Are you ready for some action?Saigon (also officially known as Ho Chi Minh City or locally in Vietnamese as Sài Gòn) is Vietnam’s most booming up and coming city, a places where the action never stops.In this post I’m going to go over 23 of what I think are the top things you can do and see when you’re in Saigon.Get ready to dodge motorbikes, navigate through market alleys, inhale some incense smoke at temples, and squat on the sidewalk while slurping down bowls of hot noodles.But first, let’s begin with a little bit of useful information…

First, where is the best place to stay when you’re in Ho Chi Minh City?

Where to stay in Saigon?While I was in Saigon, I walked around some of the most popular areas to stay, and here’s some information about some of the top choices:Dong Khoi: Upscale optionsMany of the large 5 star hotels are located in the Dong Khoi area of Ho Chi Minh City – it’s known as being one of the most prestigious areas of the city.You’ll find hotels like the classic Hotel Majestic Saigon and the famous Continental Hotel Saigon, located adjacent to the Opera House.If you’re looking to stay in a fancy five star hotel, surrounded by French colonial architecture and lush cafes, Dong Khoi is one of the best areas to base yourself during your stay.Pham Ngu Lao (District 1)Sort of like Bangkok’s Khao San road, the area of Pham Ngu Lao, and also Bui Vien Street, is the most famous budget backpacker district of Ho Chi Minh City.There are dozens of hotels, guest houses, and hostels along these two streets, ranging from very budget to mid-range, and I even noticed a few (sort of out of place) higher end hotels on Bui Vien Street as well.Since this area is dominated by foreign backpackers and travelers, Pham Ngu Lao is also a big party nightlife area, and among the hostels are numerous bars, nightclubs, and massage parlors.

Motorbikes don’t ever stop in Saigon

If you want to be right in the thick of the energy of Ho Chi Minh City, with plenty of restaurants (many international restaurants) and nightlife options, and just a short walk from the famous Ben Thanh Market, Pham Ngu Lao is a good area to look for accommodation.Ben Thanh Market areaJust a short walk across the park from Pham Ngu Lao is the most well known central area of Ho Chi Minh City, the area that surrounds the landmark Ben Thanh Market.There are plenty of hotel options in the streets surrounding the market, and this is the area where many tour groups stay.Many of the hotels around Ben Thanh Market are mid range to upper level, but the location is extremely central and there are plenty of attractions and things to do in the area.I’d say the Ben Thanh Market area is one of the best places to base yourself.

In the neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh City

Where did I stay?I stayed on Pham Ngu Lao for a few days, but then I transferred to LeBlanc Saigon Hotel, a family run guest house in a local friendly neighborhood just north of Tao Dan Park.It’s out of the main touristy area, so it’s more of a local experience, but the hotel is very nice, family run, and the Vietnamese food in the area is fantastic. I would highly recommend it.

Saigon is a busy, but very friendly city

A Few Tips on SafetyYou may read some stories of theft and snatching in Ho Chi Minh City.And just like any fast and busy city, there’s always going to be a risk of carrying belongings with you. One of the main safety concerns in Ho Chi Minh City are thieves swiftly swinging by on motorbikes and grabbing bags or mobile phones or cameras, right out of your hand.Here are a few things you can do to reduce the risk:

Phone – Never pull out and use your mobile phone facing or open to the busy street. When I busted out my phone I usually went to the side of the street, and tried to duck into a business patio and sheltered myself with the wall.

Camera – Likewise with a camera, you sort of have to use your own discretion of when and when not to be holding your camera out in the open to take photos. Again, try to have your back against a wall or stand to the back of parked motorbikes when you take photos of the open roads to provide a bit of a bunker.

Wallet – I typically like to keep my wallet in my front right pocket, and then I like to keep some small money in my left pocket. When I buy something small on the streets, I just reach into my left pocket to pay, rather then having to take out my entire wallet. Use whatever system works best for you, but it’s a good idea to have some small money to buy small things, where you don’t have to take out your full wallet.

