It was my first time in Ho Chi Minh however I used to be decided to search out issues to do aside from the quintessential vacationer hotspots.
I’m a metropolis lady. However I gotta admit, with out digging deeper, exploring a metropolis is restricted to procuring and vacationer traps. So, we embraced the town limits. We did the standard procuring and hit the vacationer areas, however whereas speaking to locals, managed to uncover some fascinating suggestions that exposed the town’s quirks and attraction.
So, right here we’re sharing 9 issues to do in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis to take a look at the following time you propose your Vietnam itinerary.
1) Free chocolate tasting class at Maison Marou
I didn’t suppose Pho Spices might be a chocolate bar flavour.
Seeing the bakers transfer like clockwork via the glass window of the open kitchen, the colourful colors of the shop, and listening to the monotonous whirring of the Nineteenth-century cacao roaster transports you to what looks like Willy Wonka’s chocolate manufacturing unit.
As Vietnam’s first bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Maison Marou’s chocolate is crafted totally of their Saigon manufacturing unit utilizing 100% native substances. To provide particular bars like Mekong Kumquat Tien Giang and Ginger Lime Ba Ria, Cacao beans are rigorously chosen from six provinces in Southern Vietnam.
There are 18 flavours to select from so take your choose — full-sized bars begin at 100,000₫! If you happen to’re too overwhelmed by their choice, think about attending Maison Marou’s free chocolate tasting class on weekends! Find out about their bean-to-bar course of, develop tasting strategies and admire the nuances of their single-origin bars throughout this class.
*Professional-tip: Spots are on a first-come, first-served foundation so come early to safe a seat.
Price: Free
Opening hours: Varies (3 – 4PM for chocolate tasting class)
Handle: A number of places in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis (the class is barely carried out within the Saigon and Thao Dien flagship shops)
2) Get a tailor-made outfit inside 12 hours at Ben Thanh Market
Ben Thanh Market is a well-liked vacationer spot for snacks, dried items, low cost clothes, and conventional meals. Nevertheless, not many know you may get an inexpensive bespoke outfit tailor-made in below 12 hours. Fits, attire, conventional clothes — you identify it, they’ll make it.
Ben Thanh Market is split into totally different sections. To get to the textile part, enter from the Southern Gate.
Hold strolling till you discover a retailer you want — simply don’t really feel pressured by the passion of the sellers down the road. I ended up at store No.300 as a result of the vendor dragged me in 😅 zealously requested “Nak buat baju (Need to make an outfit)?”. Woman actually bought me with talking Malay.
It’s fairly an expertise — choose your material, select your type, and get meticulously measured in lower than an hour.
One of the best half is receiving your tailor-made garment on the identical day, delivered proper to your lodging. I left the shop at 8:30AM and obtained the garment at 7PM that very same night time.
It value 623,390₫ (~S$37) for a customized Áo dài (Vietnamese conventional garment) and 311,690₫ (~S$18.70) for a shirt, inclusive of the material and tailoring. I didn’t discount as the value was a steal in comparison with tailoring in Singapore.
*Professional-tip: In case you don’t have sufficient Vietnamese Dong, different currencies like Malaysian Ringgit and US {Dollars} are accepted as nicely.
The match of the Áo dài (Vietnamese conventional garment) was spot on however the shirt wanted alterations. The stitching was not the smartest however for a day’s work and below S$20 for a tailor-made match, I’m not complaining.
Our native tour information shared that Vietnamese imagine the primary buyer brings good luck. So go early and also you may need a greater likelihood of getting the value you need. Some sellers will refuse to allow you to go till the sale is made — even when at a loss.
Price: From 311,690₫ (~S$18.70)
Opening hours: 6AM – 4PM (most retailers solely open at 7:30AM)
Handle: Đ. Lê Lợi, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
3) Romanticise your life at Ho Chi Minh Metropolis E book Road
You’re a foreigner from overseas simply wandering the busy streets of Ho Chi Minh. However what’s this? You flip the nook and the ambiance dampens. You see charming shops and endless rows of books, gently lit by the daylight peeking via the curved bushes.
As you stroll into Ho Chi Minh Metropolis E book Road, you’ll realise it’s considerably quieter than the remainder of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis — the right escape to decelerate.
This pedestrian-only avenue is lined with Vietnamese books, however English books will be present in stacked piles or within the English bookstore on the finish of the road.
