Ho Chi Minh City, is a vibrant, fun and busy city. Full of life and full of people.
If you can navigate the millions of mopeds your have plenty of city to see and plenty of things to do, certainly never a dull moment.
Ho Chi Minh City Facts
Located in southern Vietnam in south east Asia. It is the largest city in the country however it is not the capital.
Ho Chi Minh has one major international airport named, Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the largest in Vietnam and with an estimated 32.5 million passengers a year.
It’s international currency is Vietnamese Dong.
Language spoken is Vietnam is Vietnamese, however French is the most spoken international language with many people also able to speak English.
Ho Chi Minh Attractions
Home to great architecture in the Centre of the city with these trips with the Central Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral and Independence Palace. These buildings are stunning and well worth the visit.
Ho Chi Minh City is also a perfect destination for accessing day trips the Cu Chi Tunnels, Vinh Trang Temple and the Mekong Delta.
A city known for its amazing fresh and delicious food, Street food vendors serving the best street food.
The Christina Noble Foundation foundation also known as CNCF is a non government organization, which dedicates to serving the worlds oppressed and marginalized children.
Formed in 1989 Christina who from a dream she had, during the time of the Vietnam war of Vietnamese street children begging for help, decided to visit Vietnam and in 1991 founded the foundation in Ho Chi Minh City and then later in 1997 extended the foundation to Mongolia.
Christina’s Background
Her own unforgiving past led her in this way. Born 23rd December 1944 Christina’s mother died when Christina was 10. Then she was placed in a orphanage and dishonestly told of the death of her siblings. She managed to escape and started to live rough in Dublin were she was unfortunately raped. If this wasn’t enough she then had her baby son adopted, against her will.
If things couldn’t get any more crazy after some time she discovered the state had lied about the death of her siblings to her. Christina after searching found her brother in England moved there to live with him after she turned 18.
This great women, Christina and her thoughtful foundation have to this day established over 160 projects providing education, healthcare and community development humanitarian services to vulnerable children and their families and poor rural communities.
Christina’s achievements
The work of Christina hasn’t gone unnoticed with the release of the film Noble, a story of Christina’s life. And is also the author of 2 autobiographies Bridge Across My Sorrows’ (1994) and Mama Tina (1997).
The charity has helped over 1 million children and adults to date.
A short trailer of the movie Noble can be seen below.
The Orphanage
While on our trip to Vietnam I came across a foundation set up by this Irish lady, to help children that were destined to live on the streets.
As this foundation wasn’t just a walk in I contacted the foundation prior and was granted access for the afternoon.
The organisation now consists of an educational element for school aged children and an incredible rehabilitation sector for children physically maimed by the chemical aftermath of the Vietnam war. The school element teaches common educational capabilities that the students may need in their everyday lives as well as life skills to help them once they are beyond school age.
The other area of the foundation works with babies and children suffering physical growth delays or other deformities. The incredible program run here is done in conjunction with training Irish physiotherapists which means these children have access to treatments that they could never have dreamt of before.
Summary
My visit to this orphanage was certainly a difficult one due to the confronting realities of what these little people have been dealt. Having said that, it was also one of my most cherished memories from the entire trip as I had the opportunity to interact with the children and spend the afternoon watching the amazing volunteers go about their daily activities.
After being granted access i was anxious not knowing what i would be walking into or what may lie ahead. However at the same time excited to lend a hand or just to put a smile on someone’s face.
Please follow the link to the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation to find out more CNCF.
We learnt a lot from our time in Vietnam and what it was like during the bad times. A visit to the War Remnants Museum was also very educational and a huge eye opener what the country had to endure.
We stayed in the incredible Nikko Hotel Ho Chi Minh City and would stay there again without a doubt. With reasonable pricing, we were blown away by the amazing service, high-class facilities and cleanliness of the hotel.
Comfort and a high level of cleanliness is so important when visiting a city like Ho Chi Minh City as having somewhere amazing to retreat to after a day exploring a culture so different to your own, makes the world of different to the whole trip.
Rooms @ The Nikko Hotel
The standard rooms were huge in our opinion. They had a shower room, separate toilet and stand-alone bath, perfect for a long soak after a day exploring in the hot, humid weather.
Each night on our return to the room, we had handmade chocolates waiting for us on our pillows (I’m not going to lie…there may have been a race back to the room each night to have first pick!)