Touristy areas – The majority of muggings happen in touristy shopping areas, so use extremely caution with your valuables in these areas.

However, just to reassure you, many of the people in Saigon are extremely friendly and very kind.When I was eating street food and walking around Saigon, I was greeted by dozens of friendly people. So don’t be too uptight, enjoy and experience as much as you can, but do take some precautions as mentioned above.

Transportation in Ho Chi Minh City

How to get around SaigonJust like in Bangkok, there are many different methods of getting around Saigon, and you may have to take a couple of methods to get somewhere you want to go.Though I’ve heard a rail or subway system may be in the plan, as of now, it’s all ground transportation in Saigon.From the Airport to the CityIf you fly into Saigon, you’ll arrive at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport.From there, the easiest way to get to your hotel is probably to take a taxi. Walk outside of the airport, take a left, and you’ll see the taxis waiting for you. Vinasun is a good brand to choose. It cost me a little under 160,000 VND to get from the airport to the Pham Ngu Lao area.You can also take the bus, which costs just 5,000 VND (pictured above). Walk out of the airport, cross the street, and look for bus #152. The bus will take you all the way to Ben Thanh Market.WalkWith motorbikes that control the streets and even sidewalks, Saigon is not quite as pleasant as a city for walking as somewhere like Tokyo.But that being said, I like to think of walking in Saigon as sort of like an obstacle course; You’ve got to dodge oncoming objects, jump over blockades, go around sprawling businesses, and cross the rivers of motorbike traffic.For most of my time in Saigon, especially in the central areas of town, my wife and I walked everywhere (but we are kind of crazy for walking, we like to walk so we can eat more).Some of the central and most famous things to do in Ho Chi Minh City are located within walking distance, if you can handle the traffic and heat (and traffic fumes).I think walking is one the best ways to explore any city, and you can stop whenever you like, and find delicious food along your route.Motorbike scooterBy far the most noticeable way everyone that lives in Ho Chi Minh City gets around is by motorbike (also known as the scooter).Saigon may very well be the scooter capital of the world. There’s an astounding quantity of scooters in the city.There are two ways to join the army of motorbike scooter traffic:

Rent a motorbike – If you have the confidence to rent and drive a motorbike yourself, there are plenty of rentals agencies, especially located in the Pham Ngu Lao area. You’ll probably pay around $10 per day.

Motorbike taxi – On just about every corner of every street in Saigon, you’ll see men reclining on their motorbikes, sometimes sleeping, sometimes just gazing into the traffic and patiently waiting. These men are motorbike taxi drivers. For a price, they will take you anywhere in the city you want to go, small journeys usually start around 20,000 – 40,000 VND.

Many locals get around by motorbike scooter

Take the local busThe bus system in Saigon is actually quite good (and not too difficult to figure out if you just go up and down some of the main streets), and it’s a very cheap and safe way to get around town.There’s a color coded map, and though it’s kind of blurry to see all the numbers and city bus routes, it does help to plan a bus route to somewhere you’d like to go.My wife and I took the bus in Saigon many times during our stay, and some buses cost 5,000 VND and others were 6,000 VND per ride.The biggest challenge of taking the bus in Saigon is figuring out all the one-way streets, but just study the bus map a bit, and you can easily take it at least up and down the main streets.TaxiBefore you go to Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll probably read some articles about how bad the taxis are.Yes, there can be fakes, and drivers occasionally do some extra driving to rack up the meter. But on a whole, I thought the taxis were quite reliable, and even many of the drivers were quite friendly.We hardly had a problem with taking any taxis when we were in Saigon, and they are very affordable, and I really like how they are almost all comfortable vans.However, when you take a taxi in Saigon make sure you take a reliable company and pay attention to confirm the taxi is an authentic brand. Also I like to keep my phone GPS with the map open so I can follow where the taxi is going to make sure we’re on track.

