Make the most of your visit to Vietnam’s southern city with our shortlist of its highlights

WORDS GEMMA PRICE
PHOTOGRAPHY PETER STUCKINGS

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is a city of contrasts. At first glance it’s brash and boisterous, but away from the confusion of its busy streets you’ll find that quiet alleys and elegant back lanes await you. Spend part of your day learning about the city’s troubled history before spending your night soaking up the latest in sophisticated styles and sounds. Let the city that was Saigon reveal its charms to you.

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Best Cultural Experience

The white-and-ochre walls of the Fine Arts Museum’s magnificent classical architecture make the structure as much of an attraction as the art on display. The spacious hall boasts Art Nouveau architectural features, and the courtyard and quaint bridge of this colonial-era building are delightful places to wander in the warm afternoon sunlight.

As for the art itself, a broad selection of artwork and artists are exhibited over three levels. From traditional lacquer-ware and oil paintings to contemporary pieces, you’ll find an excellent display of works by local, regional and international artists.

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Best Local Food

HCMC has great food just about everywhere, but Tib Restaurant’s extensive menu of delicious Vietnamese specialties has made it popular among locals and expats. Previously owned by celebrated singer-songwriter Trinh Cong Son, the restaurant’s layout follows the traditions of ancient Hue, Vietnam’s capital city in imperial times, and made famous by its delicious cuisine. Images of the Vietnamese imperial court bedeck the walls, and the wooden panelling and ornate mirrors create an elegant, authentic atmosphere.

Everybody will find something to their taste on the moderately-priced menu: shrimp and lotus shoot salad, grilled shrimp and tamarind sauce, chicken barbecued in fermented bean curd, and fish cooked in claypot are all irresistible examples of classic Hue cuisine.

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Best Night Out

HCMC is one of the most energetic cities around, offering plenty of opportunities to socialise into the wee hours. Cantina Central is a popular starting point, with cheap Mexican cuisine, colourful décor and well-mixed cocktails, followed by Lush nightclub – the only destination for clubbers who want to shake things up on the dance floor. Q Bar is still HCMC’s only late late-night venue. The low-level lighting, cosy cubbyholes and hi-vibe soundtrack make this the best nest for night owls. Closing times vary, but it’s not unusual for the subterranean chambers to be packed until 5am.

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Best Shopping

Dong Khoi is probably HCMC’s most famous street, home to the classiest of shops and restaurants. Here you’ll find up-market boutiques stocked with local labels rubbing shoulders with Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Make sure you take a little extra time to explore the warren of lanes too, with their enticing silver shops, quaint cafés and silk designs. Cross Nguyen Hue Boulevard to Ton That Thiep, a street peppered with quirky shops that are a hunting ground for savvy expats. At Gaya you’ll find a great selection of lacquer-ware in kaleidoscopic colours, wrought aluminium furnishings and silk haute couture creations. Saigon Kitsch has choice examples of bright collectables and at So Co La you’ll find delicate, feminine clothing and accessories.

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Best History Lesson

One of the most important places to go when visiting HCMC is the War Remnants Museum, which documents the Vietnam War and its terrible repercussions. Here you’ll find war-time relics such as the hulks of military guns and vehicles, the details of military units involved, and replicas of the “tiger cage” prison cells. Most challenging of all are the walls covered in harrowing photographs of combat scenes, war wounds, interrogation techniques and massacres. Several photos trace the legacy of Agent Orange, still causing cancers and congenital defects three decades after the end of the war. Not an experience to be taken lightly, but an essential part of any visit to Vietnam.

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Best Spa

From the moment you step into Sen Spa, the fragrance of exotic oils invigorates your senses. With lofty views over the Saigon River, Sen Spa is an elegant haven, the perfect place to lie back and let the city’s hustle and bustle pass beneath you. Sen Spa (“lotus” in Vietnamese) places a strong emphasis on locally produced essential oils and extracts. Choose your Swedish, aromatherapy or hot-stone massage, then select your preferred oil blend: try “romantic”, with its decadent floral notes, or the deep lavender aroma of “relaxing”. All blends are created in-house to maximise their wellness properties and ensure their purity. The four-hand massage, where two therapists work simultaneously on your aches and pains, is particularly popular, and for the full Vietnamese experience, be sure to choose a Vietnamese-styled room.

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Best Playground

While you’ll love the energy of HCMC, there will be some days when you want to get away from it all. Binh Quoi Resort is a peaceful, leafy retreat just to the east of the city, offering everything for a fun family day in the sun – a swimming pool, tennis courts and spacious lawns with swings for the little ones. The restaurant has several open-air gazebo tables set over the edge of the lake, and the cool breeze and fresh air make this the perfect spot to enjoy Vietnamese-style seafood and delicious international dishes. As the local fishermen paddle across the lake, you can relax knowing the kids are under the watchful eyes of the lifeguards and the hectic pace of the city is (almost) a million miles away. Take a taxi for the 10–40-minute (depending on traffic) trip.

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Best Market

One of the busiest spots in Saigon, Ben Thanh market remains popular with both locals and tourists for silks and tasty snacks like soups, noodles and spring rolls. Spend time weaving between the stalls of brightly coloured fabrics and tourist clothing. Items like chopsticks in ornate resin cases and mother-of-pearl lacquer-ware make great souvenirs, but be sure to bargain hard for your goodies.

If you’re hungry after your haggling, choose a food stall and settle onto a little plastic seat, Vietnamese-style. A bowl of pho is always a good choice – substantial and satisfying, this dish of noodles, broth and thinly sliced meat is the locals’ staple breakfast but can be eaten at any time of day. For those with a sweet tooth, a slice of banh chuoi, a sumptuously sticky banana cake, is the perfect way to end your meal.

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Gemma Price says:
Ho Chi Minh City is such a chaotic, energetic hub of activity that it made my job very difficult. From the huge variety of things to do in this unique city, I had to pick a handful of recommendations, and asking locals and expats for advice became more a hindrance than a help! I’ve lived here for more than a year, but researching this feature opened my eyes to new discoveries. My personal favourite is Binh Quoi Village – here was the perfect excuse to spend some time soaking up the sunshine in one of the city’s most tranquil spots.

FIND IT:

Fine Arts Museum
97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1, tel: +84 (8) 829 4441
Tib Restaurant
187 Hai Ba Trung, District 3, tel: +84 (8) 829 7242
Cantina Central
51 Ton That Thiep, District 1, tel: +84 (8) 914 4697
Lush
2 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, tel: +84 (8) 824 2496
Q Bar
7 Lam Son Sq, District 1 (under the Opera House), tel: +84 (8) 823 3480
War Remnants Museum
28 Vo Van Tan, District 3, tel: +84 (8) 829 0325
Sen Spa
10F, Miss Aodai Bldg, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan, District 1, tel: +84 (8) 910 2174
Binh Quoi Resort
Khu Du Lich Van Thanh, 48/10 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 22, Bình Thanh District,
tel : +84 (8) 512 3026
Ben Thanh Market
Roundabout of Le Loi and Tran Hung Dao, District