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Ho Chi Minh Travel Guide
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Ho Chi Minh Travel Guide

The Roaming Irishman
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It was here, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, that I fell in love with Vietnam. For others, it might be the contrasting Hanoi that stays with them but Ho Chi Minh was the place for me. Ho Chi Minh is a city that is always improving. The strength of the youth there is pushing the city to constantly evolve and constantly improve. In a way, the Vietnam of old is being left behind. In its place is a newer and bigger Vietnam, at least in this city. The food is still there, for now at least but the buildings around them are changing. The hope for Ho Chi Minh is the nostalgia that exists among the youth. They love their culture and their food, they are proud of their history. They don’t want to lose this part of themselves, they just want the other aspects of daily life to be the best it can be. This Ho Chi Minh travel guide will give you an insight into a city I love so much.

Currency Converter – 150,000 Vietnamese Dong = €5.65/£5.05/$6.50

Getting In

Ho Chi Minh is served by one international airport. Tan Son Nhat International Airport serves over 30 million passengers every year. There are two buses that will take you from the airport to the city. The cheapest of the two is Bus #152. This takes you to Ben Thanh Market every 20 minutes from 6 am to 6 pm. The price is 5,000VND per person and per piece of luggage. The other is bus #109. This bus terminates at Pham Ngu Lao street. One way costs 20,000VND and has a journey time of 45 minutes. This bus service runs from 5:30 am until 1:30 am. Taxis are available but cost at least 150,000VND. Uber is now available and will cost you less than 100,000VND.

If you are arriving into Ho Chi Minh city by bus from Cambodia or another place in Vietnam then your bus will terminate at Pham Ngu Lao street, either on the roadside or in the car park across the street. Most backpackers and tourists stay within close proximity to this area.

Where To Stay

Most of the activity for tourists centres around Bui Vien Street and Pham Ngu Lao Street in District 1. From here, Ben Thanh market is just a few minutes away. A few minutes further will get you to the War Remnants Museum or the Independence Palace. Ho Chi Minh is a huge city and if you are not ready for a walk, you will have to take taxis. Staying in this area though ensures that you are close to good food and in the best possible area for nightlife and activity. Personally, I stayed at Rou Hostel, about a 5-minute walk from there. Between the rats and general uncleanliness, I certainly can’t recommend it. I did make use of the rooftop bar at Duc Vuong Hotel on a couple of occasions. From what I heard, it is a really nice place to stay and good value too.

When To Go

The best times to visit are between the months of February to April and August to October. There is less rainfall and the temperatures are slightly milder than the hottest months. Temperatures don’t tend to differ too much throughout the year. December is the coolest month of the year with an average temperature of 27°C, yet the highest average temperature is only 30°C, which is in April. July is the wettest month of the year.

Useful Phrases

Hello = Xin Chao (Pronounced Sin-Chow)

Thank You = Cam on (Pronounced Kahm-Uhn)

Sorry = Xin Loy (Pronounced Sin-Loy)

Goodbye = Tam Biet (Pronounced Tarm-Byeet)

How Much? = Bao Nhieu (Pronounced Baow-Nyew)

Too Expensive = Mac Qua (Pronounced Mac-wa)

Yes = Vang (Pronounced Vang)

No = Khong (Pronounced Khom)

What Is It? = Cai gi vay? (Pronounced Kai-zi-vai)

What To Do

War Remnants Museum

What you see and learn here will never leave you. This museum contains exhibits relating back to both the Vietnam war and the first Indochina war. The pictures, interviews and accounts on display will shock you. Seeing this can only make you respect the Vietnamese even more. For the country to come from that place to what it is today in such a short space of time is remarkable. Of all the sights in the city, none will stay with you as long as what you see here will.

War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh
War Remnants Museum

Cu Chi Tunnels

This day trip from Ho Chi Minh will be one of the most interesting days you spend in the city. They are a huge network of connecting underground tunnels used by the VietCong in the Vietnam War. A visit to the tunnels gives you the opportunity the crawl through them and see what it was like back then. However, I would suggest giving this a miss if you are in any way claustrophobic. Tours from the city are easily booked but you can make your own way there for cheaper. Bus number 13 from Cong Vien station will take you to Cu Chi. From there take bus number 79 to the site of the tunnels.

Independence Palace

The former home of the president of South Vietnam during the Vietnam war. Also known as the Reunification Palace, today it is a popular tourist attraction and landmark in Ho Chi Minh. When a North Vietnamese tank crashed through the front gate of this palace, that signalled the end of the war. The tanks are still on view as are the secret rooms and command bunker used during war times. A visit here takes approx 2 hours and you won’t leave disappointed.

