Delayed flight? Awkward 27 hour layover? Worry not, friends! This buzzing city is PERFECT if you've only got one day so use it wisely!
When we flew home from Phú Quốc Island to Sydney via Ho Chi Minh city, our flight was delayed by a whopping 27 hours! At first, this was frustrating as we had Christmas parties to attend back home but soon I saw this inconvenience as an opportunity to explore this vivacious city! Jetstar were absolute angels and paid for all the guests on our flight to stay at the Windsor Plaza Hotel in District 5, highly recommend staying here if you've got the dosh because if the gym, pool, 4 jacuzzis, sauna and steamroom don't speak for themselves, the buffet was to DIE for! ...Not to mention the rooftop bar and dance floor!
This place is a dream and you can find it on Booking.com (which, by the way, has the best deals and easiest booking system compared to all other sites I've ever used). In fact, it's all entered for you on this search bar here...you're welcome!
Okay, so quick lesson on Ho Chi Minh City. There are 24 districts: 19 inner city districts and 5 suburban areas. The first 12 are numbered 1-12 (I felt like I was in The Hunger Games), the rest named.
So if you're interested in the Notre dame Cathedral, Bitexco Financial Tower, Nguyen Hue Walking Street and the Jade Emperor Pagoda, head to District 1 (tourism hub). If you're into international schools, western food options, sports pubs, gyms and spas then District 2 is for you.
Here's a quick summary of the main districts:
- District 1: Top entertainment centre - foreigners from all over the world come here so make friends! Also the place for passport, visa & immigration queries as here you will find foreign embassies & gov offices.
- District 2: More peaceful, less traffic, much more affordable district to live in so many expats choose to live here.
- District 3: Temples, pagodas, parks, shopping, street food, war remnants museum (highly recommend!)
- District 4: STREET FOOD and MORE STREET FOOD. If you want to basically bathe in oodles of noodles & BBQ pork, I suggest you get here quick!
- District 5: Chinatown, Binh Tay Market, An Dong Market (branded girls come here!)
But I'm not going into the specifics of all 24 districts! All I'm going to focus on is what YOU should do if you've got 24 hours to kill in this awesome city!
Highly recommend staying in District 5 to see more of local Saigonese life (I mean why else would you visit a foreign city?). So beginning here, I suggest starting the day on the hop on hop off bus. The bus picked us up from directly outside our hotel (Windsor plaza hotel) but it can also pick you up from Notre Dame cathedral, lucky plaza (shopping area) or cafe central. Get off at Ben Thanh market. This is Vietnam's largest market to try some local cuisine for breakfast - I suggest a Bánh Mì (baguette) with pork or egg and don't forget the pâté! Here you will also find the largest array of local textiles, handicraft, souvenirs and áo dài (traditional, colourful dresses).
After an hour or so of shopping, you'll be tired and in desperate need of a coffee - and you're in one of the best places in the world for it! Ho Chi Minh city is known for its hipster cafes (the Vietnamese LOVE their coffee... just taste that thought for a sec - coffee with condensed milk and ice on a rooftop cafe overlooking the hustle and bustle of Saigon). There are a multitude of vegan and vegetarian cafes too. Great cafes near Ben Thanh market include Cafe Anh, Ben Thanh Cafe and beer or if you can't find your way out of this market maze then head to shop 1211 inside Ben Thanh market for that Dalat specialty organic coffee.
So after that refreshment, if you're a branded girl like me you can find all your cheap Nike (or 'Nice'), Adidas (or 'Addlas', 'Abibas' and even 'Didaas' - not sure how they got that one...), Gucci (or 'Cuggi') at the 4 storey An Dong market. Grab a 40,000 dong ($1.72 USD) manicure on the street just outside while you're there (much needed if you're a budget traveller like me and cannot bring nail clippers in your carry on luggage).
Shopped until you dropped? Now it's time for the war remnant museum! Okay, most people hear the word 'museum' and think um boringggg but I assure you this one is anything but that. This is the city that is famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam war. Located in district 3, you will leave this place perhaps feeling shocked, embarrassed, even disturbed but most likely in awe and admiration at how forgiving the Vietnamese people are. At first, the vivid photographs of agent orange victims may be a little confronting, however definitely a spectacle that should not be avoided out of fear of facing the truth of the past. Highlights include the 'tiger cages' (for political prisoners) and the helicopter, fighter plane and tank out the front (kids love these). On our visit, we were so lucky to have a musical performance delivered to us by teenage victims of the agent orange who displayed so much talent! Rather than being resentful, the Vietnamese show grace, dignity and integrity in their ability to forgive but not forget.