View from our room
The Location Of Nikko Hotel
The location of the hotel was perfect for getting around and all major points of interest in the city were easily accessible from here.
It was about 2 kilometres to the major markets in the city centre (Bến Thành Market),and 3 kilometres to some of the major historic tourist attractions such as the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.
We walked to both areas of the city from the hotel on numerous occasions but if walking isn’t your thing, there is a complimentary shuttle bus from the hotel to the city that leaves frequently throughout the day.
Facilities @ The Nikko
The Hotel also had a well-equipped gym and beautiful rooftop swimming pool.
There were complimentary towels available in each and were never too busy which was ideal for a relaxing start to the morning or chill out in the afternoon.
The Bar @ The Nikko
The Hotel bar was the perfect place to finish off a busy day and I will admit, we had one or two night caps there during our stay. Our cocktail of choice was the Saigon Rock, a ginger twist to the perfect mojito, and the perfect partner to the candied nuts that accompanied our drinks. A pianist on a grand piano and a honey-voiced singer set the ambience in the bar, adding the class you would expect from the incredible hotel.
The Food @ The Nikko
We didn’t actually eat in the restaurant because we were so busy out but the breakfast there was something else. The choices on offer were the usual , egg station, hot food items, pastries, fruit, cured meats, cheeses, fresh cereals and granalos, fresh juices but on top of that a wonderful Japanese section, which were served in little almost like tapas plate style and every day a different Vietnamese soup.
Vietnamese soup @ the nikko
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So definitely worth fueling up here.
Check out the Nikko for deals and see what’s available
A museum run and operated by the Ho Chi Minh City government. The largest war museum Vietnam has to offer.
The museum has undertaken 3 name changes. Firstly known as Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes and was opened in 1975.
Secondly in 1990 the name was changed, dropping the words US and Puppet and replaced to Exhibition House for Crimes of War and Aggression.
And finally in 1995 and still to this day, is known as the War Remnants Museum. Due to a turn to normal diplomatic relations with the US and the end of the embargo a year earlier.
The War Remnants Museum
This War Remnants Museum certainly isn’t for the faint hearted but the depictions of the brutal occurrences during the infamous Vietnam war, are undeniable.
It was a huge eye-opener for us in regards to the harsh realities of what really went on during the war. Greeted at the entry gates by US armoured vehicles, bombs and infantry weapons, the scene was set for the uncut truths that lay ahead.
The Museum
In the court yard area, rooms or cells display the inhumane means adopted to hold prisoners (‘tiger cages’), and some of the French mechanisms used at the time such as the guillotine. These scenes leave very little to the imagination and make the harsh realities very feasible in one’s mind.
The Museum
Inside the Museum
As you move through the museum itself, it is laid out in very distinct sections. Some are artefact based while others are heart-breaking exhibitions of photographs taken during the harrowing days of the war from the ground.
What stuck with me most from our visit, was the images of the innocent children maimed by the dropping of Agent Orange onto Vietnamese soil. It would be advised to stay a few steps ahead of children during this tour due to the explicit nature of the material and perhaps be ready to skip past certain elements if necessary.
Summary Of The War Remnants Museum
In conclusion The trip was a very interesting morning, although tragic it was a great insight as to what happened and we found it extremely interesting as it would of been something I wasn’t truly knowledgeable about.
These incredible day trips can be done from Ho Chi Minh city and we would highly recommend each one. Not only do you get a full immersion in the Mekong River itself (not literally!) and Cu Chi Tunnels, but the trips to these destinations and the stops along the way are just as interesting and culturally intriguing.
We had a couple of individual days away from the city for these excursion and they were such eye-openers and a very different perspective on this region of Vietnam.
For our tours we used Maika Tours they were very good informative and friendly.
Vinh Trang Temple
Our first major stop of the morning, was at an incredible temple. This temple was a working temple, and we were lucky enough to arrive when the resident monks were beginning a prayer session.
Adhering to cultural practices, such a covering our shoulders and removing shoes before entering the prayer area, we could observe the monks and their fascinating rituals during this session. This was something I had never witnessed in reality before and I really enjoyed the calm environment created within the scared space.
We were given plenty of time at this stop to explore the grounds of the temple and take pictures in the exquisite gardens dotted with incredible towering buddas.