Independence Palace, Ho Chi Minh
Independence Palace

Ben Thanh Market

The largest market in the city and one of the earliest surviving structures from the old Saigon. Items on sale here range from textiles to souvenirs and there is also fresh and pre-cooked food on offer. Prices for certain things can be a bit higher, tourism tends to do that, but make sure you come here. If you put the work in you might even be able to pick up a bargain.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Just off the end of Nguyen Hue walking street is the Notre Dame Cathedral. A throwback to the French colonial times, the cathedral is still very much in use today. With the Virgin Mary statue out front, this cathedral gets thousands of visitors every year. It is said that the statue cried tears back in October 2005 and visitors come hoping for a miracle. Be sure to also check out the Central Post Office just to the left of the church.

Notre Dame Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh
Notre Dame Cathedral

 

Where To Eat

Pho Quynh

Pho is the national dish of Vietnam. You will find it everywhere. To recommend just one Pho restaurant seems harsh on the so many other great ones around. However, I recommend this place for its selection, location and quick service despite being always busy. There is an excellent menu, beef or pork and different cuts of each. The bowl sizes are big. It is a great bowl of Pho here, as good as any I had in Vietnam.

Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem

I tried Banh Xeo as street food quite a few times and always found them to be quite greasy. In this restaurant though, they were a lot fresher and healthier than the others. Banh Xeo translates to Sizzling Pancake. Rice batter is fried up in a wok with a host of fillings. My favourite was prawns and beansprouts. It is then folded and served with a bowl of greens. I was taught to break some off, stuff it inside a lettuce leaf with some herbs and eat it that way. Delicious, a must try in Ho Chi Minh.

Banh Xeo
A delicious Banh Xeo

 

Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai

Another staple food in any Vietnamese persons diet. Banh Mi is a baguette that is filled with a host of savoury ingredients. Common fillings are pork, chicken, pâté, cucumber, carrots, cilantro and just about whatever else the server wants to put in. In this street stall, small pork patties were freshly grilled up and served. The juicy patties were accompanied by normal vegetables and a heavy helping of the spicy chilli sauce. The line here can be hard to deal with but in the end, it was always worth it.

Bun Bo Chu Ha

This was my favourite place to eat in the city. During my 6 weeks or so in Ho Chi Minh, I would undertake the 30-minute walk at least three times a week to eat here. They served up an amazing bowl of Bun Bo Hue. Pho gets all the plaudits around the world but this is the ultimate Vietnamese bowl of noodles. The dish is slightly spicy and sour with strong hints of lemongrass. The choice of meat to accompany the noodles was either pork or beef. It was so delicious. What I would do to be able to go back and have a bowl today!

Beef Bun Bo Hue
Beef Bun Bo Hue

 

Pizza 4PS

It doesn’t matter if it is local cuisine or not, you cannot pass up a pizza this good. Pizza 4PS is a Japanese-Italian fusion pizza restaurant. As weird as that might sound, don’t worry. Pizza toppings range from salami and chorizo to calamari seaweed. The cheese is made fresh in-house and you can taste the difference. Prices are very reasonable even if the setting feels a bit more upmarket. They have now expanded to a few locations around the city, I would suggest visiting at least once whilst you are there.

What To Avoid

Taxi’s

Taxi’s in Saigon, like in most cities around South East Asia are a nightmare to deal with. From the first quote of $50 dollars to go five minutes down the road, I knew they were not worth the hassle. Stick to sites like Uber and Grab. Even though they can still be hard to deal with, it will work out considerably cheaper than a taxi.

Saigon Zoo

Possibly the most depressing place that I have ever visited. I went as the ticket came with entry into the botanical gardens (Both are in the same grounds). Never before had I seen animals look so skinny and sick. Tigers in tiny cages with their rib cages in full view. It was disgusting. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around for too long. Please do not fund this zoo in any way possible.

I felt very settled during my time in Ho Chi Minh. Despite the cities obvious flaws, traffic, air pollution and rats (As is the case with all Vietnam), I could have stayed there indefinitely, quite easily. After all, what was planned as a five-day visit, quickly turned into 6 weeks. I extended my visa, changed any travel plans that I had, all so I would not have to leave. I fully understand some people prefer Hanoi up north. It always seemed a case of people being either a Hanoi or a Ho Chi Minh person. Even if you prefer Hanoi, there is no taking away from the brilliance of Ho Chi Minh. Use this guide to really see the city and give it more time than you think it might need. I assure you, you will never run out of things to do there.

To read my full Vietnam Travel Guide, click here

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The Roaming Irishman

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403 thoughts on “Ho Chi Minh Travel Guide”

  1. Thanks for sharing your experience. I want to visit Vietnam in the next few years, so I’ll definitely stick the Cu Chi Tunnels on the list and skip out on the zoo. It’s a real shame that zoos that treat the animals poorly are still open.

    Reply

  2. Always love your style of writing. Your blogs give great info and are perfect for any perspective visitors. The rats sound like an issue though. Don’t think I could handle a hostel with rats. Aggghh. Thanks for sharing as ever.

    Reply

  4. Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh are right at the top of my bucket list! I love anything to do with history so the Cu Chi Tunnels and the War Musrum are defo on my list! It’s really sad to hear about the Zoo, so cruel to keep animals locked up in those conditions! I’ll defo be staying away from there! Great post! Thanks for sharing 👍

    Reply

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