The Travel Archives

Are you planning a trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam? If yes, then you are in for a treat! Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is a bustling and vibrant city that offers a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. This city is rich in culture, history, food, and coffee, making it a great destination for travelers who want to experience Vietnam's unique lifestyle.

We visited our friend who now lives in Saigon, and took the opportunity to tour and experience this exciting country through some of her personal tips. We took note of it so we can share it and guide you through our quick (and relaxed) 4-day itinerary, that we hope you'll find useful!

Where to Stay

We stayed in the apartment of our friend in District 2. For other recommendations, visit Airbnb or Booking.com. We recommend booking in District 1 as most of the restaurants and cafes you'd want to try are located there. Check out Booking's map below for your easy reference (wait for a minute for it to load)!

Pocket WiFi

We booked ours through Klook! It was very convenient and it worked well for us. Click here to easily get yours as well.

Transportation

We used Grab car, so make sure to have Grab in your phone before visiting Saigon. It's very easy and convenient.

Day 1 (Night Time): Arrival and GS25 Convenience Store 😜

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City late at night. After checking into our friend's apartment, we headed out and quickly explored our friend's neighborhood. We delighted at the nearby GS25 convenience store where we tried some tasty onigiris 😜 (so good-just like in Korea and Japan!!) and Korean treats, and the sidewalk cafes that are just about to close. Afterward, we rested up for the next day ahead.

Day 2: Ben Thanh Market, War Remnants Museum, The Cafe Apartments, Buy Bien Nightlife

On the second day, we started with a visit to Ben Thanh Market, one of the oldest markets in the city. Here, you will find a wide variety of local Vietnamese food and souvenirs to take back home. It's a big market—make sure to allocate around 2 hours if you plan to do some heavy shopping.

We then walked to the nearby Ben Thanh Street Food Market to try out some local delicacies (which tasted soooo good by the way!!).

Afterwards, we walked around 1km to visit the War Remnants Museum, which offers deep insights into the Vietnam War. This museum is a must-visit for all types of travelers as it will really give you a different view of history, our different countries, and humanity in general.

We then took a Grab to The Cafe Apartments. We passed by the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon (we didn't stop here though, but most of you might want to).

The Cafe Apartments is a cute, hip building that houses various coffee shops, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and bars. We enjoyed delicious food and beer here over good conversation.

At night, we headed to Buy Bien to experience Saigon's night life. We we were a bit tired from our tour, so we only had egg coffee and beer as we enjoyed people-watching by the sidewalk. It was a good local experience that you should also try!

Day 3: Legit Vietnamese Pho, Coffee, and Shopping

On the third day, we started our morning with some delicious pho and Vietnamese iced coffee at Pho Quynh (Google Maps). A must-try. It's a restaurant we found through YouTube. :)

Afterwards, we walked towards Little Hanoi Egg Coffee (Google Maps) to try their top-quality egg coffee. Their coffee is famous for its unique and rich flavor, which comes from the combination of whipped egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk blended with strong Vietnamese coffee. Another must-try.

Afterwards, we took a Grab to visit a brand of Trung Nguyen Legend Cafe to shop for coffee beans that we brought home. We also did a bit of shopping in a market that resembles Greenhills (I honestly forgot the name), then went home to rest in our friend's apartment.

At night, we walked around the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh City Hall (Google Maps) and enjoyed its peaceful oasis in this bustling city. This place is an iconic landmark located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City. The architecture of the building is grand and impressive, designed in French colonial style.

We then walked towards a rooftop restaurant called Secret Garden (Google Maps). Hands down, it was one of the best dinners I've had.

Day 4: Banh Mi, Sidewalk Cafe, and Shopping for Pasalubongs

On the final day of our quick stay in Saigon, we had a legit banh mi breakfast at Banh Mi Hong Hoa (Google Maps), a trending and popular banh mi stall. We ate it in Bahn Mi Xiu Mai Da Lat, a small cafe we found nearby. As usual, the coffee was very, very good.

We then dropped off my partner who was headed to Vung Tau to surf, then headed back to Ben Thanh Market for some shopping and souvenirs. We also did our one last final Vietnamese-style food trip by the sidewalk while people watching and while enjoying our coffee.

Final Thoughts

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon is a great destination for everyone who wants to experience Vietnam's unique culture, history, food, and coffee. The travel guide I've shared covers some of the best experiences a traveler could have here—but not all.

Ours was very relaxed trip (as our main goal was to spend time with our friend who lives there), and we opted not to visit other tourist spots like the the Chu Chi Tunnels and Mekong River due to time constraints. But I highly recommend that you experience these if you have the time. Click here for an easy Cu Chi Tunnels and Mekong Delta Day Tour from Klook!

We hope this guide has been helpful, and we wish you a safe and enjoyable trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam!

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Disclaimer: Sometimes, I provide links to suggested tours, hotels, products, or services. If you decide to buy anything using these links, I will earn a little commission. This will not cost you anything extra, but it will assist me in continuing to provide you free and unbiased travel guides, tips, and advice. Thank you in advance for your support! :)