Vinasun Taxi in Saigon

Here are the main best taxi companies:

Vinasun – Vinasun is one of the most reliable taxi companies in Ho Chi Minh City, and they are also one of the largest. You’ll see Vinasun taxis, with their green and red stripe, everywhere you go in the city. Just make sure the logo is correct and make sure the phone number (38 27 27 27 – written on the side of the taxi) is correct as well.

Mai Linh – Mai Linh is the other big taxi company in Ho Chi Minh City. Honestly though, I probably took Vinasun 90% of the time.

Uber – Uber, the private cab service, is available in Ho Chi Minh City, and it’s beginning to take off. Once you download the application, you locate an Uber, and payment is handled all online, so you never have to touch cash. We used Uber quite a bit, and it’s almost the same price, if not a bit cheaper than normal taxis (at the time of writing this, things could change).

Alright, now that you know where to stay in Saigon and how to get around, let’s jump right into these 23 things to do when you’re in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).1. Binh Tay MarketYou’re going to hear most about Ben Thanh Market.But I actually found Binh Tay Market to have better prices, be a more local experience, and I overall enjoyed visiting it more than Ben Thanh.Binh Tay Market is one of the major official markets, located in the Cholon area of Ho Chi Minh City, what is Chinatown.It has a similar feel to it as Ben Thanh, and even many of the products that are sold – from clothes to food – are basically quite similar.However, from what I noticed in my few visit to both markets, Binh Tay Market caters a bit more to local Vietnamese, and therefore the prices are lower, and overall a little less touristy geared.Before going to Binh Tay Market, I had read about it from Eating Asia that, there was a wet market in the morning behind the market.If you go in the morning, anytime from about 6 am – 8 am, walk around the back streets of the official indoor market, and you’ll find an incredible fresh wet market, teeming with food and fresh Vietnamese ingredients.This back lane fresh food market, was probably my favorite part of visiting Binh Tay Market, and one of the top places I would recommend seeing in Saigon.And also, don’t miss the small food court, where you can get some delicious, simple, and affordable Vietnamese food.I had a plate of noodles fried with beef (mì gói xào bò), and sitting on a stool in the morning while eating and drinking coffee, I was extremely happy.

Noodles and beef

If you are looking to do some shopping when you’re in Ho Chi Minh City, at Binh Tay Market you’ll find just about everything made or produced in Vietnam from clothes to snacks. There’s a huge section of Vietnamese cooking utensils, nuts, spices, and tools.Address: Bình Tây Market, 57 Tháp Mười, 2, Quận 6, Hồ Chí Minh, VietnamOpen hours: 6 am – 7 pm daily for the main indoor market section, 5 am – 9 am or so for the outdoor wet marketHow to get there: The market is located in District 5, and it’s easiest to just jump in a taxi to get there. From Ben Thanh Market it cost me 110,00 VND, and the ride took about 15 minutes.

Thien Hau Temple in Ho Chi Minh City

2. Thien Hau Temple (Pagoda)Located in the Chinatown area (District 5) of Ho Chi Minh City and built back in the 19th century, Thien Hau Temple is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Lady of the Sea (source).From the outside, the pagoda honestly didn’t look amazing.The entrance wall face was well weathered, rather unmaintained (but this did also give it an ancient feel), and it had almost a haunted feeling to look at.However, as soon as you step inside, the beauty of the temple, mostly through the intricate details and carvings, is revealed.One of my favorite parts of going to Thien Hau Pagoda in Saigon were the incredible sculpture reliefs carved on the upper roof section of the temple, depicting scenes of daily life.They were colorful, but weathered, and had accumulated years and years of incense smoke, making the sculptures look ancient and dusted in black soot.Another highlight were the giant coils of incense that burn slowly, hanging from the ceiling, and filling the temple and atmosphere with smoke.