Second-hand and brand-new books of assorted genres are bought right here. One retailer even has a set of uncommon books in Vietnamese. Used books begin as little as 5,000₫ (~S$0.30) and new books begin at 80,000₫ (~S$4.80).
However this place isn’t only for book-lovers. You may merely admire the house by sitting on the makeshift bus cease or different sitting spots. There are even cafes to seize a chunk or a drink.
Entrance price: Free
Opening hours: 8AM – 10PM
Handle: Đường Nguyễn Văn Bình, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
4) Ship a postcard to your future self at Sai Gon Central Put up Workplace
A brief stroll away from Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’s E book Road is Sai Gon Central Put up Workplace. Its gothic structure is the right time capsule of what the submit workplace seemed like in Nineteenth century Saigon.
One thing enjoyable you possibly can strive right here is to select from the number of postcards and buy one to ship to your future self or your family members.
Write and mail your postcard on the spot for that 19-century-French-colonizer-writing-back-home expertise.
My postcard to Singapore arrived precisely every week later.
Price: Postcards from 5,000₫ (~S$0.30), stamps from 15,000₫ (~S$0.90)
Opening hours: 7:30AM – 5PM, closed on Solar
Handle: 02 Công xã Paris, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 70000
5) Seize a drink at The Cafe Residences
The Cafe Residences are 9 ranges of cafes and retailers in an outdated condominium constructing at Nguyen Hue Strolling Road. Its exterior is a facade, making it appear like there are extra retailers than there truly are.
The doorway to the residences is…dingy. Parked with bikes, you’ll suppose that you simply’ve gone to the incorrect place. Find the steps on the finish of the corridor and make your approach up the residences.
You may discover the degrees by way of elevator as nicely, however be aware that it prices 5,000₫ per particular person to make use of it.
*Professional-tip: Take the elevate from the second stage to keep away from the safety guard and charges — however you didn’t hear it from us.
Every stage has about two to 3 retailers and cafes. Take your time to survey every stage and discover a cafe that matches your vibe. We settled for Saigon Oi on the fifth ground — what we thought was the prettiest cafe.
Drinks begin at 43,000₫. Their espresso with condensed milk was properly candy and concentrated. Their fruit teas have been refreshing and light-weight on the palette.
If attainable, get a balcony seat for an aerial view of the strolling avenue.
Entrance price: Free
Opening hours: 7AM – 10PM (Sat – Thu), 7AM – 11PM (Fri)
Handle: 42 Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh
6) Expertise Ho Chi Minh Metropolis from 49 tales above on the Saigon Skydeck
If you happen to’re itching for a view of the skyline, go to the Saigon Skydeck situated within the Bitexco Monetary Tower.
Soak within the views and totally different sights with the binoculars accessible. You may even use the interactive map to discover new components of the town and plan your subsequent stops.
For a fast dose of tradition, the skydeck additionally has an Áo dài exhibition which options the standard Vietnamese nationwide garment all through the ages. Inspiration to your subsequent tailor-made Áo dài, possibly?
*Professional-tip: Go to round 5PM – 6PM to catch the sundown, however keep longer to look at the town gentle up when darkness falls.
Entrance price: ~S$11.90/pax
Opening hours: 12PM – 8PM, opens 10AM on weekends
Handle: Bitexco Monetary Tower, No. 36, Ho Tung Mau Road, District 1 (Enter via the skydeck’s entrance a number of doorways down from the primary tower’s door)
7) Wind down and watch the Golden Water Puppet Present
This puppet present was a great way to wind down whereas appreciating Vietnam’s historical past and tradition in a light-hearted approach.
Immersing your self in arts and tradition tends to be on the touristy facet, however I’ve by no means seen a puppet present in water. I discovered myself in awe and even giggly at occasions. The storylines have been straightforward to know, regardless of being totally in Vietnamese.
Given Vietnam’s community of rivers and waterways, It’s fairly becoming that the puppetry within the Golden Water Puppet Present takes place in water. This 45-minute stay puppet present recounts Vietnamese people tales, legends, and festivities with accompaniment from a stay orchestra.
This explicit puppet present has been round because the eleventh century and has toured everywhere in the world — with solely eight individuals working the intricate puppets.
Price: ~S$ 19.30/pax
Present occasions: 6:30PM (Tue and Fri)
Handle: The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater
55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Road, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh Metropolis
8) Go on a Cu Chi Tunnel & Mekong Delta Tour
When wanting up ‘Issues to do in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis’, the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong Delta Tour have been listed as primary so I suppose we couldn’t miss this expertise.