Tip: As there weren’t many options to purchase food along the way, it would be advisable to take some little things with you to snack on throughout the day trips.
Mekong Delta
Our final destination or region, for the afternoon, was the Mekong River Delta. This part of the trip encompassed a few different elements, each with its own charm and unique purpose in the area.
The Mekong region itself is made up of a network of rivers and islands, all of which we got a good sample.
First, we were taken across the river on a boat while we sipped on our complimentary fresh coconuts! We were taken to a small island where we were greeted by some local bee keepers and got to sample some of the delicious by-products created from their honey.
After a little stop and the delicious refreshments, we carried on through some local village fruit stalls to what resembled a pub or bar. Here we were treated to a show of traditional folk music and were given fruit platters to snack on while we watched.
We met some of the local animals while in this village too!
Further along this track, we came to a coconut candy factory. We wandered through the factory while the workers skilfully focused on their particular element of the production line and we even got to sample the wares before we indulged at the gift shop.
This was another interesting element of the trip we hadn’t anticipated and enjoyed it for its authentic flare.
Mekong Boat Ride
After we meandered through this little village, we came to the edge of a river where we were taken upstream on traditional boats while sporting our grass hats.
This was an incredible part of the day and a river ride we will never forget. The casual greetings between the local Vietnamese ladies and the tall bamboo shoots lining the waterways as we floated along, highlighted the authentic scene we could only have imagined.
Our day came to an end with a delicious meal prepared, cooked and served to us at a restaurant we reached by horse drawn cart.
We had the most amazing spread of Vietnamese cuisine, from whole fresh fish to stir fry vegetable dishes and all the delicious sides and accompaniments we could have thought of.
Lacquer factory
Factory History
The next day trip we took, had a later start and our first stop was at a factory on the outskirts of the city.
On route to this destination, our tour guide, gave us a very detailed history of how this facility had come about and the importance of it for the well-being of so many Vietnamese located in Ho Chi Minh.
The factory had been a government initiated scheme to assist those effected by the chemical aftermath of the Vietnam war. Many people in this region of the country, are still being born physically or mentally maimed by the chemicals that were dropped on Ho Chi Minh so many years ago.
As a result of their disabilities and consequent difficulties in terms of employment, many are left homeless. The government created this facility and a huge number of job opportunities for these people who are at a disadvantage within society.
The Factory
On our arrival at the factory, we were given a tour and shown the incredible work undertaken inside.
The items being produced were varied in their purpose, from dishes and chopsticks to elaborate vases and wall mounted pictures. The intricate steps to produce each piece was explained to us as we meandered through the floor of the factory and watched the talented craftspeople at work.
They were using extraordinary materials in such a delicate way, such as cracked egg shells and mother of pearl, and techniques I had never seen before. At the end of our tour, we had the opportunity to browse the finished products in the factory’s gift shop and the chance to purpose anything if we wished.
We purchased a beautiful finger bowl embossed with coloured egg shell, something our friends always comment on when we take it out at dinner parties. Not only is it a unique and stunning piece, but the money made in the shop goes directly to the workers, making the purchase all the sweeter.
Cu Chi Tunnels
The next stop of the afternoon and was certainly one to remember and an iconic experience when in this part of the world. The Cu Chi Tunnels hold many heartbreaking realities of the inhumane lengths the Vietnamese people had to go to during the war just to survive.
The tunnels themselves are frightening in terms of the space available to the people manoeuvring through this network. We had the opportunity to experience the actual size of the tunnels during the war but due to the minute dimensions, these particular tunnels were only for standing and photographic purposes.
There are other tunnels (that in my opinion are still tiny!), but have been expanded for the purpose of tourism and to allow people move through them to experience something similar to what may have been the reality all those years ago.
Tip: If you are at all claustrophobic, perhaps think this activity through carefully before entering the tunnels. Also, if you have a backpack with you, either leave it outside with a friend or take it off your back while crawling through the tunnel.
Interesting Cu Chi Tunnel Facts
Another interesting fact we learned at the Cu Chi Tunnels, was how this society survived underground for such a length of time.
Food would have been an obvious challenge during this time but to avoid detection by soldiers, the Vietnamese people in this region lived off tapioca or cassava root. They could cook this underground and had small chimney-like vents located far away from the tunnels entries to help avoid detection. Adding to the authenticity of our trip, we were served cassava chips as a snack before we departed this stop.