Ooft, need a sit down after experiencing all the emotions of that war? Enjoy a drink at the Saigon Intercontinental hotel! A luxury landmark located in the heart of district 1, here you can enjoy a cocktail, coffee, hot chocolate, whatever takes your fancy overlooking the iconic Notre dame cathedral, Saigon opera house and french colonial buildings interspersed with glassy skyscrapers. This is all topped of by the vibrant Vietnamese culture that gives it such personality!
Feeling peckish is constant in a country like Vietnam where the ceaseless sweating and sightseeing make you crave some fresh, local specialties! Highly recommend eating at this top notch, very cheap, air conditioned restaurant in district 5 called Nhà hàng Món Huế. This place specialises in traditional cuisine from Huế (and if you eat here at breakfast you get free drinks!) Order the Bánh hỏi thịt nướng (picture 1: beef wrapped in vermicelli noodles, lettuce and a whole lot of herbs) and Bánh khoái chạy (picture 2: vegetarian crispy pancake).
So, depending on how much the shopping, eating and humidity has taken out of you, this may be a good time to relax or leisurely wander around Tao dan park, a charming oasis in the heart of the city (district 1). Grab a delicious Vietnamese iced coffee from a bicycle vendor along the way and admire the flowery gardens, animal sculptures and temple replicas.
OR if you're feeling adventurous and would like to make the most out of your only day here, view the skyline and villages from a new perspective by taking a ferry or sightseeing cruise along the Saigon river (which leads into the Mekong delta). If you're rushed for time, embark on a romantic sunset dinner cruise to take in the sights of Saigon while satisfying your ever-growing taste buds with Vietnamese delicacies. You can experience a dinner cruise for around $30USD.
However, the BEST POSSIBLE way to spend your last or only evening in Ho Chi Minh city is to head to a park and meet the locals! This is an extremely enriching experience and especially ideal if you are a solo traveller. Being a free, easy and fun way to make friends, local students greatly appreciate the opportunity to practice their English. There are many local student groups that offer free tours of Saigon and in return all you need to do chat to them (even if English is not your first language, they are extremely appreciative of any opportunity). Just stroll through Tao dan park or 23/9 park (near Ben Thanh market) and they will come up to you so don't be alarmed when small groups of locals approach you, they just want to chat! Chances are you will be invited to join in a game of đá cầu, which is pretty much 'Hacky sack' but with a shuttlecock. Their behind the body kicks are pretty impressive!
However, if you're feeling like sunset drinks at Saigon's most talked about rooftop bar, head to Sohy Sky Lounge in District 3 - awesome cocktails and incredible views of the skyline. Otherwise, indulge in your final meal (or multiple meals) at Binh Tay market, district 5. Once again, you will be immersed in the vivid atmosphere while you satisfy your taste buds on Vietnamese noodles, pork buns and Chinese sausages at the open air food court at the back of the market. Otherwise, head back to Ben Thanh market nearby if you didn't get around to seeing the whole thing.
Other great food markets include:
- Xóm Chiếu market: district 4
- Bình Điền market: district 8
- Bà Chiểu market: Bình Thạnh district
- Hòa Hưng market: district 10
If you're lucky enough to spend more than one day here, I highly recommend doing a day trip from here to the Cu chi tunnels. You definitely learn a lot and crouching down low to scamper through the tunnels like a true Vietnamese soldier was a fun experience! You could book a tour but the cheapest way to get there is to catch the number 13 bus from the main bus station at 23/9 park (7000 dong) which will terminate at Cu Chi bus station then bus number 79 to the tunnels (6000 dong), each trip takes around 1.5 hours because you know, Saigon traffic! The tunnel entrance fee is 90,000 Dong. Get there early to avoid the crowds!
So there you have it, a jam-packed 1 day itinerary for seeing the best of Ho Chi Minh City. You can achieve a lot more than you think in an addictive city like this so make the most of it and I hope you can benefit from my experiences here!
