Supermarkets and department stores
- Tax Department Store,
corner of Le Loi and Nguyen Hue. Formerly the Russian Market,
this is now a rather sterile department store of sorts filled
with stalls selling touristy kitsch, although the selections get
better as you ascend the levels. There's a good supermarket
on level 2. If you are traveling here by taxi, the new name may
be met by blank expressions from taxi drivers. The old name
seems to work.
- Small western-style supermarkets,
can be found in the Saigon Center, corner of Pasteur and Le Loi;
on the top floor of the Parkson department store one block
northeast of the Opera House, and in Diamond Plaza, behind the
Cathedral, on the top floor of the department store.
- Co-op Mart Supermarkets,
frequented by throngs of the Saigon middle-class and backpackers
alike, can be found everywhere around HCMC. In district 1 they
can be found at the corner of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Nguyen Dinh
Chieu, about 1 km from the center OR in Cong Quynh, walking
distance away from the end of Backpacker street Pham Ngu Lao.
Prices are reasonably lower, though the selection leans more
toward Vietnamese culinary requirements.
- Three western/Japanese-style department
stores exist near the center: Parkson on Dong Khoi a block
north of the Opera house; Diamond Plaza, further north behind
the Notre Dame Cathedral; and Zen Plaza on Nguyen Trai two
blocks west of the New World Hotel. For most visitors, the only
reason to go there is to enjoy the air-con, and derive some
amusement from the silly-high prices of western-branded consumer
goods.
Souvenirs
-
Phuong Mai Art Gallery,
129 B Le Thanh
Ton St., Dist.1 (near
the Norfolk Hotel and the Revolution Museum).
A gallery showing contemporary
Vietnamese artists, both established and emerging. There's
another showroom at 213C Dong Khoi in Dist. 1. edit
- Oil-Painting - Bui Vien Street,
near backpackers area in De Tham and Pham Ngu Lao streets, in
District 1. There are several shops along this street selling
oil painting at reasonable prices (ranging from US$25-300). If
you like a portrait of Vietnamese paintings or even have your
own photographs oil-painted, shop around here. You can get a
readily available portrait within a day or two.
Others
- Electronics Just
a warning for others, whilst some of the country's cheapest
electronics can be found on and around Huynh Thuc Khang, be
aware most shops are selling counterfeit items. Things such as
dodgy iPods are easy to spot when compared to the genuine thing,
but items such as camera batteries are much more difficult. If
you are thinking about buying some extra memory for your digital
camera, be warned that most of the memory will be fake. Fake
Sandisk II Ultra cards are ubiquitous and extremely difficult to
tell apart from real ones. These cards are apparently of low
quality and one has to ask if it is worth risking your holiday
snaps. It is probably worth mentioning that fake batteries have
the potential to explode, too, so be careful. You might even be
better off buying this stuff from home. That said, you can pick
up some bargains if you know what you're looking for. Just
exercise caution; if it is too good to be true and so forth.
- Lacquer ware One
of the stand out things to bring home from Saigon. Head to
Saigon Craft (between Mac Thi Buoi and Dong Du on Dong Khoi) for
stunning original works, then Gift 42 (opposite Lucky Plaza on
Dong Khoi) for the best of the rest.
- Home Decor
Originality and value. If you’re thinking of investing $2,000 or
more on home furnishing, a crate shipped from Saigon could pay
for your trip. Begin by looking for major items in Gaya (Ton
That Thiep just before Pasteur) if you like modern, and Verlim
(40 Ho Tung Mao - just up from Ham Nghi), if your style is more
formal/traditional. Organize shipping through either of these
fine merchants. Then you can go wild and buy up…framed art, Gom
Viet pottery (Cnr Ly Tu Trong and Pasteur), Lighting from NGA
(Le Thanh Ton between Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi) or Mosaic (Mac
Thi Buoi just before Nguyen Hue) and antiques found on Le Cong
Kieu. Provide extra padding for your crate with Catherine
Denoual bed ware (Thi Sach, just down from Le Thanh Ton), and/or
Dolce Casa cushions/quilts (Dong Khoi opposite the Sheraton).
Ask these and other retailers to deliver your purchases back to
Gaya or Verlim. They take care of the rest.
- Clothes
Vietnamese silk is fabulous and Hoang Khai shows the world. His
flagship Khai Silk store at 107 Dong Khoi is a must visit. Next
door, Creation and Indochina provide sterling competition.
Ladies, you are spoiled for choice after this. Follow your nose,
but make sure you don’t miss La Bella, La Bella Blue (Pasteur
and Le Thanh Ton), Song (Dong Khoi and Le Thanh Ton and in Eden
Mall on Dong Khoi), and acclaimed designer Minh Hanh (Just up
from Dong Khoi and Ngo Duc Ke). Look out for exquisite hand
embroidered items along the way.
- Accessories At
Gaya you’ll spot Anupa bags and you’ll want one. Those not
loaded should avoid sticker shock and (ladies) head immediately
to Ipa Nima (cnr Pasteur and Le Thanh Ton) for a stunning and
more affordable collection. Press on to Mandarina (Le Than Ton
just past NKKN) for bargain shoes and Le Hang (Le Thanh Ton
between Pasteur and NKKN) for bead/bespoke jewelery nirvana.
