Compared to Hanoi’s thousands of years of civilization, Saigon was only a few hundred years old and a young city, but it took the first place in the vibrant and modern life.
Stroll the streets with snacks, sip a cup of sidewalk coffee in the early morning or make some photos in the unique architecture of Saigon is what you should do when you have the opportunity to visit this haughty land.
Don’t miss the opportunity to try top things to do in Saigon.
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1. Something about Saigon – things to do in ho chi minh free
Dubbed the “Pearl of the Far East”, Ho Chi Minh City has long been a cultural, economic and political center of Vietnam. 5 things to do in ho chi minh
Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City is also a major tourist center, with historical monuments and museums that mark the war era against France and the United States. Typical is the 11 museum system in which the most famous is the War Remnants Museum.
Besides, the colonial architecture also satisfied tourists when traveling to Saigon, such as City People’s Committee Headquarters, Opera House, Central Post Office, Ben Nha Rong, Ben Thanh Market and the Independence Palace. minh
Coming to Saigon – Ho Chi Minh City more than 300 years old, you can meet high-rise buildings located close by, entertainment areas, shopping centers, but there is no shortage of ancient villas, traditional markets exist for hundreds of years, etc. things to do in ho chi minh
2. List of Things to do in Ho Chi Minh City – things you must do in ho chi minh
Enjoy some street foods
Street foods – a characteristic of Saigon
Saigon has many snack areas and it is easy to find everywhere. Not only diversity in dishes, taste and price, snacks in Saigon always satisfy diners.
You can join your friends to enjoy fried quail eggs at Dong Nai Street (District 10), fried corn in Gia Dinh Park, or Vietnamese pizza in Thu Duc University Village, etc.
Sitting sidewalk coffee early in the morning
If in Hanoi many people like to go to Hoan Kiem Lake in the morning to find a cool atmosphere, in Saigon you should sip coffee from sidewalk to see the bustle.
Watching the rushing of people, listening to life stories, talking about people, reading a few newspapers or chatting with friends is always an interesting thing in Saigon morning.
Take a photo – things to do in ho chi minh
No need to be an attentive person, you can still see Saigon has a lot of beautiful corners.
If you love the ancient architecture, you can go to the Paris Building area, where there is the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and not far from the Independence Palace.
If you love the green nature colors you can go to the reed fields (District 7), Ho Da (Thu Duc district) or the romantic canals on Vo Van Kiet Boulevard.
Rent a motorbike and roam the streets of Saigon
Roaming through the streets is also a unique hobby when you have the opportunity to visit this new land. In addition to understanding people’s lifestyle, discovering new things, you can crept into small alleys to see another view of Saigon.
Or stroll through Nguyen Trai at night, you will see the bustle on the sidewalk, where many fashion items are sold and even the shops selling street foods mixed together to create a different vibrant life.
Shop at local stores – things to do in ho chi minh
Local foods such as G7 coffee are very popular, besides dried fruits such as fried mangoes, fried potatoes, dried jackfruit and dried lotus seeds … are suitable for buying as gifts. In particular, shopping for clothes in Saigon you can comfortably bargain until you get the right price for you.
Saigon rain – things to do in ho chi minh
Of course everyone knows that Saigon does not have four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Saigon only has two rainy and sunny seasons.
Small rain, if not wearing a raincoat, it is wet, but wearing, it is hot. Heavy rain is flooded, sometimes flooding the city. There were rains in two minutes, could not wear the raincoat.
Visiting French architectural works
The architecture is always a symbol of the city and impresses when you have admired and discovered through.
Notre Dame Cathedral, City Opera House, Saigon Central Post Office, headquarters of City People’s Committee, Nha Rong Wharf or Vietnam History Museum … are places to visit. Here you will see the unique, meticulous and sharp detail through every small detail.
Walking around Saigon at night
In the afternoon, Saigon with the hot sun always makes people go to the street to rush to find a place to avoid the sun. At night Saigon becomes cool and the landscape shimmering with lights.
Life is less stuffy but has the appearance of excitement, the relaxed people on the streets or busy in the cafes.
Especially walking around the night markets like Ben Thanh, Le Thi Rieng park or Tay Bui Vien street, you will see a picture of Saigon in stark contrast.
The life of the Saigon people sometimes live more at night than during the day, so don’t forget to explore a corner of Saigon at night.
See the city from above
Bitexco, Saigon’s tallest, new icon gives you a lot of exciting experiences, with brilliant night lights, Skydeck court, observation deck on the 49th floor.
Feel the beauty and bustle of the most vibrant city in Vietnam.
Drive in Thu Thiem Tunnel – things to do in ho chi minh
Vietnam’s first river-crossing cellar, the century’s work of Saigon gives you strange and new feelings.
The space at each end of this road (tunnel) has quite interesting opposition. If at the beginning of the District 1 is a bustling, crowded, rushing city, then in the beginning of District 2, Saigon appears wide and clear with green trees.
Sightseeing on Phu My Bridge – Saigon’s largest cable-stayed bridge connecting District 7 and District 2.
Besides the scale, architecture, design, bridge also appreciated by many photographers as the place with the most beautiful and widest view in Saigon.
For safety reasons, you should not circulate in this area after 19:00. If you want to visit sightseeing, do not go to groups of less than 5 people.
Conquering Cu Chi tunnels – things to do in ho chi minh
Not only is one of the longest tunnels in the country, Cu Chi is also among the top underground works in the world voted by CNN in 2013.
There are three experiences you should try when you come here: conquering the basement with places to be close to the ground to get through, sipping boiled Manioc, sleeping a short time in a hammock between two trees.
