Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
We started our decent into the haze of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once known as Saigon, this historic city has gone through so much history. From French colonialism to the Vietnam War, or the “American War” as it’s called locally. The city has such a cool vibe, very western, but extremely Asian at the same time. Vietnam hands down has the BEST food in all of Southeast Asia. The soups and noodles are delicious, beef is widely available and cheap, the beer price averages .89 cents American and the bread and cheese is French! Even the coffee is French, with numerous different croissants and pastries to try as well. The nightlife was amazing, the museums were great, the people were so nice. Be aware of the street vendors and hustlers! They were definitely very grabby, but honestly that’s the only problem I had during my visit. Overall the small shop owners and locals love tourists and are very inviting. Even though I was only there for 4 days I fell in love with Vietnam! One day I will return to this amazing country and experience the whole thing.
I stayed at The Hideout Hostel Saigon and it was awesome! The location is just one block away from the main walking street and in walking distance to local markets and all of the museums.The staff was amazing, drinks were cheap, beds were comfortable and clean. Lots of backpackers from all over! Even though the bar closes at midnight this is definitely a party hostel. If you stay here you also get one free beer a night which is always a win!
I chose Ho Chi Minh because I heard the food scene and nightlife was great, and it was! However my trip wouldn’t have been complete without checking out the local sights and learning about the rich history of this city. The first place I checked out with my new hostel friend Karlijn was the War Remnants Museum . This museum showed the horrors of the Vietnam War and had a very unique perspective from Vietnams side of the war. Numerous photos and videos from the war and Saigon, displays about how agent orange affected both sides during and after the war, jets, vehicles, and tanks you can walk around and explore. It was a really cool museum to learn about the dark history of the war and how it changed Vietnam forever.
We also went and checked out the Saigon Central Post Office which was super pretty, and very European. This place is most famously known for sending postcards back home! I didn’t send any, but I did pick up a couple for my collection! Out front of the post office is a small cathedral as well, but it was under construction so I didn’t get any good pictures.
We also walked through the Ben Tanh Market which was a really cool spot to get some souvenirs or some knock off goods. Didn’t see any local art I liked at this spot, but there was a lot of good street food so it’s definitely worth checking out!
Honestly, what I recommend doing is just wonder around! You can use grab for a motorbike taxi if you want, but if you’re ready to brave some crazy traffic you can walk anywhere you want. I loved the little streets ands alleys that zig zagged through the city. They’re full of little shops, art galleries, and food! Also wondering the city is a great way to get some great shots for Instagram!
I also highly recommend you check out Le'Fê Rooftop Bar . This super chill bar had one of the best sunset views I had the entire trip, also is a great spot to see the city light up at night as well! This hidden Amsterdam style bar is a little pricer than the bars down below, but the vibes and views are totally worth it! Find the Meraki Hotel on the main party street and just walk up the stairs, through the lobby, and take the elevator to the top floor.
The Bùi Viên walking street is pretty much the same thing is Khaosan Road in Bangkok. I’m not a big club guy but if you are this street will be a very good time for you. Just be aware that unlike Khaosan the club workers and other shop owners on this street are very grabby and try to push you toward their business. Just kindly say no and keep moving, they’ll eventually go away. My suggestion is to avoid the clubs and check out the smaller bars and shops that line both sides of the road. The people are nicer, the music is less loud, and the drinks are even cheaper! My favorite bar was actually off the main road, almost at the end of the street called TNR Saigon . This place was amazing! The playlist was great, drink prices were good, and the vibe of the whole bar was unmatched. This honestly might be one of my favorite bars I’ve been to in Southeast Asia. This is a local bar, but they’re very welcoming to everyone and English is widely spoken inside. This place is a must see if you’re in town, and if I was a local I’d probably be there every night!
I met so many amazing locals and travelers at this bar and even got to play a round of billiards with a local professional! I lost very badly but it was a lot of fun. Out in front of the bar is a super friendly woman who makes Bánh Mí to help fuel you to keep the night going! I can’t even tell you how many Bánh Mí I ate while I was in Vietnam 😅😂 There’s also a ton of really cool shops on this side street, all the local were super friendly and I ended up sitting on an egg crate talking with some of them for quite awhile one night. I just loved how friendly and interesting everyone was! I loved Vietnam so much, it was definitely something I could get used to.