- Kids presents
Musical stuff from Chuck and Anna (Lucky Plaza - bottom of Dong
Khoi) will hit the spot.
- DVD buffs with
no scruples should head to Ho Tung Mao
- Romance Candles,
oils and soaps from Harnn (Dong Du near Hai Bai Trung)
- Books Fahasa
English Bookstore (Dong Khoi cnr Le Thanh Ton and Nguyen Hue
just down from Mac Thi Buoi).
- For Men/Tailors
Khai Silk and Creation have very desirable shirts at around $30,
and ties to compete with your Zegnas for $10. Off the peg shirts
can be tailored for you at no charge. Otherwise, take your
favourite shirts/shorts/pants to Tricia and Verona (half way up
Dong Du), who’ll make you up a perfect copy in silk, linen or
finest Egyptian cotton. Allow two days. $25 - $50. Here for five
days? You have time for a suit. For quality work from old boys
who know their cloth - Cao Minh (Pasteur between Le Thanh Ton
and Le Loi). Want to go where old money/ex pats go? Minh Doan
(Le Thanh Ton just down from Nguyen Trung Truc) is your pick.
- Art Vietnamese
artists are increasing their international reputation. Sell some
stock and invest in something yielding a daily return from your
walls. Consider your investment in Apricot (Mac Thi Buoi), Mai’s
(Nguyen Hue just up from Mac Thi Buoi), Hanoi Studio (Dong Du),
or Tu Do ((Ho Tung Mau). Eat and contemplate in Gallery Deli (Dong
Khoi just down from Mac Thi Buoi). Listen and contemplate in Sax
‘n Art Le Loi and Pasteur). Bargain frames – Ben Thanh Art and
Frame (11 Le Thanh Ton - 100 north from Thai Van Lung).
- Bicycle Shops
are most frequent along Vo Thi Sau. The biggest one - actually 6
shops next to each other - is Martin at 93-107 Vo Thi Sau
and has the best selection of bikes. They also sell spare parts
for western-style mountain bikes.
There are two good guide books for shoppers in
Ho Chi Minh City: the Luxe city guide and the MySherpa guide which
also includes a map with shops cross referenced.
Eat
You're spoiled for choice in Saigon, which
offers the country's largest variety of Vietnamese and
international food. Bargains are getting harder to find, however,
and restaurant prices have been rising at up to 30% per year due
to a combination of higher food prices, rising wages, and soaring
real estate costs. Land in the city center now sells for around US$16,000
per square meter, so even a modest-sized restaurant sits on real
estate worth more than US$1 million. Authentic local food at
bargain prices is one of the glories of Vietnam, but it's getting
harder to find in Saigon as the city becomes ever more upscale and
cosmopolitan.
Budget
Food stalls are scattered all over the city, but
there's a fair collection in the Ben Thanh market (see
Buy). For local fast food, try the
ubiquitous Pho 24 chain.
Along Pham Ngu Lao there are many budget
Westernised options, and venturing a bit further into the side
alleys can uncover some better choices than on the main streets.
-
Dong Ba, 110A
Nguyen Du, Dist 1. This is a shop that sells
Hue Food
including Hue beef noodles and traditional banh beo rice
cakes.
- Faifo, on an
alley off Huynh Tinh Cua, almost to Ly Chinh Thang, about 2km
from the center in Q3. A family-run restaurant featuring
central-Vietnamese dishes at modest prices -- a combination of
value and authenticity not to be found directly in the tourist
district. Dinner for two with beer or juice runs about 130,000
dong. It's becoming so popular, getting a table is sometimes
difficult.
- Pho Bo Vien Quoc Ky,
52 Ngo Duc Ke (near Nguyen Hué, District 1). A nice and
cheap place for a soup. Try the sate version of the usual
Pho or My: a spicy delicacy!
- Doner Kebab, 198
Bui Vien st., District 1. Inside the backpacker area, you could
easily find this small hawk. 15,000d for each Turkish Kebab.
- Dream Cones, 16
Nguyen Thi Nghia St., Ben Thanh Ward, Dist. 1. What a great
respite in such a hot and heaving city. Gelato ice cream for
less than 16,000 dong a scoop. Nice quirky and cool neon
atmosphere, with lots of white leather seating. Free unlimited (unsweetened)
iced tea served with your ice cream they pour at your table.
- Falafellim, 97
Pham Ngu Lao St., District 1. Homemade falafel, tahini and
hummus in soft pita bread pockets. Eat in, take away or
delivered to your hotel - call 08-915-1733. Free 5 min
international calls to limited destinations.
- Pho 24, Clean
modern chain found everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. Excellent
beef noodle soup, very cheap.
- BanhMiBistro, 76
Vo Thi Sau, District 1, across from Le Van Tam park. Great fresh
gourmet sandwiches, especially the famous Vietnamese "Banh Mi".
Bread is baked fresh in the store. There are 3 other outlets
around town including one across from the airport in the Parkson
CT Plaza.
Mid-range
-
Barbecue Garden,
135A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Quan 1. HCMC Phone 8233340. Located 100
meters from Benh Thanh Market.
