Shopping malls in Hai Phong: check opening hours, locations, and VAT refunds before you go

Hai Phong’s shopping malls each lean a different way on clothes, groceries, and travel essentials: AEON Mall is great for a few hours of browsing, Vincom Imperia focuses more on fashion, and GO! is conveniently located along the route toward Cat Bi Airport. Picking the right one from the start can save you a fair amount of unnecessary travel around the city.

1. Where should you go shopping in Hai Phong?

Most of Hai Phong’s major shopping malls and supermarkets are concentrated in the urban districts around Le Chan, Hong Bang, and the main roads leading toward Cat Bi International Airport. Vincom Mega Mall Royal Island is a little different, sitting on Vu Yen Island, where shopping works better as part of a longer outing than a quick stop.

These hours apply to the main shopping mall or supermarket. Individual stores, restaurants, cinemas, and cafes may follow different schedules, particularly during public holidays and Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.

2. AEON Mall Hai Phong Le Chan: shopping, dining, and entertainment in one place

Address: 10 Vo Nguyen Giap Street, An Bien Ward, Hai Phong.

Telephone: +84 225 3525 888.

AEON Mall Hai Phong Le Chan opened in December 2020 and remains one of the city’s largest shopping complexes. Covering approximately 158,000 square meters of floor space, it brings together nearly 200 shops and attractions, including fashion boutiques, cosmetics stores, homeware retailers, restaurants, a supermarket, and entertainment facilities.

At AEON you can pick up a few clothes, browse skincare products, stock up on groceries, have lunch, and catch a movie, all in the same visit.

It’s also a comfortable choice on rainy days, especially for families with young children or groups returning from Cat Ba Island who want somewhere relaxed to spend the afternoon.

The AEON supermarket and general merchandise store offer plenty of packaged foods, Japanese groceries, personal care products, and everyday household items. Travelers preparing for an island trip often come here for bottled water, snacks, sunscreen, tissues, and anything they’ve forgotten to pack.

What time does AEON Mall Hai Phong open?

Opening hours vary slightly between sections:

• Shopping mall: Monday to Friday, 10 AM-10 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM-10 PM.
• AEON supermarket: 8 AM-10 PM every day.
• AEON general merchandise store: 10 AM-10 PM on weekdays; 9 AM-10 PM on weekends.

Some ground-floor cafes open earlier. Highlands Coffee, for example, lists an opening time of 7 AM.

AEON also has free parking, with capacity for approximately 1,700 cars and 7,000 motorcycles and bicycles. Other facilities include free Wi-Fi, seating areas, and family-friendly amenities.

Photo: AEON MALL Hải Phòng Lê Chân

Getting here from central Hai Phong is straightforward by taxi or ride-hailing app. Enter AEON MALL Hai Phong Le Chan into your preferred navigation app to find the correct location.

Although the mall’s name still includes Le Chan, its official address now lists An Bien Ward following administrative changes. Older websites may still use the former address of Kenh Duong Ward, Le Chan District.

3. Which Vincom shopping mall in Hai Phong should you visit?

Hai Phong has three notable Vincom malls, each in a different part of the city.

Photo: Vincom Retail

4. Supermarkets in Hai Phong: where to buy supplies before an island trip or flight

For visitors staying just a few days, a supermarket can be more useful than a shopping mall.

Before traveling to Cat Ba or Ha Long Bay, buy water, snacks, and toiletries in the city so they are already in your bag when you reach your island accommodation.

GO! Hai Phong: convenient on the way to Cat Bi Airport

Address: Lot 1/20, Nga Nam - Cat Bi Airport New Urban Area, near the Le Hong Phong - Nguyen Binh Khiem intersection, Gia Vien Ward.

Opening hours: 8 AM-10 PM daily.

Telephone: 0949 286 285.

GO! Hai Phong, formerly known as Big C, sits on a major road connecting the city’s urban neighborhoods with the direction of Cat Bi International Airport.

Photo: An Nguyễn Hải

It’s one of the more practical supermarkets for travelers who need to buy a few last-minute items before flying.

The store carries groceries, bottled water, snacks, personal care products, cleaning supplies, and household essentials. Sunscreen, travel-sized shampoo, wet wipes, and packaged foods are among the useful things you can look for here.

MM Mega Market Hong Bang: better for bulk buying and group trips

Address: 2A Hong Bang Street, Hong Bang Ward, Hai Phong.

Regular opening hours: 6 AM-9 PM daily.

MM Mega Market operates a wholesale-style supermarket with more than 25,000 products, ranging from groceries and fresh food to household goods.