As well as the tunnels, we also got to see others elements of the war at this destination. From intricate traps to huge machinery used by the American soldiers, this was another side to the war we hadn’t experienced while visiting the memorial sites in the city.
And Finally
These were certainly day trips we will never forget and highly recommend to anyone visiting Ho Chi Minh city and looking for a great Vietnam day tip experience. There is so much more to experience in this region of Vietnam than just the city life and what a shame it would be to miss out on such a diverse experience when you are so close to it all.
I hope this post can be of some assistance to anyone planning a trip to this region and perhaps it may even entice some people to consider this little addition to their itinerary. We would certainly recommend the Mekong, we wish we had time to do the floating markets.
Where To Stay
The 5 star Nikko hotel in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City is a must stay. With its great bars, restaurants, entertainment, shops, leisure facilities and the highest quality rooms and comfort.
It very reasonable in price also check out our review on the Nikko
Thanks for stopping by and reading our tips on things to do in Ho Chi Minh. Check out some more of our Vietnam Section
Sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh is a must a city that is full of so many interesting things to see and do that we were hard-pushed to fit everything we wanted into a week
There truly is something for everyone in this diverse city.
Although we wouldn’t be huge history fans, we found the historical sites relating to the Vietnam war fascinating and they gave us a greater understand and appreciation of the culture itself.
Architecture
Throughout Ho Chi Minh city, evidence of European influence is rife. There are some incredible landmarks dotted around the city from the French colonial era, each one beautiful and individual by the native structures that surround them.
Notre Dame Cathedral
This cathedral is a beautiful piece of French architecture in the middle of Ho Chi Minh city. The medieval Catholic cathedral was constructed entirely from materials imported from France which explains the authentic feel you get when visiting the incredible structure.
On the day we went, there was a wedding photo shoot happening on the grounds, which was a magical scene to stumble upon.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Central Post Office
In the same vicinity as the cathedral, the Central Post Office stands proud.
This amazing structure was designed by the French architect Alfred Foulhoux and his French stamp can still be seen today.
The arched windows with wooden shutters are a reminder of the 19thcentury era in which this post office was erected.
Outside Central Post Office
The marble floors are breathtaking on entry and the antique telephone boxes are a reminder of how important this building would have been in its day, a time before the internet and mobile phones.
Inside Central Post Office
Not only is this building stunning in appearance and of huge historical importance, it is also a functioning post office today! It is the perfect place to send your postcards home.
Bến Thành Market
This market is a without a doubt a MUST when visiting Ho Chi Minh.
Within a warehouse style building in the centre of the city, lies this treasure chest of anything you want..
From clothes and rolls of silks, to chopsticks and raw meat, there isn’t an inch of this building not utilised for wares of some sort.
The market is divided up into different sections so you can easily avoid the raw food section if you have a weaker tummy, but if you can, this area is worth a visit to see how grocery shopping in done in a different culture!
Ho Chi Minh ButcherHo Chi Minh Fish MarketMore from the food market
Market Tips
Something you may also need when visiting these markets is a little extra patience than usual. The stall holders are keen to flog you their wares so as soon as you show a speck on interest in their goods, they will do all in their power to convince you to make a purchase. This is good if you are interested in making a purchase as it allows you to haggle with the tellers.
There are many stalls with similar products so each stall owner will be willing to give you a ‘discount’ if they can keep you at their shop. A little tip would be to half whatever their asking price is and go from there with your bargaining. If that doesn’t seem to be working, pretending to walk away often helps negotiations!
Shop stalls in the market
Tip: Our hotel had a free shuttle service that did regular drop-offs to the Bến Thành Markets every day. Worth looking into if staying at a hotel.
If walking to the markets from another location in the city, BE CAREFUL when crossing the intersection at the front…it is on another level of hectic!!
Orphanage – Christina Noble Children’s Foundation
Something I often like to seek out when in a different country are local orphanages and one that stood out was the Christina Noble Foundation.
While in Vietnam, I came across a foundation set up by an Irish lady many years ago, to help children that were destined to live on the streets.
The organisation now consists of an educational element for school aged children and an incredible rehabilitation sector for children physically maimed by the chemical aftermath of the Vietnam war.
The school element teaches common educational capabilities that the students may need in their everyday lives as well as life skills to help them once they are beyond school age.