[3]. US$5-7 range. The restaurant is a barbecue specialist
with both Vietnamese and International delicous recipes. At
night, the garden is full of odors, of ambiance and music with
guests sharing cheerfully the barbecue preparation. The
restaurant is an amazing place to have diner but also to take a
drink (free wifi) when during the day you want, for a moment, to
forget about the city.
-
Chi Nghia, 53
Thu Khoa Huan, near Ben Thanh market,
[4]. Small place specializing in Northern style Vietnamese
cuisine. It's run by the chef/owner, who has 25 years of
experience with Sofitel hotels, so her cooking and presentation
is five star quality, but the prices are definitely reasonable.
Entrees are US$2-5. Very clean, and nicely decorated.
- Hoa Mai Coffee
#43-45 Do Quang Dau Street #(08)-836-8310. Located in a fun, up
and coming area, just off Phan Ngu Lao, between Phan Ngu Lao
Street and Bui Vien Street. Restaurant downstairs has nice,
relaxed atmosphere, and on the second floor is a comfortable bar
with pool table. Reasonable prices and lots of international
food and local dishes to choose from. Around US$2-5. Fresh fruit
shakes, spring rolls, vietnamese noodles and pasta are
recommended.
- Huong Dong,
which recently moved a bit further from the center, to 68 Huynh
Tinh Cua. A modest, open-air restaurant with bamboo furniture,
serving mostly southern country-style food. The name literally
means "scent of the fields". It's a place where families and
groups of friends gather, drink a lot of beer, eat a lot of food,
and make a bit of noise. You might need a few beers to get up
the courage to try some of the more exotic offerings, including
field mouse, whole frog, pigeon porridge, and coconut worm. A
whole char-grilled ga ta (local style free-range chicken) is
120,000 dong, head and feet included. A wide variety of other
meats and seafood is available for 50,000 - 80,000 dong. Quirkly
English translations of the long menu add to the spirit of
adventure.
- LA SEN Restaurant
(Nha Hang LA SEN), 30 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Phuong 6 -
Quan 3. Phone 9306682 (+84 8 9306682). Opening hours
9:30AM-11PM. Very nice and clean medium-priced restaurant
serving delicious food from the regions (Hue, Saigon and Hanoi)
of Vietnam just in the center of district 3. Friendly service,
fully air-conditioned, two floors and with room for about 100
persons.
- Lemongrass, 4
Nguyen Thiep Street. A very touristy Vietnamese restaurant. Most
dishes are in US$4-6 range, although some seafood items are
expensive; try the daily business lunch at US$3++ and weekly
special dishes.
- Luong Son Quan,
31 Ly Tu Trong. Great barbecue restaurant with a broad choice of
meats: beef, chicken, kangaroo, ostrich, etc, seafood and
specialties: frog legs, scorpion, snake, etc. Menu in Vietnamese
and English, rate is very good (US$5-10 per person) for such
quality. Note that Vietnamese generally enjoy barbecue with
local beer (Larue, 333, Saigon).
- Ngoc Suong Marina,19C
Le Quy Don, is a restaurant specializing in seafood. Try the
fish salad and the clams cooked in white wine.
- Quan An Ngon,
138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. A large and busy Vietnamese chain
restaurant featuring regional specialties from around the
country in the US$3-5 range. Rather than once central kitchen,
the place has a row of independently-operated food stalls around
the perimeter. (The name literally means "restaurant of
delicious eating".) It's set in an atmospheric old French villa
across the street from the Reunification Palace. Food can be
good although some dishes lack finesse.
- Quan Nuong,
29-31 Ton That Thiep. A delicious, reasonably-priced open-air
barbecue restaurant on the roof above Fanny's ice cream parlor
and the Temple Club (see splurges below). Every table has a
grill in the center, and the menu includes a variety of meats
and seafood which you can grill yourself. Try the bacon wrapped
salmon & the beef wrapped cheese skewers. They also serve a
variety of mostly southern-style salads and noodle dishes. It's
very popular and often fills up by mid-evening.
- Sushi Bar, with
two locations: corner of Le Thanh Ton and Ton Duc Thang in Q1,
about six blocks northeast of the Opera House; and on the food-court
floor of Zen Plaza on Nguyen Trai. Probably the best sushi value
in Saigon. They serve a larger and more interesting variety than
the typical American or European sushi restaurant, at half the
price. Draft Tiger beer is 24,000 dong. Very popular, so you can
expect to wait during the middle dining hours.
- Spice, 27c Le
Quy Don in Q3. Largest and most visited Thai restaurant in HCM.
Mostly local Vietnamese and expats as it is out of the tourist
area. Authentic Thai food prepared by the two Thai chefs. Food
is served within minutes and thank to a high turnover of clients,
it's always very fresh. In addition to a large selection of
classics like Tom Yam Kung and Papaya Salad, try the specialties
like Spice Shrimp or Bangkok Briany: fusion of Thai with other
cuisines. Seating over 200, in a/c, al fresco or Thai style on
floor mats. Nice choice for small parites and catering. Delivery
available to all districts. New in Spice: top floor BBQ.
- Wrap and Roll,
62 Hai Ba Trung. A growing chain. Serves up delicious wrapped
Vietnamese fusion food in a modern minimalist setting. Try the
desserts. Beer and a meal should cost less than US$10.
- The City Diner.
