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Vietnam Hop Along - Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Writer's picture: Cristina DwyerCristina Dwyer

In case you wonder why “hop along” in the title, may wanna check out the first blog about my Vietnam and Cambodia trip, Vietnam Hop Along - Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.


After visiting Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, which gave us a ‘taste’ of North Vietnam, we spent a day in central region, visiting Hoi An, and afterwards we continued further south, to Ho Chi Minh City.


We caught an early flight to Ho Chi Minh City form Da Nang, the nearest airport to Hoi An. Formerly known as Saigon, it was capital of French Indochina and South Vietnam; nowadays it the most populous city in the country and, informally, is still being referred to as Saigon.


Our guide, Xi, met us at the airport, and we hit the road straight away. First impression of Saigon? Busy! Scary busy!


We began our tour with the Independence Palace, also known as the Reunification Hall, once the residence and workplace of the South Vietnam’s presidents. Architecturally, the building is rather simple and square. However, what it lacks in aesthetics, makes up for in historical weight. The forced entry of a North Vietnamese tank through its gates on April 30, 1975, marked the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. The highlights for me were the roof top view and the basement; the latter, once the headquarters for war operations, had a collection of old equipment that seem taken out of a movie set.


The Saigon Central Post Office was an entirely different experience. Built by the French in the 19th century while Saigon was part of French Indochina, the building is a stunning mix of Renaissance, Gothic, and French influences. It’s both elegant and functional—still fully operating as a post office to this day.

Walking in felt as if I were swinging between past and present, unsure which one was real. On one hand there were the old maps of Saigon, South Vietnam, and Cambodia decorating the entrance walls, and the intricate coloured tiles underfoot that were taking me back a century, on another hand, there was the sight of people writing postcards or sending packages right in front of me.

We were going to visit another heritage building, Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon,

Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon
Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon

built by the French to the resemblance of the Notre-Dame de Paris, with all the construction materials being brought from France. However, since the basilica was undergoing renovations, we took a glimpse at it only from outside.


For lunch, we finally made it to a local pho joint. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the 10-course menus, but I was curious to try pho in its homeland.

Every culture has its go-to dish, nutritious, simple and filling. For the Vietnamese, that’s pho. The broth is the key to its flavour, and from there, you add what you like, meat, seafood, veggies, noodles, and you have it all in one bowl. I learned from our guide that the biggest difference between northern and southern pho comes down to noodles and spices—the North prefers fresh noodles, saltier taste, while the South favours dried noodles and sweeter flavours. We had the southern version.


We continued our city tour with a visit to the Jade Emperor Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in the early 20th century by a Chinese settler. Following the traditional Chinese temple architecture, the building was richly adorned with wooden carvings, statues, and Chinese characters. Its pink-fuchsia exterior reminded me of the temple in Hoi An. The inside fresh flowers and fruit offerings, along with the well-tended garden from outside, created a peaceful, hopeful atmosphere. Perhaps that was a particular vibe of the place, as the temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Fertility; many couples wishing for a child have been coming here to pray, apparently with success.


We wrapped up our guided tour for the day with a stop at the Binh Tay Market, a massive, covered hall where you can find just about anything, from fresh produce to loads of clothing, shoes, souvenirs, local snacks, household items, jewelry, and traditional medicine. If you’re up for bargain hunting, the market has plenty to offer. That said, the low prices seemed to match the quality, so … I took a pass after a quick surf.


In the evening, we took a stroll down Pham Ngu Lao Street. Vividly lit and buzzing with restaurants, bars, and eager hosts trying to lure you inside, tattoo and nail parlours, and a continuous tourist flow, the street is the place to be at nighttime, especially on weekends when it goes pedestrian-only.


But, we were after something quieter and more… Vietnamese. The food and atmosphere felt a bit too touristy for our liking, so we wandered off onto the side streets and found what we were looking for at Bom, a tucked-away bistro with a quaint interior and local fusion cuisine. The highlight? Sitting at the bar, watching the bartender craft cocktails with meticulous precision, a show in itself.


