Saigon is a loud city. And trust me that’s one of the first things you’ll notice when you first arrive. All the horns from cars, bikes, bicycles, and everything else that moves. If this is your first time in Vietnam, most people will either start in Saigon and travel north to Hanoi or start in Hanoi and travel south to Saigon. Ten days in Vietnam is a sufficient amount of time to see in the country.
Saigon is divided into 24 districts, however, the most popular districts for tourists are Districts 1 and 3. These districts include places like The Saigon Post Office, the old cathedral, The War Remnants Museum, and Ben Thanh Market.
War Remnants Museum
When you think of Vietnam one of the first things that come up is the war. Known as The Vietnam War or The American War, this museum gives a perspective of what the war was like from the Vietnamese point of view.
As an American myself, not many people talk about The Vietnam War in America. So to learn more about it at this museum, was like learning about a piece of history that I didn’t know much about. I was blown away by the photography displayed in the museum. I admired the strength of the Vietnamese people in their struggle during and after the war, and in their determination to rebuild their country.
An afternoon spent here will be time well spent. Tickets are 40,000 Dong per person.
Coffee Tour
If you’re like me and look up all the good coffee shops before you go to a new city, then a coffee tour should be part of your agenda in Saigon.
You may be picturing sitting outside and sipping on some drip coffee with condensed milk beside some locals on the sidewalk. Well, don’t be fooled, Vietnam is one of the top producers of coffee in the world and most of the good coffee gets exported leaving the not so good coffee to be sold on the streets.
Luckily there are a few coffee shops in District One of Saigon selling the good coffee. ; ) The two shops that I tried were Shin Coffee and The Workshop Coffee. There is the third place called Saigon Coffee Roastery, but sadly I didn’t have the time to visit. Shin Coffee had more of a business meeting vibe while The Workshop was very modern and innovation with an open floor plan and a coffee bar as the center of the room.
Mekong River
If you want to spend a day outside of the chaos within the city, then a short bus ride to the Mekong Delta is your best option. I booked a tour through GetYourGuide, which I use all over the world. This tour was a small group tour that included an English speaking guide, transportation, tickets to venues, and lunch. We visited the village of My Tho, and 3 small islands in the delta where we saw the making of coconut candy, a cocoa plantation, a honey farm, and toured the smaller rivers in a rowboat.
Conclusion
I only spent 4 days in Saigon and it was plenty of time to see everything that I wanted. I also had the benefit of traveling alone to make the most of my time there without having to worry about what someone else wanted to do. One thing that I would have done differently would be to research the different districts better. Saigon is a BIG city and you don’t really realize how big until you get there.
Other tips:
- Stay away from Ben Thanh Market, it is the most expensive place to buy souvenirs. However, go for the food and a walkthrough. Notice that the perimeter is set prices marked with yellow signs, while the inside is negotiable.
- A trip to Chinatown is worth it at night, there isn’t much going on during the day
- Grab is how I got around everywhere, it is cheap and easy to use. Some of the drivers even spoke English!
- Remember to check visa requirements before your trip. Always check your country’s official website, but here is an overview guide.
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