Tunnels are located in Cu Chi district, about 25 km from the city center. Want to go there, you can ride a motorbike, hire a taxi or take a bus to Ben Thanh – Cu Chi market route (from 5-17h daily).
Going on the Saigon River
There are three options for you to make your journey to discover Saigon by water, including on-board meals, tour registration by boat / canoe, or yacht.
Each option has a unique characteristic. But eating on board restaurants is more economical and convenient. If you still worry about the cost of having to pay after meals, you can choose to buy buffet tickets at Saigon ship restaurants. Ticket price is about 250,000 – 320,000 VND depending on lunch / dinner.
Starlight Bridge – what to do in ho chi minh in 5 days
It is a pedestrian bridge for sight-seeing and is also Vietnam’s first modern pedestrian bridge. The bridge is located in the new urban area of Phu My Hung, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, going through Thay Tieu canal to connect Ho Ban Nguyet Area (The Crescent).
The bridge is designed with a sprinkler system which is a 7-color led light on both sides of the bridge, making visitors feel like they are walking on the galaxy. Moreover, both sides of the bridge also have a large square, designed to simulate the moon and the sun.
Starlight Bridge is a favorite place to visit Saigon, especially for young tourists.
Turtle Lake – what to do in ho chi minh 2 days
Turtle Lake, officially named International Site, is the folk name of a traffic circle with a fountain, linking three roads: Vo Van Tan, Pham Ngoc Thach and Tran Cao Van, located in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
The Turtle Lake area is now one of the culinary activity areas almost from morning to night, with many cafes and shops around.
Ben Thanh market – what to do in ho chi minh 4 days
Ben Thanh market
Located in the downtown area, Ben Thanh market has long been a symbol of Saigon.
Not only is this a place of business, this market has become a historic witness for many years.
It is also the economic face of the development of the largest commercial city in the country and the intersection between the old Saigon and now.
Inside the market, there are enough traditional and modern items to sell as gifts for family and friends. Ben Thanh Market is also one of the ideal places to enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Stop by the food stalls with local specialties such as fried fish or sipping a glass of refreshing iced tea. One note is that when shopping here, you should bargain to get the best price.
Bach Dang Wharf – top 3 things to do in ho chi minh city
Bach Dang Wharf includes a harbor and Bach Dang Park located on the banks of the Saigon River. This is an interesting destination for city people and tourists when visiting Ho Chi Minh City.
Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street – what to do in ho chi minh city 3 days
Nguyen Hue pedestrian street is an indispensable name in the places to visit Saigon.
Built in April 2015, it is 670m long and 64m wide. Located in the heart of Saigon, the pedestrian street features granite floors, two large fountains, lots of trees and a modern sound and light control system.
Independence Palace – top 10 things to do in ho chi minh tripadvisor
Independence Palace
Located at 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, the Independence Palace is an architectural work going into the history of the nation. During the period of resistance war against the US, this is the workplace of the government of the Republic of Vietnam. After liberation, this place is classified as a special national monument.
This work is designed according to feng shui and Oriental architecture but equally modern. Visiting here, visitors will admire the eyes of items from the old regime with many vestiges marking the independence of April 30, 1975.
Currently, every year on April 30 or September 2, thousands of people flock here to visit as well as to commemorate heroes who have fallen for national independence.
3. Things to Note When Traveling in Saigon – what do you do in ho chi minh city
Be careful to be penalized for going wrong one way
As one of the largest and busiest cities in the country, Saigon owns quite a number of one-way streets, but if you are not careful or miss going in, you will easily be punished by traffic police.
The current one-way roads to pay attention include: Le Thanh Ton, Ly Tu Trong, Pasteur, Xo Viet Nghe Tinh from Bach Dang to Binh Trieu bridge, etc.
With District 1 along Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, if you ride a motorbike and want to explore the cafes and cafes in this area, it is advisable for visitors to park their cars at a nearby location and walk to explore.
Because this place gathers a series of restaurants – cafes – clothing shops – commercial centers – shopping areas, so moving by car here is quite difficult.
Be careful with personal belongings when walking around
One problem that most tourists come to any place is facing a major theft that takes place on the streets, bus routes, parks or places where people are not crowded, etc.
Be careful with your personal belongings when traveling, especially when walking in an uninhabited area so as not to be stolen by the crooks.
Be careful with street food
Cuisine of Saigon streets – one of the unique features that captures tourists when visiting, also has some things to note.
With all kinds of dishes combined from cuisine in the North, Central and South; Saigon lets you feel the strangeness right from the first time enjoying the food here, however, visitors should also be cautious and care about food safety.
The smart choice and consideration of reputable eateries to stop enjoying will help you get a more complete trip.
Avoid rush hour, avoid traffic jams
Referring to traffic jams, the people of Saigon half jokingly said that for a horrifying thing.
Try to drive to the street at the hour between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm or noon from 11:00 to 12:00, you will witness cars and people moving up and down little by little, crowded like a maze difficult to go quickly.
So, at rush hours, choose to walk or stop to rest and eat in restaurants, spend time exploring this magnificent city in other time frames, deserted and cooler.
Smart when buying, ‘art’ bargain
Souvenirs are considered “indispensable” after each trip, you can find these in markets such as Ben Thanh, An Dong market, etc. things to do in ho chi minh
A small note to pay attention to is the bargaining skill and is really smart when choosing to buy something with the price of the purchase and sale.
The markets often say high prices for tourists, refer to reliable websites and ask acquaintances in Saigon to choose to buy for yourself souvenirs as well as specialties with the reasonable price.
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