Authentic 1950s style American Diner with 2 locations. 110 Ho
Tung Mau, District 1, and 91 Nguyen Huu Canh, The Manor, Binh
Thanh. Great Burgers, Salads, Sandwiches and more. A fun
atmosphere, bottomless cup of coffee, free wi-fi and reasonably
priced food make this restaurant a favorite of locals, expats
and visitors alike. Ho tung Mau location open till late.
Delivery available.
Splurge
- Au Lac do Brazil,
238 Pasteur, between Dien Bien Phu and Vo Thi Sau. Just to prove
that Saigon has everything, here is a Brazilian-style
churrascaria (all-you-can-eat restaurant featuring barbecued
meat), with live Latin music Tuesday to Saturday. They also have
a new outlet in Sky Garden II. Phu My Hung. Dist 7. It's a
larger and less crowded one with usually better service
- Co Ngu, on
Pasteur just before Dien Bien Phu, Q1. Nice Vietnamese and Asian-fusion
food in a Villa setting, with indoor and garden seating. Popular
for business groups. Prices higher than average for Saigon, but
a better value than you will find in the tourist section of
town.
- La Habana, 6 Cao
Ba Quat, Q1, two blocks northeast of the Hyatt and opera house.
Outstanding Spanish and Cuban-style food, including a large
tapas menu. Also one of the few places in Vietnam that makes
really good cocktails.
- La Hosteria, on
Le Thanh Ton a few blocks east of the Hilton. A gourmet Italian
restaurant with excellent home-made pasta dishes in the range of
125,000 dong and main dishes 150,000+.
- L'En tete, 1st
floor, 139 Nguyen Thai Binh, Q.1 (at the junction with
Calmette). Excellent French restaurant in a area not
normally associated with high dining. Great for a leisurely
dining experience, good food with main courses ranging from
150000-450000 dong. Open 17:00-midnight,
- Pomodoro's,
Decent small Italian restaurant on Hai Ba Trung, a block from
the Hilton and around the corner from the Sheraton. Delicious
lasagna is their specialty; the pizzas are a bit oily but OK.
Prices are reasonable compared to the USA or Europe, with a nice
dinner of 2 starters, cocktails, .5 litre carafe of wine, mains
and deserts all for roughly US$50.
- The Sheraton on Dong Khoi has a
magnificent, though expensive (US$40-ish) all you can eat buffet
dinner.
- Tân Nam, 60-62
Dong Du, Q.1 (a few doors down from Sheraton Saigon). The
ground floor is open-air, the upper floor is air-con. Rather
expensive and mediocre food, around US$10/person but they will
park your motorcycle while you eat, and wander around the
waterfront.
- Temple Club,
29-31 Ton That Thiep, Q.1 (first floor, with an ice cream
parlour below) has a 1930's ambiance with separate bar,
restaurant, and lounge area sections. The food is fair but most
people come to soak up the atmosphere.
Drink
Coffee shops
Vietnam is the worlds second largest exporter of
coffee behind Brazil, and cà phê is very popular among the
Vietnamese. It's a paradise for coffee-loving visitors. The local
style is strong and sweet; key words to remember are: sữa (sweetened
condensed milk), đá (ice), and nóng (hot, pronounced
"nowm"). Cà phê đá is strong, sweet iced coffee; and cà phê sữa đá
is the same with condensed milk. Cà phê (sữa) nóng is brewed fresh
on your table brewed in a little metal apparatus placed over a cup;
just lift it off when it has cooled enough to touch (and hence
drink). Prices range from 10,000 to 20,000 dong for coffee in the
local style.
Since ice might or might not be made with
purified water, strictly cautious visitors should avoid it, though
long-term residents consume ice from reputable cafes and
restaurants all the time.
Espresso, cappuccino, and American-style filter
coffee are now also widely available in the tourist district,
usually at twice the price of the local style.
- Cafe 5 Sao Near
the Turtle Pond, on Pham Ngoc Thach. Plays loud techno music.
Attractive but pretentious crowd.
- Bobby Brewery Coffee,
on Bui Vien st., opened and operated by an
American guy who is used to offering money for the charity. It's
a nice place with good beverage. Used to show the movies on 2nd
and 3rd floor.
- La Fenêtre Soleil
2nd floor on the corner of Le Thanh Ton and Nam Ky Khoi Nghia.
Save the world from pint size caramel Lattes. Brave the decrepit
stairway and enter an oasis.
- Gloria Jeans Cnr
Dong Khoi and Nguyen Thiep (opposite the Sheraton). Popular
Starbucks-style chain.
- Kem Café Nearest
place for many in downtown D1 to go with a local. Pull up a
plastic chair and sit on the pavement. A table will appear.
Practice "Cà phê đá" or "Cà phê sữa da". If you want hot then
attempt "nowm" but don't expect to be understood. Point.
- Chot Nho Café
189, Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan District. Reasonable price, good
menu. 10 minutes by taxi from main city center. free Wi-Fi.
- Cine Café 116
Nguyen Du, inside the Galaxy Cinema complex. Quiet ambiance with
views of the park.
- Givral Café,
Dong Khoi (opposite Continental Hotel). More in the
French tradition, with fresh pastries, collared waiters and
elaborate portions of ice cream. Well located, but over 20000
dong for the simplest cup.
