach Tray stadium, they've been turned into a small community garden and it's a quiet spot most tourists miss. The banh cuon suggestion from the other reply is legit, that lady has been there for years and her fish sauce dipping sauce is better than any restaurant version I've tried.
Good guide, covers the essentials well. One thing I'd add is that for a real cheap breakfast, grab a couple of banh cuon from the lady who sets up near the Cat Da statue on Tran Hung Dao street. It's a bit hidden but it's only 10,000 VND for two rolls with the fried shallots and pork floss, and it's much better than the sit-down places.
For the free stuff, the flower market is a solid tip but it's really at its peak around 4 AM to 6 AM. If you show up at 8 AM it's mostly just cleanup and the sellers are packing up, so set an alarm if you want the full experience. I've also had good luck booking guesthouses through the local app Mytour instead of VNDirect, their cancellation policy is a bit more flexible.
Typical Souvenirs from Haiphong (2026)
Haiphong's coastal location makes dried squid, shrimp, and fish a beloved souvenir. Locals often buy these at the Cho Sat market (Sat Market) on Tran Phu Street, whereβ¦ π¦ Dried Seafood Specialties
Haiphong's coastal location makes dried squid, shrimp, and fish a beloved souvenir. Locals often buy these at the Cho Sat market (Sat Market) on Tran Phu Street, where vendors sell vacuum-packed packs starting at 100,000 VND. The tradition of drying seafood dates back centuries, as it was a way to preserve the catch for long sea voyages and inland trade.
π¬ Ga Gia Cake
Ga Gia cake is a chewy, sweet confection made from malt and ginger, a specialty of Haiphong's old quarter. You can find it at the family-run shop on 52 Dien Bien Phu Street, with boxes priced from 50,000 to 150,000 VND. This treat has been made for over a century, originally as a warming snack for dock workers during the cold winter months.
πΊ Ceramic Fish Sauce Jars
Small ceramic jars, often shaped like fish or decorated with coastal motifs, are a charming souvenir that reflects Haiphong's fishing heritage. Pick them up at the craft stalls in Cho Hang Duong (Hang Duong Market) on Tran Phu Street, where prices range from 30,000 to 80,000 VND. These jars echo the traditional earthenware used to store nuoc mam, the fermented fish sauce that is a cornerstone of Vietnamese cuisine.
𧡠Handwoven Lan Ha Textiles
From the nearby Cat Ba archipelago, handwoven cotton textiles in indigo and natural dyes are a meaningful buy. Look for them at the Cat Ba Market or at small cooperatives in the island's villages, with scarves and table runners costing 100,000 to 250,000 VND. Weaving is a centuries-old craft of the local fisherfolk, and each pattern tells a story of the sea and island life.
πΌοΈ Do Son Sea Paintings
Local artists often paint the iconic Do Son beach and its pine-covered hills, capturing Haiphong's seaside charm. You can buy original works at the Haiphong Fine Arts Gallery on 15 Le Hong Phong Street, with prints from 200,000 VND and originals from 1,000,000 VND. These paintings are a modern take on the landscape that has inspired poets and painters since the French colonial era.
π― Wild Honey from Cat Ba
Cat Ba National Park produces a distinct wild honey, harvested from the island's native flowers. You can purchase it at the park's visitor center or at local shops in Cat Ba town, with jars priced from 150,000 to 300,000 VND. This honey is prized for its medicinal properties and is a sweet reminder of the island's pristine nature.
πΏ Buddhist Prayer Beads
At the Du Hang Pagoda, one of Haiphong's oldest Buddhist sites, you can find wooden prayer beads carved from local fruit pits. The pagoda's souvenir stall sells them for 50,000 to 100,000 VND, with proceeds supporting the temple. These beads are a tangible piece of the city's spiritual life, blessed by monks and used for meditation.
π Where to Shop
For a one-stop souvenir run, head to Cho Sat (Sat Market) or the night market on Quang Trung Street, open from 5 PM to 10 PM. Bargaining is expected, so start at 70% of the asking price. For higher-end crafts, visit the Haiphong Museum gift shop, which supports local artisans.
solid list, the dried squid at Cho Sat is legit but honestly most locals grab it at the alley stalls off Tran Phu near the cathedral, cheaper and you can pick your own pieces. if you're getting ga gia cake, skip the fancy boxes and ask for the loose ones wrapped in paper, the family at 52 Dien Bien Phu will give u a taste first.
one thing missing: the little brass ship models sold near the port, around Cau Rao bridge. they're tiny but detailed, like 80k for a small one, and they actually look good on a shelf. also the honey from Cat Ba is way overpriced at the visitor center, buy it from the old lady selling fruit near the ferry dock in Cat Ba town, same stuff for half the price.
for the paintings, the gallery on Le Hong Phong is fine but i'd check the weekend art market at the opera house plaza instead, younger artists selling smaller pieces for like 150k, more fun to browse. bargaining at Cho Sat is expected but don't lowball too hard on seafood, they'll just laugh and walk away.
honestly the dried seafood list is pretty spot on but i'd add one thing locals actually bring back for family, the salted dried anchovies they sell loose at the morning market near the Cau Dat wharf, not the tourist spots. it's like 50k a kilo and way more flavorful than the packaged stuff, goes perfect with plain rice. my grandma always stocks up when she visits.
for the ga gia cake, the loose ones are the move but if u want something that actually survives the flight home, grab the ones with a bit more ginger, they keep better and taste less cloying after a day or two. also the night market on Quang Trung is good but it gets packed with tourists, if u want a chill vibe go on a weekday around 6 PM, the vendors are more patient and u can actually browse without elbowing anyone.
the ceramic fish sauce jars are cute but honestly most tourists miss the real deal, the big stone mortars and pestles they sell at hang duong market on the ground floor. my aunt uses one daily for her shrimp paste and it lasts forever, like 150k for a solid one. also if ur into the dried squid, skip the vacuum packs and ask for the grilled ones at the night market, they'll char it right there and u can eat it on the spot with some chili salt, way better than bringing it home tbh.
the prayer beads at du hang pagoda are a nice pick but i'd add that the pagoda itself is worth a wander, the gardens are quiet and the monks are used to foreigners asking questions. for the honey, yeah the visitor center rip-off is real, but if u happen to be on cat ba during the lychee season in june, some families sell lychee flower honey that's even more fragrant, ask around at the homestays near the national park entrance.