One of the perks of teaching at an international school is that you make friends that go teach at other international schools and you get to go visit them. This is how my boyfriend and I found ourselves in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for the end of June and beginning of July.
So without further ado, here are five fabulous things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (aka Saigon)
1 Food (and coffee!!)
Since Vietnamese food is a whole thing right now, I figured we should just start here. The food in Ho Chi Minh is amazing. The things you have to try are Vietnamese coffee (it is everywhere, drink it all and bring extra dental care equipment so your teeth don’t rot out of your head due to sugar consumption), pho (pro tip: pronounced fa) and summer rolls.
The BEST way to sample local cuisine and get a taste for local culture is to sign up for a scooter food stall tour of the city. Our friends organized a tour with Saigon Kiss and I would recommend them. The guides will take you all over the city, deal with ordering your food and explain all the different dishes.
You can also sample a large variety of local foods in a very tourist-friendly setting at the Street Food Market, around the corner from Ben Thanh (picture below). You’ll pay extra for the English translations/navigable vibe and it feels a little like a tourist attraction, but it’s a great place to get situated and learn the names of some of the foods you might like. If you’re looking for a nice meal, Anon Restaurant and Rooftop Bar is a fun option.
2 Markets
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is full of street markets. Ben Thanh market is the most famous and definitely worth a visit. It is like walking into a very large, crowded room of requirement, if the room of requirement was full of sharp-eyed Vietnamese ladies selling custom-tailored clothing and off-brand handbags. If bargaining and shopping is not your thing, head to the South end stalls, get a Vietnamese coffee (see above) or fresh, young coconut juice, and just watch the madness for a little while. Picture below.
There is also a great street market called Ton That Dom near the Saigon Skydeck: walk slow and watch local grocery shopping.
3 Views and culture
As with most cities, the best places to take in the view are from the water or from the sky. Check out a boat cruise Saigon River or the Saigon Skydeck at Bitexco (view below). For a great local culture activity, get evening ticket the Saigon Water Puppets Show or the A O Show by Lune Productions at the Saigon Opera House.
4 War Memorial Sights
As an older mature American, it’s impossible to visit Vietnam without reflecting on the US military involvement there in the 60’s and 70’s. It’s possible to learn a lot about the conflict during your trip. I would recommend watching the Ken Burns documentary and/or reading some biographies while you are there or before you go. Additionally, it’s possible to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels (any hotel can help you arrange an excursion). The War Remnants museum is amazing (photo below) and afterwards you will need a drink–if you want to stay with the military theme you can visit the rooftop at the Rex, the Continental Hotel with it’s ‘Continental Shelf’ bar, or the Hotel Caravelle, all locations where the US media gathered during the war.
5 Lodging
Which district to stay in is a big decision in a traffic-filled, spread-out city like Saigon. We stayed in both District 1 and the Thao Dien area (District 2). If you are looking for a calm, ex-pat-inspired experience I would recommend Thao Dien (we stayed at the Saigon Riverside Retreat for an ultra-peaceful experience at a private hotel assessable only by boat), but otherwise stay in District 1! You’ll be closer to all the sites. We based ourselves out of the Alagon Central Hotel and had a great experience.
One more picture of the Saigon streets below to celebrate!
Oh my goodness a private hotel accessible by boat sounds like so much fun!
It was great! Very peaceful (but not as fancy as it sounds, lol)