Outside view of Thian Hau Temple

Ho Chi Minh City has a very strong Chinese presence, and when you’re at Thien Hau Pagoda you’ll feel like you’re actually in China. The pagoda is well worth visiting when you’re in Cholon (Saigon’s Chinatown).Address: Thiên Hậu Temple, 710 Nguyễn Trãi, phường 11, Quận 5, Hồ Chí Minh, VietnamOpen hours: 8 am – 4:30 pm dailyEntrance price: FreeHow to get there: The temple is located in Cholon, District 5. It’s easiest to get there by taxi.

Museum of Ho Chi Minh City

3. Museum of Ho Chi Minh CityIn the past you might have heard of the Gia Long Palace or the Revolutionary Museum, but now, the same place is officially known as the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC Museum.When my wife and I visited, on a weekday in the middle of the morning, it wasn’t busy at all (unlike the War Remnants Museum which was packed out), so it was nice to peacefully walk around and enjoy the exhibitions.Most of the displays show the history and making of Ho Chi Minh City, and also there are a number of Vietnamese culture exhibits as well.But what I liked best, was just the amazing mansion palace that the Ho Chi Minh City Museum was housed in, yet another beautiful neoclassical structure built in 1885, with big pillars and wooden staircases.This museum, I thought, was a little old and sleepy, but for just 15,000 VND for entrance price, I thought it was still worth having a quick browse.Address: Hồ Chí Minh City Museum, 65 Lý Tự Trọng, Bến Nghé, Hồ Chí Minh, VietnamOpen hours: 8 am – 5 pm dailyEntrance price: 15,000 VNDHow to get there: The HCMC Museum is located near the Dong Khoi area of the city, walking distance from the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Inside the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City

View from Bitexco Financial Tower

4. Bitexco Financial TowerStanding taller than any other building in Ho Chi Minh City, and towering to the sky, is a skyscraper that’s made to look like a lotus bulb, known as Bitexco Financial Tower.From a distance, or from the sky, it’s easily the most recognizable building in Ho Chi Minh City, for its tallness and for its modern design.There are a number of things you can do when you’re at the Bitexco Financial Tower, but by far the most popular attraction is to take advantage of the height of the building to get a view of the city.The bottom floor of the tower is a small shopping center, with a few cafes, but there’s not really much else. The majority of the building is occupied by offices.There are two choices for visiting Bitexco Financial Tower for a chance to see the amazing view of the city.

Saigon Skydeck – Located on the 49th floor, this observation deck offers a panoramic view of the city. This is sort of an official Ho Chi Minh City attraction, and after you pay the entrance, you are free to browse around the floor and enjoy the views.

Eon Cafe – Located on the 50th floor, and not connected to the Saigon Skydeck, is Eon Cafe, a way overpriced cafe and bar where you can come at the expense of buying a drink. Since having a drink or food in hand will always sway my decisions, I decided to go to the cafe (instead of going to the Skydeck). The coffee was good, but extremely expensive, and the cafe looked kind of like a night-club. But nevertheless, I did enjoy the marvelous view of Saigon while sipping my coffee drip by drip.

So I personally can’t speak for the Saigon Skydeck, but whichever place you choose, for sure you’ll have an incredible view of the city.

Looking at the tower from the ground

Address: 36 Hồ Tùng Mậu, Bến Nghé Hồ Chí Minh, VietnamOpen hours: 9:30 am – 9:30 pm daily (for Skydeck), 11:30 am – 11 pm daily for cafeEntrance price: 200,000 VND for Skydeck entrance. I went to the cafe and paid 130,000 VND for a tiny cup of ristretto – looked like about ¼ of a shot of coffee.How to get there: From the Ben Thanh Market area, you can walk to Bitexco Financial Tower, otherwise a quick taxi ride is a good option.

