Overview
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC for short) might be one of the biggest and most important cities in southeast Asia today. People often talk about Bangkok, or the economic powerhouses of Singapore and Hong Kong as the epicenter of modernity and progress in southeast Asia but they simply can’t forget about Ho Chi Minh. It’s big, fast and growing at a rapid pace. The city is home to nearly 11 million people and isn’t getting any smaller anytime soon.
It’s gritty, dirty and crowded, but a wild fun time and a place you just have to visit. Ho Chi Minh is located about 11 hours from Hanoi to the south and about six hours east of Phnom Penh, if you want to travel from Cambodia to Vietnam, which we definitely recommend.
You may know it better as “Saigon” the capital of what was once South Vietnam before the communist regime captured it following the Vietnam War. The city was of course renamed after Ho Chi Minh, the great leader of the Vietnamese Communist army and people, a figure who is still adored to this day.
Politics aside, Ho Chi Minh is the perfect backpackers city and a must see stop on your trip through southeast Asia. The wild hostel neighborhood, endless nightlife options and cheap street food will keep you entertained while the Vietnamese culture and old world charm will keep you in the city longer than you planned.
Is it Cheap?
Yes! Ho Chi Minh along with the rest of Vietnam is incredibly cheap. A hostel bed in Ho Chi Minh will set you back around 6-10 dollars a night and food anywhere between 2-3$ including a beverage. Vietnam at times, is so cheap that it doesn’t seem possible.
What to Do
While Ho Chi Minh has a lot of great things to do, we recommend spending the majority of your time in Vietnam on the coast or in the north. The perfect amount of time in Ho Chi Minh would be between 3-4 days.
Have a Night out in Bui Vien
If you are a backpacker in HCMC, chances are you will be staying in Bui Vien. You just have to go out and experience the city at night, you just have to. It’s bright neon lights, incredibly loud music and wild crowds will keep you entertained until the wee hours of the morning.
The city, in this case, really never sleeps. Walk around the crowded streets and you’ll find fire-blowing street performers, endless cafes, restaurants and bars, hookah lounges, clubs and people of all sorts trying to sell you anything under the sun. Whatever you want, Bui Vien has got it.
Also, it is a mecca for street food to help you get through a night of whip-it balloons and Rum shots. There is really nothing like a Bahn Mi at 4am to help keep your mind and body intact.
Grab Some Peace and Quiet at some of HCMC’s Best Parks
During the daytime hours, if you happen to make it out of your hostel before 5 pm, it’s best to avoid the crowded streets of HCMC and head to some peace and quiet in one of the city’s various green spaces.
We recommend walking around Cong Vien park in the middle of the city, known for its beautifully arranged fauna and water puppet theater , or Le Van Tam park, in the northern part of the city filled with small temples.
The parks are always lively, full of people and a nice place to escape the chaos. If you get a chance, try to join a game of shuttlecock for a real Vietnamese experience.
Go Underground at the Cu Chi Tunnels
The Cu Chi tunnels are just outside of HCMC, just about a 45 minute drive from the city. Many companies offer half or full day tours.
The Cu Chi tunnels gained fame during the Vietnam War and were used to move soldiers behind enemy lines using a large underground network of “you guessed it” tunnels. During the siege of Saigon, records state that nearly 45,000 people died defending the tunnels during the early 1970’s.
It’s a great place to explore if you want to learn more about the history of Vietnam, and especially how it relates to the US and the South Vietnam!
Buy Everything in Sight at Binh Tay Market
Binh Tay Market sits directly in the middle of the city and is about a 1 kilometer walk away from Binh Tay. The main hall of the market is designated to tourist goods but the stalls easily number in the hundreds, so there are many options for you to buy pretty much anything under the sun for an extraordinarily cheap price. Whether its clothing, fake Rolexes or handmade bamboo goods, you’ll find it.
Chances are, if you don’t speak Vietnamese, the shop vendors will try to rip you off. Bargaining is a lifestyle in the Binh Tay Market, so don’t be afraid to haggle with them a little, or a lot, depending on what you think is a fair price. We would love to say that they normally increase the price by a standard rate for tourists, but we saw some varying pricing tactics among the vendors.
Happy shopping!