We spent our second day exploring the outskirts of Saigon, starting with a farm-to-table cooking class at Chef’s Tan. Armed with a hat, apron, basket, and scissors, we headed straight into the garden. As we wandered among rows of root and leafy vegetables, spices, fruit trees, and endless varieties of chilly peppers and herbs (different types of basil, mint), we learned not just about their culinary uses but also about their home medicinal qualities. For the first time, I saw plants like taro, starfruit, kumquat, peanuts, mustard greens, and even an oyster mushroom farm. 

Then came the cooking. We prepared and enjoyed a few traditional dishes: shrimp spring rolls, beef bbq, chicken with chili and lemongrass, and a banana spring roll with coconut ice cream ( a first for me). They were all surprisingly simple to make. The secret? Fresh ingredients and mastering the heat.

Speaking of freshness— did you know that Vietnam is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of cashews and black pepper? At that farm, I had my first taste of freshly picked and roasted cashews, in their skin, and they were unbelievably superior to any cashew I ever had before. Now I don’t like anything else!


The Vietnam War is famous for the guerilla fight put on by the Viet Cong. Their most valuable weapon was the Cu Chi Tunnels, which we set out to explore in the afternoon. Although arranged in a tourist setting, the tunnels open for visiting are authentic. It’s unimaginable that so many people not only lived and fought underground but also built such an extensive and sophisticated network that served for both attack and defense. They wore tire rubber sandals, ate taro roots, put up with insects and disease, strategically placed the air vents and reused any military equipment they could put their hands on. Despite all the Vietnam War movies I’ve seen, this encounter with reality was chilling, even though it’s history now.


It was our last night in Saigon and Vietnam so we went for one more stroll in the city.

Last impression of Saigon? Busy! But not so scary anymore!

The city’s streets are dominated by the scooters – they are fast, come dangerously close to vehicles or any other obstacles, and they’re overloaded with people or stuff. They’re life as usual to the locals, they’re mesmerizing to look at for us, as foreigners. It is life as usual for someone on a scooter to make a quick stop by a street food cart parked on the side of a street, to get a warm meal prepared on the spot and have a casual chat in the meantime. The night is full of lights and shadows, incredibly vibrant; once you stop and start seeing it, you cannot forget it.


Our Vietnam adventure came to a close. Before visiting, I had heard all sorts of things about Vietnam—some glowing, some contradictory. This sampler trip felt like pulling back the curtain on others’ impressions.


All in all, it was a very good trip and happy we could do it. My trip's highlights: people, food, coffee experiences, Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoi An at night, farm-to-table cooking class, Ha Long Bay.

There's so much more to see though, and, yes, I have already put together my wish list: more time in the North (hiking, rice terraces, another visit to Hanoi), coffee plantations, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc Island, Huế, anything that would unravel culture, artisan crafts, local customs.


The aura of the city buzz and budget travelling is a strong magnet. I feel though that, as with demand comes the offer, one needs to dig a bit deeper to experience authentic Vietnam culture. The international tourism has helped Vietnam to be on the world’s most wanted destinations. I hope there will be a new wave that will pivot and encourage eco tourism, to experience, promote and help conserve authentic cultural heritage and lifestyle. I hope to go back and be part of that wave!


But until then, I would like to tell you about Cambodia, in ... the next blog post. Stay tuned!

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Eddie Dwyer
Eddie Dwyer
Feb 07
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Looks like an interesting place.

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T T
T T
Feb 05
Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Funny, I have not heard bad words about Vietnam as a travel destination. More the opposite. But what a great journey overall. Thankful for you sharing all of this. I have to go for sure!!

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Cristina Dwyer
Cristina Dwyer
Feb 06
Replying to

Like most travel, it’s all about personal expectations and style . By ‘contradictory’ it’s more like ‘ worth seeing, going there, or not’ type of comments . I found impressions can vary for specific places.

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