- Hideaway Café,
41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q.3 - as its name implies, this place is
hidden away and a good place to read, or have a quiet
conversation or meal. Decent Western menu, although slightly
pricey, is good. Free Wi-Fi.
- Highlands Coffee
is an upscale, somewhat pricey chain serving Western-style as
well as local-style brews in prime locations around the tourist
district. They also serve food and pastries. Cappuccino costs
above 30,000 dong, approaching prices in the west, but the
quality is disappointing.
- M-Comic 99B vo
thi sau a, a rather hard to find coffee shop. Upstairs is like a
bedroom with a couple of beds - arrive early if you want to
occupy one. It has large selection of magazine and comic book to
chose from. The price is fairly cheap, ranging from 11,000 to
30,000 dong. But only serves Vietnamese drinks, and the staff
barely speak English. Has free Wi-Fi.
- Cafe Napoly on
Pham Ngoc Thach near the Turtle Pond. The decor is Roman-ruin-lite
(they meant "Napoli") but the menu is typical for an upscale
Vietnamese cafe -- coffee, fruit drinks, ice cream, and a simple
food menu including eggs and rice dishes. Piped music is nice,
not too loud by day (though louder at night), prices are decent.
Has three parts: an outdoor terrace in front, air-con section on
the ground floor, and evening time lounge-bar on the upper floor.
Next door to the louder, more trendy / pretentious Cafe Nam Sao.
-
Poppy Café 217
Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3,
[5]. Modern lounge café where the specialty is fruit-topped
natural frozen yogurt. The only café in SG that serves this
refreshing healthy treat. Creative fruit smoothies and light
Vietnamese + Western fares also on menu. Free Wi-Fi, flat-screen
TVs, and English-speaking staff.
- Sozo has two
locations, including one in Pham Ngu Lao. Prices are reasonable,
Wi-Fi is free, and all proceeds benefit needy Vietnamese
families. Good drinks, friendly staff, but their coookies could
be better if they were baked in a real oven.
-
Trung Nguyen,
[6]. The Vietnamese version of Starbucks, but with much
better coffee. They have locations all over the city, but are
not well represented in the heart of the tourist district.
Figure on 10000 dong for a basic cuppa, although there are
plenty of variations including the infamous weasel coffee
(cà phê chồn), made from coffee beans collected from civet
excrement. Two convenient outlets are east side of Nguyen Hue
right before City Hall, and corner of Thu Khoa Huan and Ly Tu
Trong.
- Regina Cofee 84
Nguyen Du Street, District 1, HCM City. It's a great place to
get a good cup of Vietnamese coffe or even American style
cappuccino. They have an extremely skilled Japanese expresso
master who knows how to brew coffee. The place has sort of a
French mixed with Asian design with bricks covering all the
walls. It's marketed towards tourists but it's a good place for
expats with it's good coffee. All proceeds go to the church just
around the corner.
- Windows Cafe
Near the Reunification Palace. This is a pen for Vietnam's
fashion slaves and seems to be THE place to be seen. Pretentious
atmosphere, good menu, always packed.
Bars and clubs
Saigon has plenty of places to drink, although
to a certain degree Vietnamese and foreigners hang out in
different places; however this is slowly changing as Westerners
become more familiar with the ways of the East (and vica versa).
Places with live music usually have no cover charge, but impose
somewhat elevated drink prices (typically 55,000 - 85,000 for beer,
spirits, and cocktails.) Saigon is an early-to-bed town, and most
places close at midnight.
Where you can find tourists
- 163 Cyclo Bar,
163 Pham Ngu Lao Street, 2 doors down from the Duna Hotel.
Thumping music until 2 a.m. and really friendly staff. The
Vietnamese girls seem to have a strong affinity for Caucasian
men.
- Allez Boo,
corner Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham. The definitive backpacker bar has
closed and been replaced by a Highlands Coffee outlet. ...but it
re-opened across the street in mid-August 2008! It's still shiny
and brand-new, but retains the traditional sidewalk tables.
There's an air-conditioned bar on the second floor with DJ-type
music, and an airy rooftop patio. Quite similar to its sibling
establishment, Go2 Bar.
- Apocalypse Now,
2C Thi Sach. Legendary and still packed on weekends, although
aside from a few movie references it's not all that much to look
at. Stays open late. Now opened their 2nd floor for dj, dancing,
drinks with less crowded atmosphere. Cover charge of 150000 VND
(9 USD) for locals (and those of Asian appearance), almost
always waived for foreigners and anyone fashionably dressed.
- Alibi, 11 Thai
Van Lung. Very cozy atmosphere, with sofas lining the walls and
beautiful decor. good food & drinks selection, nice music, and a
mix of both local & expat people. friendly staff, and the
management's always there to make you feel welcome and make sure
you get what you are asking for.
- Catwalk, at the
side of New World Hotel. All in one place with a massage parlour,
disco, KTV and a mini casino. Price is on the expensive side but
it is a sight to behold. (Please note that if you want to occupy
a room @ KTV, the minimum purchase is USD200.)
- Eden, De Tham
Street. Often busy, full of sporties, revellers, expats and
others. Dark and deep and reasonably priced for the backpacker
main drag.