What to Eat and Drink
Pho Bo – The most notorious dish in Vietnam can be found on nearly every street corner. The soup itself gets most of the flavor from a rich beef broth. The stock is accented by rice noodles and a healthy portion of basil, jalapenos, cilantro and mint. Costs around 40,000 Dongs
Bun Rieu– Translated to Crab Noodle Soup, this dish is one of the only soups in Vietnam to contain tomatoes in the broth. Rich, decadent and homey, the soup captures the spirit of the coast. Costs around 40,000 dongs
Bun Cha– This is less of a meal and more of an experience. When eating Bun Cha, you get rice noodles, fresh greens and herbs, an egg roll, pork skewers and a sweet and smoky broth to both use as soup but also as a dipping sauce. An average Bun Cha costs around 70,000 Dongs
Bahn Mi – The beautiful mix between crispy French bread and Vietnamese meats and sauce is what makes the Bahn Mi possibly the world’s best sandwich. It is traditionally stuffed with a mixture of pork cuts and pate, finished with fresh herbs, pickled carrots and jalapenos. Costs around 35,000 Dongs. The best Bahn Mi in the city can be found at Tiem Banh Mi Huynh Hoa; it’s simply miraculous.
Com Ga- Com Ga is the heart of Vietnamese cuisine and can be found nearly on every street corner. The dish features fresh roasted or fried chicken alongside broken rice, a staple of the Vietnamese diet. Try it with sweet chili sauce. Costs around 50,000 Dongs
Bia Saigon – The classic light beer of Ho Chi Minh
Fruit Smoothies – Sounds like an obvious choice, but HCMC has some of the best and cheapest fruit smoothies you can find anywhere. Go for mango, pineapple or soursop (Also known as guanabana or custard apple. Tastes a bit like an apple and a pear).
Vietnamese Iced Coffee– Vietnam is first and foremost a coffee country. You’ll see people drinking the jet black concoction all in all parts of any city you are in at any time of the day. Drinking Vietnamese Coffee is beyond a must in Vietnam. You can get it black (just with sugar syrup) or white (with a healthy amount of condensed milk in the bottom).
Transportation
Normally we recommend taking the public transportation, but HCMC is incredibly crowded and confusing. The best way to get around is by motor-taxi but make sure to buy a smog mask or else you might be stuck on the roads unable to breathe.
You can use GrabTaxi for extremely fair rates in HCMC.
PSA: HCMC has terrible pollution on its streets and smog caused by their overcrowded roads is a major health concern. Spend as little time as possible walking around the major roads.
Night Life at Bui Vien
Traffic in Cong Vien Park
Binh Tay Market
Bahn Mi Sandwich
My Travel Essentials For An Asian Backpacking Trip
Below you'll find a list of my must bring backpacking items. I have gotten this list down to my essentials through trial and error over 4 years of living in a backpack. I hope you'll find these items helpful on your journey!
►Main Backpacking Backpack: https://amzn.to/3vUHdik [Amazon]
►Great Front Facing Duffle-bag : https://amzn.to/3SjK6Ra [Amazon]
►Quick Dry Towel : https://amzn.to/3uarxH8 [Amazon]
►Multi Country Charger Adapter : https://amzn.to/3Ul37p0 [Amazon]
►Refillable Water Bottle : https://amzn.to/48SnG0n [Amazon]
►Padlock : https://amzn.to/3SdyYp7 [Amazon]
►Earplugs : https://amzn.to/498xTpl [Amazon]
►Power Bank : https://amzn.to/3SyXP8e [Amazon]
Travel Photography & Video Favorites
If you're interested in creating your own video content on your trip, these are some of my favorite items I've had. They work, they're effective and besides the Sony Aa7C, they aren't going to break the bank either!
►On the Go Video | Go Pro Hero 12 : https://amzn.to/3u38oHh [Amazon]
►Photography | Sony A7C : https://amzn.to/3u1Y6ap [Amazon]
►Portable Tripod | https://amzn.to/42ojHqc [Amazon]
►Lavalier Microphone | https://amzn.to/3SbL41U [Amazon]
►Drone | https://amzn.to/47TCwSY [Amazon]
►Portable Monitor | https://amzn.to/3Hzv2dg
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