Independence Palace (formerly known as the Reunification Palace)

5. Independence Palace (Reunification Palace)Now a museum, but still used for official government meetings and events, the Independence Palace was the former home of the president of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.After buying a ticket you can then go inside, and walk around a few of the floors to see all sorts of rooms including meeting rooms, dining rooms, and lounges that are fit for royalty.Every room and space within the Independence Palace is still furnished with original chairs and tables.The round dragon carpet, located on the second floor, a huge circular red carpet with a dragon etched into the middle, was something I thought was pretty amazing.After navigating through a few floors and seeing the helicopter pad, you can then head to the basement where you’ll find some slightly scary offices, control rooms, and bunkers.It was very interesting to visit the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, and I think the highlight for me was strolling through the dark and creepy basement. And also, the palace kitchen, still equipped with old school machines, was pretty cool.

Red dragon carpet in the museum

Visiting the Independence Palace is one of the top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City and it’s one of the most visited attractions in the city.Address: 135 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Bến Thành, Quận 1Open hours: 7:30 am – 11 am and 1 pm – 4 pm daily. However, occasionally the Palace can be completely closed when there’s a large official event taking place. So make sure it’s open the day you plan to go.Entrance price: 30,000 VND per personHow to get there: From Ben Thanh Market, you can walk there in about 10 minutes, it’s located right in the heart of Saigon in District 1.

Saigon Cathedral of Notre Dame

6. Saigon Cathedral of Notre DameWelcome to Paris?Probably not quite as grand as the Notre Dame de Paris, but nevertheless an important cathedral and landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, the Notre Dame Cathedral marks the center of the French colonial heritage in Saigon.They still hold services on Sunday if you’re interested, but if you just go to visit on any other day, make sure you arrive either in the morning from 8 am – 11 am or in the afternoon from 3 pm – 6 pm.When I went, I arrived right and noon lunchtime, and the gates were locked; So make sure you plan to visit during open hours so you can get inside.The next day I returned to enter the cathedral.The cathedral is beautiful, with two 40 meter high towers, and a statue of the Virgin Mary in the front lawn area. Make sure you go to the very front on the road-side, so you can get a great photo of Virgin Mary with the cathedral in the background.Inside the cathedral you’ll see beautiful stained glass windows, the wooden pews, and classic plaid floor tiles.There happened to be a wedding taking place when we visited, a sight I’m sure is quite common.

A wedding in the cathedral

Address: Bến Nghé, tp. Hồ Chí Minh, Hồ Chí Minh, VietnamOpen hours: 8 am – 11 am in the morning and 3 pm – 6 pm in the evening on weekdays only (on Sunday, there’s an official mass that begins at 9:30 am that you are free to attend)Entrance price: FreeHow to get there: From the Independence Palace, walk northeast through the park directly to the cathedral. It’s located on the northwestern side of Dong Khoi street, adjacent to the old post office.

Inside the Central Post Office of Ho Chi Minh City

7. Central Post OfficeRight across the street from the Saigon’s Cathedral of Notre Dame, within the same city square, is yet another renowned landmark, the Central Post Office, that began construction back in 1886.Again, just like quite a few other buildings in Saigon, it’s the French colonial architecture that really stands out.But even more so here, one of the top reasons the post office is one of the top Saigon attractions is because it was designed by Gustave Eiffel (yes, the man who also engineered the Eiffel Tower in Paris).What I liked about the Central Post Office, was that not only has it become a top tourism attraction, but it also remains fully in use and functional.If you’d like, you can walk into the post office, buy a postcard from Vietnam, stamp it, and send it home to your friends and family right then and there.Also, I also really loved the floor tiling as well as the giant map murals painted on the walls.

Designed by Gustave Eiffel

Address: 2 Công xã Paris, Bến Nghé, tp. Hồ Chí MinhOpen hours: 7 am – 7 pm on weekdays, 7 am – 6 pm on Saturday, 8 am – 6 pm on SundayEntrance price: FreeHow to get there: Once you’re at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Central Post Office is right across the street.