The Cu Chi Tunnels have been integral for the Viet Cong troopers’ (pro-communists in Southern Vietnam) survival throughout the Vietnam Warfare. Our information defined how the community of tunnels served as hiding spots and dwelling areas throughout the conflict.
We crawled the complete 80 meters within the tunnel, however you’re welcome to decide on a shorter distance. I’m not claustrophobic however I needed to surrender at occasions. Simply be sure to can deal with the tight house earlier than committing to it.
*Professional-tip: Pack insect repellent and put on garments that you simply don’t thoughts getting soiled. When doubtful, gown for the trenches!
The second half of the tour takes place on the Mekong Delta — a maze of rivers, swamps, and islands solely accessible by boat.
We sailed in a row boat, stopped by a coconut sweet workshop, and visited Unicorn Island for honey tea and fruits.
This one-day tour covers each the Cu Chi tunnels and Mekong Delta — so you may tick these off your listing of issues to do in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis fairly shortly!
If you happen to’re pressed for time, select a half-day tour of both the Cu Chi Tunnels or the Mekong River Tour. We suggest the previous as a result of when you didn’t crawl via the tunnels, did you actually go to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis?
Excursions are as touristy because it will get however use your native information as an entry level to understanding Vietnam’s historical past and native spots! Our information was pleased to reply any query and share suggestions on the perfect bánh mì (quick baguette with savory substances) and lesser-known markets.
*Professional-tip: You can begin your journey with this tour to get the perfect native suggestions out of your information.
Price: ~S$83.50/pax for a 12hr tour
Tour timings: 6:45AM
Choose up: For lodging inside District 1
Assembly level: 112 Trần Hưng Đạo Road, Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward, District 1
9) Play meals roulette at 200 Market
Think about: a slender, meals cart-lined avenue lit by white lights too vivid to your eyes. A cacophony of vrooms make you’re feeling such as you’re in line at a drive-thru. It’s a sensory overload — however in an enlightening approach.
Really helpful by our information, 200 Market in District 4 is a buffet of native gastronomy. The catch — nobody speaks English.
Menus and indicators are all in Vietnamese so get able to level to a dish and hope for the perfect. Positive, you may enlist the assistance of Google Translate however the place’s the enjoyable in that?
We began with acquainted objects like bánh mì (30,000₫), however slowly progressed to some thriller noodles (45,000₫), Bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese shrimp omelette, 40,000₫) and freshly barbecued clams and snails (50,000₫/plate).
Although nothing was Halal for me to eat, sitting on the tiny stools, soaking within the ambiance, and seeing the brand new meals was an expertise itself.
Opening hours: 5AM – 11PM
Handle: Nhà thờ, Xóm Chiếu, Phường 15, Quận 4, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 70000, Vietnam
The easiest way to search out fascinating issues to do in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis
I beloved the tales and recommendation that got here with asking the locals or anybody about something.
Our native information throughout the Cu Chi Tunnels tour was the rationale why we came upon concerning the very obscure 200 Market and the unlucky however cheeky story about the perfect bánh mì in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis! He made it clear that we might ask him something at any cut-off date and he at all times had a solution.
Aside from recommending 200 Market, he gave us recommendation to “Help native, however at all times discount!”
After I’d taken a liking to the tops the agricultural girls have been donning on the Mekong Delta, he advised me it was the Áo bà ba (conventional southern Vietnamese garment related to rural Southern Vietnam). I needed one and requested the place I might tailor one in a day however he suggested me to get an ao dai as an alternative, given my tight timeline.
He was the one native we had spoken to, however I can’t think about how in another way our journey would’ve turned out had we spoken to extra locals!
I observed they’re pleased to clarify something! Ask the appropriate questions and also you’re certain to discover a recent perspective of the town. Ask away everytime you get the possibility — simply be sure to be well mannered about it.
Exploring extra of Vietnam? Try our different guides:
– Final Southern Vietnam Information — 13 Finest Issues to do in Ho Chi Minh, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, and Mui Ne
– 2-Week Vietnam Itinerary — Coronary heart-Pumping Experiences via Northern and Central Vietnam from Hanoi to Da Nang
– 15 Pho-nomenal Experiences You Should Add to Your Northern Vietnam Itinerary — Halong Bay, Hanoi and Sapa
Did we miss out on any hidden spots in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis? Tell us within the feedback beneath!
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