Many items come in larger packages, making this a useful option for groups traveling together or visitors staying in apartments with kitchen facilities.

Photo: Mia.vn

For example, a group spending several days in Hai Phong might stop here for drinking water, groceries, cleaning products, and shared household supplies.

The store also supports a relatively wide range of international payment cards, which is particularly helpful for foreign travelers.

WinMart and smaller supermarkets: easy stops near your hotel

Visitors staying downtown can also use WinMart branches inside Vincom Plaza Le Thanh Tong and Vincom Plaza Imperia.

These are convenient for small shopping trips, such as buying drinking water, fruit, biscuits, or personal hygiene products.

Co.opmart Hai Phong at Cat Bi Plaza on Le Hong Phong Street provides another supermarket option for travelers staying in that part of the city.

Before heading to Cat Ba Island, pack sunscreen, suitable motion-sickness medication, tissues, and essential toiletries while you’re still in Hai Phong.

5. Can you use a foreign Visa or Mastercard in Hai Phong?

International card payments are fairly common at shopping malls, larger hotels, restaurants, and chain retailers in Hai Phong.

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely recognizable options. Many payment terminals also support contactless transactions, allowing customers to tap a card or compatible smartphone.

Some retailers accept JCB and UnionPay as well.

MM Mega Market specifically lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay (CUP), and Diners Club among its accepted payment methods. American Express is not accepted there.

At smaller shops, card acceptance depends on the business and its payment terminal.

Visitors from Thailand, China, Singapore, Laos, and Cambodia may also encounter VietQRGlobal payment acceptance. This cross-border QR payment network works with certain supported banking and wallet apps from participating countries.

Not every VietQR code accepts foreign apps, so check that the merchant supports your particular payment provider.

Do you still need cash in Hai Phong?

Yes. Vietnamese dong is still useful for traditional taxis, street food stalls, small restaurants, and market vendors that don’t accept international cards.

Inside shopping malls, payments are generally handled at regular checkout counters. At local markets, cash often makes small purchases quicker and simpler.

6. Where can you bargain when shopping in Hai Phong?

At AEON Mall, Vincom, GO!, MM Mega Market, and major retail chains, prices are displayed on product labels or at checkout.

You pay the listed price unless a promotion, discount, or membership offer applies. Cashiers don’t negotiate individual product prices.

At traditional markets, souvenir stalls, and some shopping areas popular with tourists, asking about prices and negotiating politely is more common.

Compare prices at a few stalls selling similar products, then make a polite counteroffer.

For seafood, dried foods, and other goods sold by weight, ask about the price per kilogram.

When the vendor weighs your purchase, check whether packaging, plastic bags, foam boxes, or tying materials are included in the measured weight.

Beyond the malls, To Hieu, Cau Dat, and Lach Tray streets are busy retail areas with clothing boutiques, shoe shops, and accessories stores.

Most modern shops along these streets use fixed prices, while individual retailers decide their own discount policies.

7. Can foreign tourists get a VAT refund when shopping in Hai Phong?

Yes, although eligibility depends on the retailer, the product, the invoice, and the international departure point.

A foreign passport plus a normal shopping receipt won’t get you a refund.

Vietnam’s VAT refund scheme applies to eligible foreign visitors and Vietnamese citizens residing overseas who meet the relevant immigration documentation requirements. Flight crew and ship crew members fall under specified exclusions.

Since July 1, 2026, the procedure has followed new Ministry of Finance rules, while eligible goods and refund amounts follow Vietnam’s current VAT regulations.

Requirements for a tourist VAT refund

Several important conditions apply to goods purchased in Vietnam and taken abroad.

Goods prohibited from export, items that cannot legally be carried aboard an aircraft, and products excluded under applicable regulations are not eligible.

Individual retailers may also have their own restrictions. AEON, for example, lists exclusions including alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, bread, cakes, prepared foods, and certain jewelry products.

How much VAT can you get back?

Eligible travelers receive 85% of the VAT amount stated on qualifying invoices.

The remaining 15% of the VAT amount is retained as a service fee by the bank processing the refund.

For example, imagine buying an eligible item with a pre-tax price of VND 2 million.

At a VAT rate of 10%, the tax is VND 200,000, and the refund would be approximately VND 170,000.

For an item with the same pre-tax price but an 8% VAT rate, the tax is VND 160,000 and the corresponding refund is VND 136,000.

During 2026, many categories of goods benefit from a temporary VAT reduction from 10% to 8%, scheduled to remain in effect until December 31, 2026.