- Go2 Bar, corner
De Tham and Bui Vien. The main backpacker bar while Allez Boo
was closed, still a great meeting place, as it's impossible to
miss the four floors of neon lights on the outside. Large patio
on the sidewalk at street level, a cozier bar on the second
floor with occasional live music or big-screen sports, plus a
rooftop patio (with retractable roof!) with individual BBQs up a
steep set of stairs on the fifth floor. Open very late most
nights, all night on weekends.
- Rex Hotel rooftop,
corner of Nguyen Hue and Le Loi. They serve a buffet dinner at
the dinner hour, which gradually gives way to drinks and music.
Acts change over time, but recently included a Filipino band
playing FM classics and a Vietnamese group playing Latin and
flamenco. It's a pleasant place to get above the city noise and
enjoy some fresh air. In years past, it was also a good value,
but recent aggressive price increases have put it into the
expense-account-only catetory: cocktails around 140,000 dong (including
the ++, which hotels always add).
- Level 23,
Sheraton Saigon 23F. The latest on the 5-star hotel drinking
scene, with separate bar and nightclub, and great views over the
city. A little soulless though, and very pricey with most drinks
80000 dong.
- Le Pub, 175/22
Pham Ngu Lao, located on the small road which connects Pham Ngu
Lao and Bui Vien. Always be busy after 6PM, so famous for its
great music, foods and beverage. It has the same owner with Le
Pub in Hanoi, of course, the same high quality service!
- Oblivion, Bui
Vien. Late night venue with lots of character, claims to be
Saigon's premier music bar and it's hard to argue - assuming,
that is, you have a taste for non-chart buzzy British guitar and
obscure dark US/European stuff. You have to ask for happy pop,
though if you're spending enough it'll sometimes get an outing.
Like most Saigon bars, it attracts its share of working girls.
If you're not interested, simply say you're not and you'll be
left alone.
- Saigon Saigon,
Caravelle Hotel 9F, 12-13 Lam Son Square. A pleasant, breezy bar
with a great view of the city. Live band playing inside every
night. Cool, quiet ambience on the terrace. Attracts an expense-account
crowd due to the prices (cocktails mostly >100,000 dong
including the ++).
- Shadow Bar, 41
Dong Du Street. Expat bar, good place to wind down or up.
Recently renovated as an upmarket bar and restaurant under the
new name of ZanziBar. Excellent menu, wine selection and
imported beers along with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere.
- Sheridan's, Le
Thanh Ton near Thai Van Lung. Small, cozy Irish-themed bar with
imported draft beer and live music.
- Underground -
more a food than a drink spot, though open for both. Sometimes
busy with the business crowd, always packed with people enjoying
the reasonably priced burgers, steaks and the like.
Where you can see the locals
- Lush, at the far
west end of Ly Tu Trong. A nightclub in the Western style, with
loud pulsing music and minimalist too-cool decor. Hugely
expensive, but musically about as good as it gets in this part
of the world if you like the particular style. Mixed crowd (Vietnamese,
tourists and expats), pretty good food - but no dance floor.
Lots of billiards/pool tables out back.
- Q Bar Saigon The
original, internationally acclaimed Q Bar established in 1992
under the Opera House. Mix of locals, tourists and expats in a
grotto-like uber-chic setting that could as easily be in Soho as
Saigon. Open till late every night. Great cocktails, though at
very high prices, similar to the roof-top bar of the Caravelle
Hotel across the street. It's the cool place to be seen if you
have a lot of Uncle Hos in your pocket. Terrace and Indoor areas.
DJ nights.
- Xu Bar , Hai Ba
Trung street, near the Opera house. Great wine list. Nice
ambiance & service. Not a club.
- Velvet, Ho Huan
Nghiep/ Dong Khoi corner. Nice ambiance & music. Latest chic bar
in town.
- Bounce Club, on
top of Parkson on Le Thanh Ton street. Very crowded with locals
in the weekends. Large dance floor, great hip hop music,
somewhat too crowded.
- Acoustic Cafe,
6E1 Ngô Thời Nhiệm. Though only 1 km from the heavily touristed
center, this club is completely outside the tourist orbit, and
offers an interesting view of local life. The all-Vietnamese
house band performs every night, mostly American music, and it's
always jammed with student-aged groupies. For some reason, they
address the crowd in English between songs, even though half the
crowd doesn't understand. On weekends, at least, you need to
arrive by 7:30 to have any hope of getting a seat. If your hobby
is rock ballad or hardrock, you should go on Friday night
- Carmen, 8 Ly Tu
Trong, former home of an unbelievably talented Salsa / Flamenco
/ Latin pop band, was unfortunately leveled in August, 2007 when
the owner of part of the underlying land decided to sell. The
owner of the club struggled with efforts to rebuild, and it
appears now that Carmen will never be again.
- Ice Blue, Dong
Khoi. Downtown English pub, complete with darts board and warm
beer (if you want it that way!). Friendly, but shuts at midnight.
- Juice, claims to
be Saigon's first juice bar (of course it wasn't, there were
many local places before - but maybe it was the first Western-managed
one). Food slipped recently, but still a nice place to hang out.
Has Wi-Fi.
- Khong Ten, (literally
"No Name"), 147 Hai Ba Trung, is a large cabaret featuring some
of the biggest Vietnamese celebrity singers still in Vietnam.
