Ho Chi Minh City is a vast, crazy city with loads going on. Here’s a few tips and recommendations we have put together from our trip.
1. If you want a nice, cheap private room, stay at the Vinh Chung Hotel in the District 1 main backpacker area. Good, clean rooms and really friendly staff who can help you with any questions you might have.
Us with Happy, the manager at Vinh Chung Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
2. Many of the main sights are closed at weekend & lunchtimes (12-1.30pm). Double check before you set off to do anything or you may end up with some surprise time to kill.
Reunification Palace: Closed Sat & Sun
3. Watch out for the coconut seller’s tricks of getting you to hold their stuff. After a picture they’ll try and force their produce on you for a hefty price tag so either be ready to haggle or politely refuse – they’re all friendly enough guys.
Coconuts!
4. Check out the Reunification Palace. It’s a great museum of 1960s style and a welcome change from old palaces and temples.
A fountain in the guest quarters of the Reunification Palace
5. If you do a Cu Chi Tunnels trip, which you really should, try and get ‘John Wayne’ as your guide. I’m not sure how much choice you might have in this but he was a top guide, really funny and informative too.
John Wayne, Cu Chi Tunnels guide extraordinaire
6. The War Remnants museum is well worth a visit too. Entry is cheap and there is plenty to see. In my opinion the best and most objective exhibit is the war photography on the top floor, so make your way there first and work downwards.
War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City
7. Also, not one of the main sights but if you get the chance go to the memorial to Thich Quang Duc. He was the monk who set himself alight in protest at the buddhist oppression of the South Vietnamese government; the photo of which is now one of the most infamous of the 20th century. It’s a very powerful memorial and I’m glad we made the effort to see it.
The moving memorial to Thich Quang Duc
8. There’s loads of good food in Saigon. The ‘shaking beef’ at the Five Oysters Restaurant was the best cooked beef we’ve seen (ie, medium rare) and was delicious and a bargain at $4. They also have a lovely roof terrace where you can sit and watch the bustling street below.
9. We also had an incredible meal at Cuc Gach Quan. It’s quite far out from everywhere but if you visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda you’ll be about a 15 minute walk away. The restaurant is beautiful and the food matches the setting. The tender pork ribs in pepper were beautiful. At the time it was the best meal we had had in Asia and it’s still a contender for that title now.
10. Make sure you look both ways before crossing. The locals will drive their motorbikes anywhere including right up on the pavement!
Motorbikes in Saigon