4 days in Ho Chi Minh City
Named after the first leader of North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (otherwise and more locally known as Saigon) is Vietnam's most populated city and known to be the economic heart of Vietnam. Explore the sights and amazing delicacies that this city has to offer!
Day 1: Land in HCMC
If you have flown from outside of Vietnam, then chances are you will be landing in Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
There are a few methods to get to the city center but the easiest and cheapest would be to book a Grab. Grab is the Southeast Asian equivalent of Uber. Ride Hailing Apps might be more convenient as the price is fixed by an app, rather than hailing a cab at the airport as the taxi drivers will try to upsell you.
In terms of accommodation, I highly recommend booking an Airbnb. We stayed in an Airbnb in District 2, which is also known as the "Expat District". This district was previously a swamp until the city decided to develop several high rise buildings.
We booked this airbnb which was a 1 bedroom studio for about US$55/ night. The apartment even came with access to a gym & infinity pool, and had a connivence store in the lobby.
Once you have unpacked and settled in, it's probably time for a spot of lunch. If you are keen to eat like the local do, I recommend trying out for some Bun Thit Nuong. Bun Thit Nuong is grilled pork and fried spring Rolls topped on a bed of vermicelli noodles and served with a delicious dipping sauce.
Next to walk off your lunch, head down the street to Ben Thanh Market.
If you need a coffee fix next, I highly recommend checking on Okkio Coffee. They have multiple outlets but the closes would be the one in Ben Thanh.
Fuelled with coffee, I'm guess you might want a bit of reprise from the heat and may be up for some shopping. Not to be confused with Saigon Center, which is considered a luxury shopping mall.
Up next, whip out your Grab app once again and hop on a cab to Little Japan Town.
However, if you don't fancy Japanese food and craving for some home comforts, I highly recommending trying out 4Ps Pizza. There are multiple outlets all throughout Vietnam but the closest to Japan Town is this one at Le Thanh Ton.
Day 2: Day Trip out of HCMC
Before starting your day tour, grab some caffeine at Cong Ca Phe. This coffee chain is one of the most popular in Vietnam and serves local coffee specialist.
Next, gear up for your tour at the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels are a vast network of underground tunnels used by people who tried to evade the enemy during the Vietnam War. The day tour will give you a chance to crawl through the tunnels and see how people lived during that time.
You can book a tour using Klook in the link below. Or if you feel more adventurous, you can take a full day tour that combines the chance to visit the Mekong River.
Once you are back in Hanoi in the evening, it would be a good time to visit a Vietnamese Night Market.
For dinner, you might want to check out what a home cooked Vietnamese meal looks like other than Pho. Check out one of these 2 options below.
Up next, no trip to Vietnam would be complete without a Massage of some sort. There are virtually hundreds of massage places in Vietnam but we went to this one.
Day 3: "Learn about History" Day
Start your day off with brunch at Cơm Tấm Trần Quý Cáp. This place only sells broken rice.
Next, visit the War Remanent Museum. This is probably the most famous and visited museum in HCMC. As a history buff, I spend about 3hrs in here, which was well worth the US$2 admission fee.
After soaking in the history, head over to Trung Nguyen Café Legend. Trung Nguyen is one of the biggest coffee producers in Vietnam and you can find their coffee in any Vietnamese supermarket.
To continue learning about history, head to the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. The ticket price is about US$1.62.
After that, it is worth taking a 7min walk to Independence Palace. Ticket prices are about US$2.17.
To end the day, celebrate your day of learning at a micro brewery. HCMC is known for its culture of brewing wine and one of the more popular breweries is Pasteur Street.
Day 4: Chinatown & Farewell HCMC
Now, there is no way you are leaving Vietnam without having tried Pho. I was recommended this place by a Taxi driver on my first trip to Vietnam and have not found a better once since. (Note: there used to be an outlets in District 1 but it has since shut down)
Since you have already found yourself in District 5 which is home to HCMC's Chinatown, you might as well take a look around.
Explore Chinatown
All great trips must come to an end. Take one last look and catch your flight back home.
Notes:
- Traffic in HCMC can get really bad during peak hours, and take 3 times as long to get to your destination.
- If you like to extend your stay, you could take a day trip to the Mekong River.
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