As a result, the actual refund depends on the VAT rate shown on your invoice. Not every purchase is taxed at 10%.

Refunds are paid in Vietnamese dong. Travelers wishing to exchange the refund into foreign currency can do so through the bank at its published exchange rate.

Does AEON Mall Hai Phong offer VAT refunds?

AEON Vietnam advertises a VAT refund service for foreign customers.

At participating AEON supermarkets and general merchandise stores, customers generally register for the required refund documentation at the customer service counter.

AEON doesn’t say which branches offer it, so at AEON Hai Phong Le Chan, ask the customer service desk before paying or call AEON Vietnam’s hotline at 1800 888 886.

AEON also states a minimum purchase threshold of VND 2 million before VAT for its own service.

Fashion boutiques and other independent retailers inside AEON Mall are separate businesses. A brand operating inside the mall might not offer VAT refunds even when the AEON supermarket participates.

At Vincom and other shopping destinations, look for a VAT Refund sign or ask a staff member whether the shop can issue the required refund invoice and declaration before you make payment.

Can you claim a VAT refund when flying internationally from Cat Bi Airport?

The airports that do offer it include Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, and Phu Quoc.

Certain international seaports also have refund facilities, including those at Da Nang, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoi, and Ben Dam.

Travelers flying directly from Cat Bi to Incheon or another overseas destination won’t get a VAT refund at Cat Bi.

Visitors who leave Hai Phong and later depart Vietnam internationally through Noi Bai Airport may be able to claim a refund there, provided their goods, invoices, and immigration circumstances meet the requirements.

For journeys involving a domestic connecting flight, pay particular attention to when your checked baggage will be handed over. Customs may need to inspect the goods before the baggage is checked through to the final destination.

Since July 2026, the competent customs authorities have had responsibility for determining where tourist VAT refund services are introduced, suspended, or discontinued at international airports and seaports.

This means the list can change. For expensive purchases, confirm the refund arrangements with your international departure airport before traveling.

How to claim a VAT refund at the airport

Photo: BINCO

1. Step 1

   Request the correct documentation when purchasing

   Show your valid passport and ask the retailer to issue the official VAT refund invoice and declaration.

   These documents must be prepared at the time of purchase. Returning later to request them is generally not accepted.

   AEON also states that products for which VAT refund documentation has already been issued are not eligible for exchanges or returns under its service policy.

2. Step 2

   Present your goods for customs inspection

   For items in checked baggage, present them to customs before checking in the relevant luggage.

   Carry-on items are inspected at the designated area after completing the required airport procedures.

   Keep your passport, VAT refund documents, and unused goods readily accessible.

   The regulations require travelers to submit their documents and present goods for customs inspection no later than 30 minutes before the aircraft or vessel departs.

   That is the final deadline. With several items to declare, arrive well before it.

3. Step 3

   Collect your refund

   Once customs has confirmed the documents, take your passport, boarding pass, and approved refund paperwork to the designated refund bank counter in the restricted departure area.

   The bank reviews the documents and processes the payment.

8. Shopping in Hai Phong during Tet: what changes?

Shopping hours during Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, can be very different from regular schedules.

Traditional markets and small family-run shops often close around New Year’s Eve. Major shopping malls and supermarkets may also close temporarily or operate shorter hours.

During Tet 2026, some large supermarkets in Hai Phong reopened from the second day of the Lunar New Year. However, the schedule varies by year and individual branch.

For Tet 2027, Lunar New Year’s Day falls on Saturday, February 6, with New Year’s Eve on Friday, February 5.

Travelers staying in Hai Phong over the holiday should finish buying groceries, toiletries, and other essentials before New Year’s Eve.

Large supermarkets usually publish their holiday schedules closer to Tet, so the standard opening hours in this guide shouldn’t be treated as guaranteed during the holiday period.

9. Where else can you shop in Hai Phong beyond the malls?

Around Chua Hang Street, the area known for Cot Den pâté has numerous shops selling pâté by weight and banh mi cay, Hai Phong’s famous small, spicy baguettes.

The Cat Hai fish sauce showroom at 43 Tam Bac Street is another place to look for a distinctive local product.

When bringing bottled fish sauce on a flight, check your airline’s rules on liquids and checked baggage, as restrictions can be more specific than the usual liquid allowance.

Hai Phong also has traditional food markets, flower markets, and the weekend Cho Hang market.

The old Cho Sat market building has already been demolished, so older travel guides directing visitors to that original structure are no longer accurate.

In Hai Phong, pick a place that fits your travel plans and check VAT refund eligibility before paying for expensive items.