The other area of the foundation works with babies and children suffering physical growth delays or other deformities. The incredible program run here is done so in conjunction with training Irish physiotherapists which means these children have access to treatments that they could never have dreamt of before.
The Orphanage
My visit to this orphanage was certainly a difficult one due to the confronting realities of what these little people have been dealt. Having said that, it was also one of my most cherished memories from the entire trip as I had the opportunity to interact with the children and spend the afternoon watching the amazing volunteers go about their daily activities.
Historical Sites
War Remnants museum
This trip certainly isn’t for the faint hearted but the depictions of the brutal occurrences during the infamous Vietnam war, are undeniable. It was a huge eye-opener for us in regards to the harsh realities of what really went on during the war.
Greeted at the entry gates by US armoured vehicles, bombs and infantry weapons, the scene was set for the uncut truths that lay ahead.
In the court yard area, rooms or cells display the inhumane means adopted to hold prisoners (‘tiger cages’), and some of the French mechanisms used at the time such as the guillotine.
These scenes leave very little to the imagination and make the harsh realities very feasible in one’s mind.
As you move through the War Remnants Museum itself, it is laid out in very distinct sections.
Some are artefact based while others are heart-breaking exhibitions of photographs taken during the harrowing days of the war from the ground.
What stuck with me most from our visit, was the images of the innocent children maimed by the dropping of Agent Orange onto Vietnamese soil. It would be advised to stay a few steps ahead of children during this tour due to the explicit nature of the material and perhaps be ready to skip past certain elements if necessary.
Tip:We bought our tickets at the entry gates on the day we visited so no need to worry about trying to book ahead of time.
Independence Palace
To continue on the historic thread, a visit to this demanding structure is a must. Also known as the Reunification Palace, this building was home and office to past Vietnamese presidents.
This grand construction is a hot spot for tourists and the layout and maintenance of the internal buildings certainly hold up to expectation.
The back of the building was the private living quarters of the presidents, and these rooms can also be visited. The bomb shelter in the basement is possible the most exciting of all with its communications room and network of underground tunnels.
Tip: This was a very interesting place to visit and much larger than we had anticipated.
More Independence Palace
I feel I better stop there, as I could go on forever about all the amazing places we visited while in Ho Chi Minh sightseeing.
Thanks for stopping by as always, when coming to see this city there also plenty of great day trips to do outside the city like the famous Cu Chi Tunnels or take a ride down the Mekong Delta.
All this exploring may make you hungry so why not check out some of our food posts around Ho Chi Minh city itself, complete with our insiders tips.
Vietnam is widely known for its amazing cuisine and colourful dishes. The freshest of ingredients are bought daily, prepared passionately and served with Vietnamese flair. One thing we enjoyed during our time was our experience of food and finding the best restaurants in Ho Chi Minh. After days exploring the city finding the best food was our next objective.
Vietnam is a country of financial variations and this is true of the food scene too. From street food vendors to upmarket restaurants, we explored everything Ho Chi Minh had to offer. It also helped that we had received a few solid tips of hidden hotspots from a local that Richard worked with in Australia, before we left.
We had some of the most memorable food experiences on this trip and I am excited to share some tips and special treasures with you in this post. So here is our selection of food in Ho Chi Minh
Casual Dining Ho Chi Minh
Ben Thanh Street Food Market
We stumbled across this little gem on our first night in Ho Chi Minh as we explored the streets of the city.
This was an amazing find and offered everything we wanted for our night out; a great selection of food, a bar with local beers, cocktails and soft drinks and live music on stage.
It was casual and laid back and would be the perfect way to finish a busy day of exploring as there is no need to get all dressed up for a dinner here.
We tried a variety of dishes from the food market including delicious fresh spring rolls made to order and the amazing traditional Vietnamese pancakes that are a must!
There were numerous dessert options too but the savoury temptations were more than we could get through so will have to leave room in our dessert tummies next time!
RatHue (Truly Hue)
This was one of the restaurants recommended to us by Richard’s work colleague and boy were we glad he did! We loved this place so much that we returned a couple of times and were blown away on each visit with the quality of the food.
The location of this restaurant is perfect if you are exploring in the city near the Ben Thanh Markets as it is tucked away in a backstreet not far from the markets.
