Like Chinatown in Bangkok, Cho Lon has an area dedicated to selling, recycling and manufacturing motor parts. The work is done streetside, by people of all ages, and the tempo and energy is impressive.
Selling scooter tires in colourful wrappings.
Cholon and the Binh Tay market
Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown is considered the largest in the world, and covers large parts of district 5 and 6. Cholon was a separate city, 11km from Saigon, until 1931 when both had grown so much they merged into one.
The name of the area fittingly means big market in Vietnamese, Binh Tay Market spills out into the streets around the building, and the whole area is very busy.
The Binh Tay Market hall.
All the side alleys and back streets are teeming with manufacturing, recycling and machine workshops and small cafes.
At a backstreet cafe.
I will update with more posts with images from the backstreets and workshops of Cholon.
Live frogs. Animal welfare does not seem to be a priority.
The market mainly sells food, but there's also a lot of other things on sale.
Selling lottery tickets.