Secrets of Saigon

Fantastic vintage styled hotel in the heart of Thao Dien (Distict 2) filled with beautiful art, antiques and special touches throughout. Rooms are spacious, some with kitchenettes and bathtubs on the private balcony. Pool area is gorgeous and great for night swimming. Also has a sauna area, gym, coffee shop and art gallery.

Luxury at its finest. Even if the extravagant and over the top decor is not to your taste, it’s a fun experience to stay here and be treated like royalty. Brilliant location and the pool area is a lovely way to unwind after a day spent exploring the city by foot. Rooms are decadent and the staff go above and beyond to make you feel special at all times.

A place to try street food all under the one roof. This place caters for tourists, so menus are all in English and there’s a good variety of dishes to try

Also located within The Cafe Apartment building, Madam Quyen has fresh and tasty traditional style home cooking. Spend your time reading all the travellers messages on the walls. You may even find ours! (Close to the floor to the left of the Lounge chair in the corner)

A hidden, underground secret dining spot to eat all things seafood. In the style of a street-food style market.

Australian celebrity chef, Luke Nguyen’s flagship restaurant. Dress up and eat fancy Vietnamese food at its finest. In the heart of district 1.

A chain of pizza stores, you will find pizza 4P’s all across Vietnam, but it is always worth stopping to eat the yummiest food you’ll ever taste. Highly recommend the buratta!

So many great Vietnamese delicacies to try here! Hidden down a small alley filled with cheap nail salons, just behind Ben Thanh market. This alley is a hidden gem with lots of cute cafes and a vintage store too!

Riverfront dining and cocktails, perfect for sunset hour. They even have their own boat if you need a ride.

The big brother restaurant to Duke’s Oyster Bar (which is located in the courtyard next to Mad Wine Bar), La Poissonnerie is your one stop seafood shop. Come here for the oyster platters, sparking wine and for anything that comes from the sea!

Come here for the meat. American style smoked bbq and all the trimmings. Baby back ribs cooked to perfection!

No trip to Saigon is complete without a visit to the Cafe Apartments, a nine storey building filled with coffee shops and boutiques. One of picks here for coffee would be Arabica (%) cafe, for freshly roasted beans and quality.

L’Usine is also a chain of cafes, serving great food and coffee. The Thao Den branch has a really nice feel to it though. Nice lunching spot.

Our favourite cafe and roastery in District 1. Australian style eatery, this is the place to come for amazing breakfasts and high quality coffee. Walk up the many flights of stairs in a very unassuming building to find this gem!

You’ll also find Katinat all across Vietnam, but this one is my favourite locaction to order a Vietnamese coffee and people watch from the balcony.

Hidden upstairs on the first floor of of a vintage apartment building, this newly opened roastery has a minimalist aesthetic, great coffee, friendly staff and leafy views.

A trip to Saigon is never complete without a walk down Bui Vien street. Any night of the week you will witness the whole city come together to dance the night away, fueled up on cheap drinks and the electric energy that only this street can provide. Watch the touts fight for your attention, while scantily clad podium dancers gyrate to extra loud techno music. It’s the best fun and a bunch of laughs, not to be missed!

The most famous market of them all. Prepare to be poked and prodded by pushy vendors. Wander through the fashion section, then onto the souvenirs and at the back, you’ll find the wet market where locals buy their fresh produce and get a bite to eat. It’s a sensory overload!

Another night time favourite. Before you head back your hotel for the evening, come here to hang out with locals, take a leisurely walk through the vendors selling snacks and trinkets, wind your way through the various buskers performing songs, dances, magic… anything goes! Great place for people watching.

The counterfeit clothing Mecca of Saigon. Quality knock-offs of all the latest designer goods. The vendors are ruthless so barter hard. Start at 50% less than their original price and then meet in the middle. Great place for T-Shirts, bags, shoes and accessories.

From Capella Coffee Roasters, walk across the road until you reach a street market along Tôn Thất Đạm. You’ll find a lot of fruit and street food stalls. Really interesting place to see local life. Highly recommend eating the Cơm tấm (pork chop and rice) for breakfast from one of the street food stalls here

A really great gift store located in Thao Dien, for buying souvenirs with a difference. Showcasing local artists and Vietnamese designers, they sell everything from kitschy stickers and coffee cups, to handmade bags and pretty stationery.

Located across the street from the Amanaki Thao Dien hotel is this gorgeous Japanese hair salon. All the staff are Japanese, who speak English well. Have your hair washed and styled and be pampered for a fraction of the cost.

One stop pamper shop. Manicure, pedicure, gel nails, foot scrub. Just do it!

Best wine bar in the city. Hidden within a courtyard, you can enjoy oysters from Duke’s oyster bar next door, or even try the Mad House specialties. The co owners are danish chefs who used to work in Michelin star restaurants back in their home country. Best food ever. Wine selection is out of this world.

Our favourite secret find in Thao Dien. Japanese inspired cocktails and sushi. You can do the omakase (tasting menu) and try all their specialties. The cocktails are outstanding, try their house special (I think it was called the Tokyo sour?) some of the best cocktails we have ever had. Also doubles as a vinyl record listening bar, complete with kooky Japanese owner at the turntable.

Favourite happy hour place in Thao Dien to sit at the window, watch the world go by and enjoy high quality cocktails with tapas.

Aperol spritz by the pool, Campari & pizzas. What else would you want?

Our new favourite find. Get here just after 5pm to enjoy a generous happy hour including drink and food deals. Stunning interior and super attentive staff. Cocktails were world class! The maître d’ takes good photos if you want to make use of the warm lighting and beautiful backdrop. Great place for taking insta shots.

A very secret bar on the top floor of what looks like an abandoned building. Find the bookcase and push it to reveal the hidden wonder behind! Open throughout the day for cocktails too!

Located within the same building as Memento, Snuffbox is another hidden treasure that also offers some “hidden treasure” cocktails, complete with their own treasure chest! Opens at 6pm.

A vibrant, evening hangout with a large cocktail list and a fun & busy atmosphere

Fantastic whiskey bar, good for late night hangouts and evening nightcaps

One of Saigon’s most famous speakeasy’s, To find it just go to the independence palace cross the road and you’ll see a staircase & follow the rabbit!

Cute little cocktail bar that opens at 4:30pm, so you can enjoy an afternoon tipple

Opens at 5pm for some pre-dinner delights. Good cocktail list and friendly staff.

Cool ambience and also serves snacks

Another new find in a stunning old building with beautiful decor, food and drinks available from 6:30pm. Cocktails are 5 star.

Stunning place to watch the sunset and enjoy cocktails and tapas by the river.