This is certainly not a restaurant you would just stumble across as it is located at the end of a narrow laneway behind the much busier markets. In fact, on our first attempt to find it, we wandered part way down the lane and second guessed ourselves…but continue passed the nail salons and pokey little shops to find this hidden treasure.ò
This restaurant is a hotspot for locals so if you happen to go at lunch time be prepared to wait for a table.
There is also an upstairs to the venue but it has traditional seating…so if sitting crossed-legged on the floor isn’t your thing, try and get in before the rush to secure a table on the ground floor.
We tried many different traditional dishes on this menu and were delighted with each and every dish we got.
It was also very reasonably priced and the service was quick. For casual dining, I think we could safely say this was our favourite venue on the entire trip!
Ngon Restaurant
This was certainly another great find. The restaurant itself was quite large and bustling with customers when we arrived.
We didn’t have to wait for a table though and were ushered straight through to the centre of the beautifully decorated venue.
The menu itself was huge with a great selection of traditional dishes as well as other cuisines such as Thai, Chinese and Japanese.
The restaurant was laid out in a very unique and quirky manner. The kitchen was made up of several different preparation and cooking stations which were visible from the restaurant floor. This gave a cosy feel to the experience and made for interesting watching as we waiting for our meals.
The service was very good and the wait for food and drinks minimal which was a pleasant surprise considering how busy the restaurant was. A restaurant we would highly recommend for a traditional meal and funky atmosphere!
Top Tip
Trying these local restaurants makes for a far more affordable experience. We found 3 course meal with a couple of drinks in these two places were the same price as two cocktails in the hotels. It can make some difference.
Upmarket Dining in Ho Chi Minh
Temple Club
This is one of the best restaurants in ho chi minh and was the perfect local for a special dinner on one of our last nights in the city.
Centrally located and housed in one of the last heritage buildings in the city, this restaurant echoes charm and sophistication as soon as you enter.
The menu is made up of the many influences that helped create the city itself; Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian and French. And not only is this reflected in the beautiful food options but also in the extensive wine menu!
The service was impeccable and the food flawless and we felt the atmosphere was perfect for a special dinner date.
We sat in the balcony area of the restaurant and as it was on the second floor of the building, we could see the twinkling lights below. This area only had a couple of small tables in it which also added to the romantic feel of the whole experience.
Hoa Tuc
This was by far one of the best restaurants Ho Chi Minh has to offer, and was recommended by our hotel and I can certainly see why!
There was the option to dine inside or out and it was suggested we book if we intended to have dinner there. We did book and were glad we did as the restaurant was completely full on the evening we went.
The menu had a beautiful selection of traditional Vietnamese dishes, cooked and presented in the most incredible manner.
Our favourite entrée was without a doubt the rice coconut milk mini pancakes with shrimp, green papaya and spring onion. Even if you have already tried the traditional Vietnamese pancakes, this twist on the original will leave you wanting more!
The atmosphere of this venue was also extremely warm and inviting, so much so that we decided to return later in our trip to take part in their cooking classes.
Cooking Class
This experience is one I would highly recommend to anyone and catered to cooks of all levels; me a complete amateur and Richard a chef.
We were taken through a number of different traditional Vietnamese dishes, step-by-step, each ingredient and process explained to us as we worked.
We created some beautiful savoury Vietnamese dishes in an intimate setting with a professional chef. There was only one other person participating in the class with us so we had all the support and assistance we could have needed. Our favourite dish certainly was the Vietnamese spring rolls they were delicious and flavoursome.
After the class, we could chill out in the venue and enjoy our tasty treats at our leisure. We also got a cookbook to take home with us with the recipes we made during the lesson plus additional ones to try too.
This definitely was a worthwhile activity and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon in this beautiful setting. This really did top off our Vietnam food journey.
Rex Rooftop Garden at Rex Hotel Saigon
This is a true hot spot for tourists that shouldn’t be missed when visiting the city of Ho Chi Minh. Located only 5 stories above ground level, this rooftop bar shouldn’t be overlooked in terms of the beautiful panoramic views of the city it offers and buildings such as the Saigon Opera House and Saigon river.
It is a hive of activity most days of the week with the evenings becoming very busy due to the great ‘happy hour’ deals they run daily between 5pm and 7pm.
This rooftop bar became famous during the Vietnam War as it was the chosen location of the American military command’s daily briefings. The occurrences of these broadcasts each afternoon lead to the nickname ‘5 o’clock Follies’, used by unimpressed journalists at the choice of venue.