Okay, so Vietnam has the BEST food in Southeast Asia and you can’t convince me otherwise. I think one of the reasons I loved Vietnam so much is because the food was incredible. I really regret not doing a food tour through my hostel, but luckily my curious self found some awesome local spots to try out! First off is the famous Bánh Mí! This French inspired sandwich is probably one the most iconic meals in Vietnam. You can find them literally everywhere, from shops to street vendors you’re never too far from one! I recommend getting one with fried egg, it makes this delicious sandwich even better! The best and by far the biggest Bánh Mí in town is at Huynh Hoa , a famous local spot which has been featured on the travel channel, movies, and even a few TV shows. This spot is a quick 10 minute walk from the Hideout Hostel and Bùi Viên.
Vietnam is also famous for its Pho. This delicious broth is most commonly eaten for breakfast, but it hits the spot any time of the day! I recommend you go to Nhà Hàng Asian Kitchen ! This local spot is just one alleyway away from my hostel and they had amazing service, and even better food. I also had Bun Cha which is a dish with meat in a broth and rice noodles. Just get some noodles and put it in the broth and grab some of the meat on the way out of the bowl. It was savory, probably one of the best things I’ve ever eaten in my life 😭
If you’re down by the War Remnants Museum and are looking for a quick bite to eat I recommend you stop by Guta Cafe . I got some noodles and beef and it was delicious! They also have super yummy smoothies and coffee.
If you haven’t realized it yet I absolutely love art! I think artists are some of the most talented people on the planet and I always love to support local as much as I can, and always get originals when I get the opportunity. I found a super nice woman in a little shop selling old propaganda posters and small art pieces. I picked up a really cool poster and a couple hand painted bookmarks which was super cool! I didn’t find a lot of local art in Ho Chi Minh so I was really excited to give her some business!
I went on two different tours while I was in Ho Chi Minh; the Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi Tunnels. I personally liked the Mekong way more than the tunnels, but both were cool experiences. Both trips are about a one to two hour bus ride away. When we got to the Mekong River we took a small boat across to an island to see them making candy out coconut. Very similar to the palm sugar candy I had in Cambodia, but these came in a lot of different flavors and were more creamy. Afterwards we went down this small river though the jungle to a place to eat a delicious lunch with locally sourced fish and veggies. It was a super cool experience and a delicious meal!
Afterwards we headed back on the boat and headed to another island to listen to some traditional Vietnamese singing and try some local tea and honey which was probably the best honey I've tasted outside of Florida. I still wish I bought some to take home but I was worried about customs…. On a brighter note though I made a new friend on this island and we took a super cool picture together! Everyone was hesitant to take a pic but I jumped at the opportunity to handle this guy.
Vietnamese locals singing to tourists
The Cu Chi Tunnel tour was cool, but honestly kind of boring and felt rushed. The whole area is full of dozens of tour groups and the tour itself, although very informational, seemed kind of dry to me. When we finally got to the tunnel I headed down and quickly realized it was way smaller than I thought it was going to be. I’m a bigger guy so I found myself on my hands and knees crawling though this tunnel in pretty much darkness. This The air was thin and my heart rate increased right away. Very faint lights showed the way every two meters or so. Luckily there is an exit back up every twenty meters and I quickly got out at the first exit! I never felt claustrophobic until that day 😂 It was a wild thing to experience and was by far the highlight of the tour.
A trip to another country wouldn’t be complete without a new tattoo! I went to Lucky Tattoo, just a short walk from my hostel and saw a flash tattoo I really liked. After talking with the guys at the shop I had them make a small change and was ready to go! I’m super happy with the tattoo. Way more detailed than I thought it was going to be and it healed up nice! The shop was super cool and all the artist there do great work.
Overall I absolutely loved Ho Chi Minh City. The city had such a cool vibe. Very busy, crazy traffic, and very big, but the locals were great! They were so friendly and excited to see the tourists coming back. Like I said above, Vietnam had the best food I’ve eaten since I moved abroad 10 months ago. I wish I had more time to travel through Vietnam and really dive deep into this beautiful country. If you’re backpacking Southeast Asia Vietnam is a must see country. I hope one day to return to this beautiful country and experience all it has to offer. If you go to Ho Chi Minh see the museums and tunnels, explore the Mekong, enjoy the nightlife, and have at least one Bánh Mí for me! I’m so glad I was able to go and make the memories before I move back home. Can’t wait to visit again one day!