The headliner is often familiar to the locals from television.
Most overseas visitors would not like the musical style very
much (mostly the mellow-to-melancholy, soft-jazzy, love-ballady
style favored by the middle and older generation of Vietnamese.)
But it's pure Vietnam and very popular with HCMC residents and
Vietnamese expats on trips home. The cover charge is about the
highest in town at 150,000 dong.
- La Habana, 6 Cao
Ba Quat, about two blocks north of the Hyatt. A restaurant and
bar with Cuban theme that makes outstanding cocktails for 60,000
dong. Some are available in pitcher-size for 150,000 to 180,000
dong. The food is also excellent, though at the high end of
Saigon prices. Their Friday night live music headliner, Jeram,
has returned from Ireland, and it's usually standing-room only.
- Lion's, 11-13
Lam Son Square, Dist.1 (next to Caravelle hostel). Brewery -
Restaurant (somewhat German food), with tasty beers at an
affordable price. The outside terrace is a nice place to chill
out, and the inside restaurant is very welcoming with its two
beer tanks and cosy bar. Cocktails are very good. Not a good
place to please your teeth and tongue. though.
- Metallic Bar, 41
Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, District 3. House band plays covers of
Metallica, Guns N Roses and other popular rock bands nightly
between 9PM and midnight.
- Napoly, Pham
Ngoc Thach near the "Turtle Pond". The ground floor is a
popular, somewhat upscale cafe with inside and outside seating.
The bar is upstairs in the back, with a decent house band
singing a mixture of Vietnamese and English songs. The resident
band must predate the reunification as they know all the old
songs.
- Peaches Saigon
South (Phu My Hung). Great place to enjoy a few drinks with
friends. Friendly staff, great Asian food!!
- Polo, Ham Nghi
Street (above the Liberty Hotel). Mixture of expats and
locals, starts getting busy quite early. Reasonably priced food
and drink, good music spanning from the Eighties to the present.
- Rio Saigon, A
brazilian flowery decor-themed bar/pub with a great Fillipino
house band playing Pop/Rock (Bon Jovi, Skid Row fare). This
joint was apparently the original "17 Saloon" bar (now at Pham
Ngu Lao) when it was still located along the Saigon River. Great
service staff and excellent atmosphere. It is situated at 131
Ton That Dam St. (District 1), Tel: (08)8211827 - 8211812. You
will be surprised that its located somewhere within a wet street
market. Gets crowded around 9 pm and closes at midnight.
- Saigon Pho, this
little hole in the wall is only a stone's throw from Allez Boo,
but much more expat orientated. Open late.
- Serenata and Soi Da,
6E Ngô Thời Nhiệm. Two open-air cafe-bars with live music in
Villa-style settings, which attract few if any tourists but
typify what most Vietnamese consider a pleasant evening out.
Both feature a mix of classical chamber music, Vietnamese lounge
songs, American FM classics, and the odd French song.
- The Tavern SB8-1
My Khanh 2 (H4-2) Nguyen Van Linh, Saigon South (Phu My Hung)
tel: 4120866. Great place to enjoy a cold beer or a great
"Western" meal - favourite dishes are fish'n'chips &
bangers'n'mash. Reasonable prices and nice, friendly staff and
management. Opens for breakfast, closes at midnight.
Sleep
There are plenty of nice and cheap hotels
available for tourists and also the high end names like Sheraton
for the "business class" people. Do take note (especially lonely
male travellers) that most hotels do not allow you to bring back a
local female companion to stay overnight. Only exemptions are
those seedier hotels mainly used for "other" businesses.
Mid-range
The area around Ben Thanh market along Le
Thanh Ton and Ly Tu Trong has many reasonably priced hotels with
clean rooms in the US$25-35 bracket; some provide free Wi-Fi.
- Ngoc Ha, 53, Le
Anh Xuan. Close to Ben Thanh market and the New World Hotel.
Clean and decent rooms, air-con, 'fridge, Wi-Fi in the lobby.
Rooms US$25-35 including simple breakfast.
- Y Thien, 247 Ly
Tu Trong; tel: (84-8) 824 8176. This full service hotel is 5
minutes from Ben Thanh Market and offers a range of rooms from
tiny and windowless (yet functional) to quite nice with a full
wall window overlooking the city and streets below (try the 4th
floor room to the right of the elevator for US$20-25). Rooms are
clean, bathrooms are large and recently upgraded (overkill on
the shower remodeling). TV with cable, air-con, fan, 'fridge,
elevator, all night guard for bikes, in hotel safe. If you don't
want to stay in the backpacker area, and are willing to pay a
little more, it's a good option.
- Spring Hotel,
44-46 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1; tel: (84-8) 829-7362. This boutique hotel is clean and walking distance to
major attractions, i.e. Ben Thanh Market and Cathedral. Prices
range from $32-$74.
The area around De Tham is close to the
Ben Thanh market and is the backpacker area of the city.
-
An An Hotel 40 Bui
Vien Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel. : (84-8)
837-8087 this hotel is clean, popular and offers comfortable
rooms with double glasing in the centre of the action on De Tham,
Prices range from $22 for a double room (possibly without a
window, but that makes in cooler so isn't really a bad thing) to
$28 for a superior room. Note that the "special" prices on their
website are offered off the street, but it is probably wise to
book ahead anyway as they sell out.
