Ho Chi Minh City Hotels

Visiting Ho Chi Minh City – A City Guide
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, is a metropolis on the move, with more than 8.5 million motorbikes zipping between the shimmering skyscrapers, glossy shopping malls and sizzling street food stalls of a city looking to the future.

Ho Chi Minh City: city layout and attractions
The city’s diverse past is evident, particularly west of the Saigon River in central District 1, where plenty of the main attractions and many of the hotels in Ho Chi Minh City are conveniently placed.

Reminders of the French colonial era include the Saigon Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral, a late 19th-century landmark built using materials imported from France. Also in District 1, Reunification Palace is a symbol of Vietnam’s more recent history.

The concierge recommends...

• Shopping at bustling Ben Thanh Market and sampling fragrant, freshly prepared dishes served up to visitors and market traders alike. The night market comes to life in the streets around the iconic main building after closing.
• A day trip out of town to the unique Cu Chi Tunnels, a vast underground network that was used during the Vietnam War (known locally as the American War) for hiding places, living quarters, command centres and hospitals. Sections of the tunnels are now open to the public.
• Visiting cultural landmarks such as the Opera House or Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, which is housed in a graceful 1930s mansion that’s an attraction in its own right.

Eating Out in Ho Chi Minh City.
It’s hard to think of eating in Ho Chi Minh City without thinking of street food, and District 4’s Vinh Khanh Street is one of the best areas to find it. Ben Thanh Night Market also has plenty going on in terms of street food. For more upscale dining, Dong Khoi Street has excellent restaurants nestled among modern towers and colonial-era buildings.

The chef recommends...

• Banh mi sandwiches: With a hint of Ho Chi Minh City’s French colonial past, these baguettes are filled with meat (usually pork), vegetables and herbs. They are sold at ubiquitous street stalls. The very Vietnamese addition of a handful of chillis is optional.
• Pho: Probably the most famous of all Vietnamese dishes, this noodle soup doesn’t take long to persuade you that a steaming dish can be a good idea, even in sweltering weather. The classic recipe is chicken or beef broth filled with greens, meat and rice noodles.
• Com tam (broken rice): Highly delicious and easy to come by, com tam is particularly connected to Ho Chi Minh City and the south of Vietnam. Options for ingredients that top the rice include assuon nuong (marinated grilled pork chops), bi (shredded pork skin), cha trung (a quiche of steamed pork and egg), and trung (fried egg). Further flavour is added with sides such as sliced cucumber and tomato, pickled vegetables, or a dipping sauce of fish sauce, chilli and lime.

Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
When it comes to shopping, Ho Chi Minh City has everything from vibrant markets to high-end malls offering air-conditioned comfort.

The unveiling of Takashimaya Saigon Centre in July 2016 confirmed Ho Chi Minh City’s enthusiasm for luxury shopping. The city’s largest mall can be found in the refurbished Saigon Centre building on Le Loi Boulevard, and is home to more than 200 brands across 5 floors. Renowned names in fashion are on offer, as are cosmetics, accessories and choice foodie options.

A short walk across District 1, Ben Thanh Market provides a more traditional shopping experience. Inside the iconic 1914 building, stall owners sell clothing, electronics, crafts, souvenirs and produce. Prices can be higher here and haggling isn’t what it used to be, but it’s certainly worth trying your luck.

For the colour of Ben Thanh Market without the chaos, Saigon Square at two locations in District 1 is a good option, and the Vincom Center is a little more upmarket.

What to buy in Ho Chi Minh City

• Look for unique crafts and gifts at Ben Thanh Market, as well as consumables such as spices and coffee.
• Find designer brands at reasonable prices in one of Ho Chi Minh City’s premier shopping malls (but it’s probably best not to try bargaining here).

Culture & Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City
Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City focusses on District 1’s Pham Ngu Lao Street, where tourists and locals mix at bars, music venues and roadside beer stalls featuring plastic stools. If plastic stools aren’t your thing, Ho Chi Minh City has plenty of culture both before and after dark.

The contemporary arts scene is thriving, and Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum offers pieces from the exotic and distant past. The opera, meanwhile, is as enticing in Ho Chi Minh City as it is anywhere else in the world.

Whatever your plan for the evening, a drink at one of Ho Chi Minh City’s many rooftop bars is a good way to start (and possibly end) it.

The arts in Ho Chi Minh City

• The Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum has pieces dating as far back as the 7th century, as well as paintings, sculpture and ceramics.
• Admire contemporary exhibits from established and emerging Vietnamese artists at Galerie Quynh and the Craig Thomas Gallery.
• Visit the Saigon Opera House, home to the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera. Concerts, theatre and traditional dance performances are held regularly.

Leisure in Ho Chi Minh City
For a break from the buzz of Ho Chi Minh City, try a trip out to District 7’s Ban Nguyet Lake, which has walking routes right along the lake, as well as a shopping mall and restaurants. Back in the centre, Tao Dan Park offers fountains and tree-lined walkways.

Best leisure spots in Ho Chi Minh City

• You can wander through Tao Dan Park in the early morning. During Tet, Vietnamese New Year, the park is also has a flower festival.
• Nguyen Hue Street is also good for strolling. It runs from the Saigon River to Ho Chi Minh City Hall and features a statue of Ho Chi Minh along with benches made from trees that once grew close to Saigon Opera House.
• Boat trips run near the city along the Saigon River and venture further afield into the famous Mekong Delta.