So whether you are interested in the historical significance of this famous hotel, the panoramic views of the city and Saigon river from the rooftop bar or the daily drink deals, this is certainly a place that should be on everyone’s ‘To Do’ list when in this city.
Final Thought
And on that note, all this talk of delicious food and tasty drinks has me needing a lunch break! I hope you enjoyed reading this post and perhaps even found some places you might like to try if visiting Ho Chi Minh in the future.
Thank you for taking the time to stop in and read our guide to food in Ho Chi Minh.
For now its goodbye, but how about you check out some more of our Vietnam posts
Our Vietnam adventure was centred in Ho Chi Minh city which is located in the southern region of the country. Still widely known by its original name, Saigon, both locally and internationally.
This amazing city is famous for its major role in the Vietnam War and its is heavily represented and very evident today. We spent over a week here and left no stone unturned including the incredible and eye opening War Remnants Museum.
On arrival in Ho Chi Minh city, it certainly was a culture shock, although we were prepared for it to be very different from the comfort we are accustomed to in Australia.
The city centre and surrounding towns are populated by about 12 million people. The pressure of these huge numbers is very evident on the infrastructure of the city.
The electric wires hanging loosely across major roads and the manic intersections, with ‘organised’ mayhem, certainly take getting used to! Bearing all this in mind and the debatable cleanliness of the city in general, it is advisable to choose your accommodation wisely.
Tip: Transport varies HUGELY in price, so don’t get caught out! If using a taxi, only use the Vinasun company as the alternate taxi service is SUPER expensive. Uber is available in Ho Chi Minh, so if you have an account, this is probably the most reasonable option.
Nikko Hotel
We stayed in the Hotel Nikko Saigon and would stay there again without a doubt.
Comfort and a high level of cleanliness is so important when visiting a city like Ho Chi Minh as having somewhere amazing to return to after a day exploring a culture so different to your own is comforting
The standard rooms were huge in our opinion. They had a shower room, separate toilet and stand-alone bath, perfect for a long soak after a day exploring in the hot, humid weather.
Each night on our return to the room, we had handmade chocolates waiting for us on our pillows.
Hotel Location
The location of the hotel was perfect for getting around and all major points and seeing the best things to do in the city. Around 2 kilometres to the major markets in the city (Bến Thành Market),and 3 kilometres to some of the major historic attractions such as the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.
We walked to both areas of the city from the hotel on many occasions but if walking isn’t your thing, there is a complimentary shuttle bus from the hotel to the city that leaves frequently throughout the day.
Hotel Facilities
The hotel also had a well-equipped gym and beautiful rooftop swimming pool. There were complimentary towels available in each and were never too busy which was ideal for a relaxing start to the morning or chill out in the afternoon.
The hotel bar was the perfect place to finish off a busy day and I will admit, we had one or two night caps there during our stay.
Our cocktail of choice was the Saigon Rock, a ginger twist to the perfect mojito, and the perfect partner to the candied nuts that accompanied our drinks.
A pianist on a grand piano and a singer set the ambience in the bar, adding the class you would expect from this hotel.
Ho Chi Minh Climate
Ho Chi Minh has two main seasons, the wet season and the dry season.
Generally, the wet season falls between May and October with the wettest month being July. The dry season usually begins in December and comes to an end in April. The average temperate throughout the year is approximately 28 degrees Celsius, with slight variations between the wet and dry seasons.
The rain that fell during our stay, fell at night and there was hardly any evidence of it the next morning.
The humidity may be something to consider though, if you are travelling from a cooler climate. Living in Australia, hot days and high levels of humidity are conditions we are somewhat familiar with.
And Finally Our Vietnam Adventure Has Begun
Wow, reminiscing on this trip makes me appreciate it all over again.
The astonishing features and breathtaking structures from different cultural influencers also communicate its tumultuous past. And even the interesting back streets and street culture of this city, is one of fascination in itself, making this an incredible trip from start to finish.
Thank you for taking the time to read our Vietnam adventure post.
We are so excited to be sharing this adventure with you and can’t wait to show you the amazing places we visited and the remarkable food we found experiences we had.
Don’t forget to interact and leave a comment or ask a question. Did you have a Vietnam adventure you want to tell us about.
Make sure you check out a few more of our Vietnam posts and see what else we got up to.
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