An An also have a (much newer) sister hotel, An
An 2, which is located on the corner of De Tham and Bui Vien,
about 20 meters down from the original An An hotel. Rooms are of a
high standard, and the service is excellent.
Many of Saigon's historical hotels are in the
hands of
Saigontourist, the former state monopoly. Thanks to recent
competition, service and facilities are adequate, although not
quite up to modern standards; but if you want to experience a
little colonial atmosphere, these remain far and away the best
choices at the moment.
- Continental Hotel,
132-134 Dong Khoi Street. A perfectly located old-school colonial hotel dating
back to 1880 and the setting of Graham Greene's The Quiet
American (but not, alas, its filmatization). Lovely
breakfast garden, huge rooms, nice balcony views and only
slightly expensive at US$60 and up (taxes, service, breakfast
included). On the minus side, there is no pool, and traffic
noise can be irritating.
- Dong Do Hotel,
35 Mac Thi Buoi Street, District 1. New hotel with clean and
comfortable rooms. Reasonable (around US$20-35) prices.
- Rex Hotel, 141
Nguyen Hue Boulevard. Ideally located in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, next
door to the People's Committee Hall. Another old standby, former
haunt of the press corps and site of the daily news briefing
during the Vietnam War. The 5th floor beer garden (Rooftop
Garden) is famous and its symbol, the golden crown, is rotating
again. Slightly more expensive at US$70 and up, but the rooms
are very pleasant. There's a swimming pool on the roof and an
excellent buffet breakfast.
Splurge
Luxury hotels are popping up faster than
mushrooms in the monsoon rains. Expect to pay closer to US$200 for
any of these unless you marry the owner's daughter. The Caravelle,
Sheraton, and Hyatt are all within site of each other near the
Opera House, in the heart of the city-center tourist district.
- Caravelle, 19
Lam Son Square, across from the Opera House, in District 1.
Offers in-house restaurant and spas. Seven kilometers from the
airport. Deluxe rooms from US$188 per night.
- Hotel Majestic,
4 star hotel in District 1, at the waterfront at the end of Dong
Khoi Street. It got its start in 1925, and though it has
undergone a number of renovations since, it maintains the same
basic look outside. Nice but expensive rooftop bar serving
mediocre ice cream and drinks, and a non-smoking wing.
- New World Saigon Hotel.
Recently renovated, a single bedroom suite on the Executive
Floor is US$250 including butler service, unlimited food/snacks/drinks
during the day, and lavish buffet-style happy hour in the
executive floor lounge every night. The nightly all-you-can-eat
seafood buffet in the Park View Coffee Shop for US$20 is
fantastic. On the downside, the rooms can be noisy, and the air
conditioning is weak in some rooms.
-
Park Hyatt Saigon,
2 Lam Son Square,
District 1 (central
downtown),
☎
+84 8 824 1234 (saigon.park@hyattintl.com). 5 star hotel with a
collection of contemporary art and a variety of dining options
including al fresco. Also host to a 20m pool and Xuan Spa.
- Sheraton Saigon.
On Dong Khoi, in the heart of the tourist shopping district.
Complete with Prada shop in the arcade.
-
Sofitel Plaza Saigon,
17 Le Duan
Boulevard, District 1,
☎
+84 8 8241555 (reservations@sofitelsaigon.com.vn,
fax:
+84 8 8241666). World class 290 room hotel
in the city center. Airy if slightly small rooms, comfy beds,
free wired Internet. Several restaurants, including good buffet,
and a tasty breakfast spread. Compared to other top-end hotels,
the Sofitel is closer to the universities and consulates of
District 1, and farther from most of the shopping, restaurants,
and nightlife. $160-300.
-
Renaissance Riverside Hotel,
8-15 Ton Duc
Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city.
On the river and near the main tourist-shopping
district, a block off of Dong Khoi.
Contact
- Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) telephone code: 8
Get
out
-
Cu Chi Tunnel day-trips
are tirelessly flogged by travel agencies around Pham Ngu Lao,
and can be done as a half-day trip, or as a full-day
Thailand
2009with a stop
at
Tay Ninh to see the Holy See of the Cao Dai religion.
Tours, including admission, should cost US$4-6, and are
available every day of the week.
-
Can Gio the virgin
mangrove forest 30 km South of the city, entrance to the Park is
near Ca Cam bridge, typical day break from the civilization.
-
Dalat -popular
temperate mountain side 'European' escape.
-
Mekong Delta boat tours
are available with an almost infinite mix of itineraries. They
can be short overnight trips, leisurely meanders over several
nights, or end in a boat + bus to
Phnom Penh in
Cambodia, which will have you spending a night in a cheap
hotel in
Chau Doc before making the trip over the border (cross-border
package prices may include visa support, which should cost US$20-30).
If doing a two or three day Mekong Tour (which is exceptionally
worth while), expect to be shuffled between tour companies along
the way.
-
Tay Ninh - Cao Dai Holy
See and Ba Den mountain.
-
Mui Ne - popular beach
resort about 4-6 hours away by bus.
-
Vung Tau - city with
great beaches, about 2 hours away by bus, or less by boat along
the Saigon River .
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