Ho Chi Minh was our second destination on our Vietnam trip.
Exploring this crazy city was just amazing.
It’s huge, full of life, with many bars and food stalls, street markets, great coffee shops and super nice people.
Table of Contents
1st Day in Ho Chi Minh
Once overcome all the stress of not being able to travel as we had planned and having to buy a ticket at Da Nang airport, we finally arrived in Ho Chi Minh. Then, we just had to make it to our accommodation.
![Relaxing in our accomodation in Ho Chi Minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-1.jpg)
Facing Ho Chi Minh's traffic
The flight was very short, just an hour and a half. However, getting to the accommodation we had booked through Airbnb took us more than an extra hour due to the intense traffic of old Saigon.
We repeated the strategy and called the Grab from outside the airport. We could do this because we traveled with very little luggage: just a 30L backpack each. It didn’t seem so terrible to walk a bit more than 500 meters until we were slightly away from the traffic jam at the airport.
![traffic in Saigon, lot of motorbikes in the city](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-64.jpg)
Arriving to our Booking accommodation.
Discovering Ho Chi Minh's social mix
![a very poor construction in the center of ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-51.jpg)
![a family living in a small room in saigon](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-53.jpg)
![a woman sleeping in a small room in a corridor in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-52.jpg)
![people living in bad conditions in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-54.jpg)
![People living almost in the street in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-50.jpg)
Our accommodation in old Saigon City
![Our big room in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/saigonroom.jpg)
So far, everything was already perfect. Moreover, our host gave us a folder including attractions to visit in the city, recommended excursions outside Ho Chi Minh city and the best, food recommendations!
After a shower, we went out to get some dinner. After the flight from Da Nang drama, it was a bit late, almost 9 pm. Fortunately, in this big city there were many options so that we wouldn’t miss dinner.
Coming across Bui Vien St. lively ambiance
There are tons of bars one next to the other, playing extremely loud music. So deafening that it’s impossible to talk with someone even yelling in their ear. (Sound On)
Tasting Banh Mi vietnamese sandwich
Wandering through every alley we found
Coming upon the boundaries of private and public life
![Vietnamese carved wooden armchairs in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Hoi-An-City-76.jpg)
Tasting the best smoothies
![Drinking smothies in five boys ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-drink-smothie46.jpg)
Spotting the local fauna
2nd Day in Ho Chi Minh
Breakfast at Cho Ben Thanh
![Cho Ben Thanh a really nice market in ho chi minh vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-23.jpg)
![pho is a tyraditional soup in vietnam this is with prawns](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-21.jpg)
Touring around old Saigon
![City Hall in Ho Chi Minh Vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3120.jpg)
![Opera house in Saigon, french style building](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3128.jpg)
![Hotel Continental Saigon with a french style in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3137.jpg)
![Post office building in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3174.jpg)
![Inside of the post office in ho chi minh, a french style building](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3180.jpg)
![River Side hotel in ho chi minh a building with french style](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3199.jpg)
![Majestic Hotel in Saigon, Vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3206.jpg)
The first one we found was the Fine Arts Museum. It was near our house so we had already seen it from the taxi on the trip from the airport.
![ho chi minh monument in saigon, behind teh statue is the city hall](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3147.jpg)
Originally it was the “Hotel de Ville”, the building housing Saigon City’s local administration during colonial times. However, like many of these vestiges it suffered a name change (to “Ho Chi Minh People’s Committee”) and a reappropriation by the communist regime.
![a side of the city hall building in saigon during the night](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-144.jpg)
The Ho Chi Minh City Museum in the next block is also interesting for its colonial architecture.
Then, we went to see the city’s Opera House. Just in front of it, The Continental Hotel building reminded us of old movies.
![opera building in saigon, an amazing building](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-143.jpg)
![Hotel Continental Saigon with a french style in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3137.jpg)
From there, the next landmark to visit was the Central Post Office. As we always do, we sent a postcard for the family, while we enjoyed the architecture.
![french styly post office in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3176.jpg)
![luxury central post office in saigon](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3184.jpg)
We were already in front of the Cathedral. Again, like our experience in Da Nang visiting the Catholic Cathedral, we didn’t really feel curious about it. But we did take some photos anyway, of course.
![catholic church in saigon, its a replic of notre dame in paris](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-33.jpg)
![a repolic of notre dame, catholic church in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3169.jpg)
In shopping malls there are none, and we discovered that even some cafes didn’t have one! Luckily, on the way to the Reunification Palace, we ran into that chain of cafes that we had found in Da Nang again and sorted things out.
![reunification palace in ho chi minh, vietnam. It is a symbol of the independence](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3186.jpg)
![turtle lake is a fountain in ho chi minh city](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3188.jpg)
Wet season in Ho Chi Minh
Rain never really bothered us during our stay in Ho Chi Minh.
Getting addicted to fresh drinks
3rd Day in Ho Chi Minh
Adapting to the local diet
![drinking ice coffe in ho chi minh coffe shop sitting on the street](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-48.jpg)
The local way of life
We decided on our second day of exploration to go see Chinatown, visit its pagodas and temples.
![one of the pagodas to visit in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3307.jpg)
![visiting a temple in saigon](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3349.jpg)
![pagoda in china town ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-81.jpg)
![a couple in front of a pagoda in vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3292.jpg)
Learning how to deal with traffic
At this point we already felt experienced in the art of crossing the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. The important thing is to walk with no hesitation, always moving forward. The coming motorcycles would slow down or dlightly drift out their lane to dodge you.
Pagodas, churches, temples
![san francis javier church in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3376.jpg)
4th Day in Ho Chi Minh
Cu Chi Tunnels Tour
![map of the cu chi area](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Cu-Chi-Tunnels-Mekong-Delta-Tour-4.jpg)
![learning about cu chi tunels in vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Cu-Chi-Tunnels-Mekong-Delta-Tour-5.jpg)
![gilda inside one of the tunnels in cu chi vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Cu-Chi-Tunnels-Mekong-Delta-Tour-19.jpg)
![fruits in cu chi vietnam](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Cu-Chi-Tunnels-Mekong-Delta-Tour-26.jpg)
Mekong Delta
A country with very cheap beer
![our guide in the tour to cu chi and mekong delta](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Cu-Chi-Tunnels-Mekong-Delta-Tour-loky-1.jpg)
![a traditional sanwich shop in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-2.jpg)
5th Day in Ho Chi Minh
Getting the local experience
![stall food in a street market in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/GOPR3232.jpg)
![pho ga is a soup with chicken and noddles taken for breakfast in vietnam, you could add fresh vegetables on it](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Nah-Trang-1.jpg)
![very good coffe shop in ho chi minh](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-118.jpg)
![Ho-Ch drinking ice coffe at a coffe shop in ho chi minhi-Minh-City-(47)](https://tourifficworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Ho-Chi-Minh-City-47.jpg)
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