Saigon – the busiest city in Vietnam is famous for several exciting things, delicious food, and friendly people. Coming to Saigon, you must immediately note these 10 must-do things! Let Travel Korea Now show you what it is!
Visit Independence Palace when coming to Saigon
The Independence Palace with a floor area of up to 120,000m2 is located in the downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City. It is bounded by four main streets, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia in the Northeast, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai in the Northwest, Huyen Tran Cong Chua Street to the Southwest, and Nguyen Du to the Southeast.
Independence Palace is designed based on Fengshui as well as oriental architecture but still has modern features. Visiting the Independence Palace, visitors will be free to learn through the system of panels, and signboards … according to international standards. You are able to observe the life of the president of the Republic of Vietnam and his family. All items here are kept intact, with the age of several tens, even hundreds of years.
After visiting the Palace, you will watch the 25-minute documentary film “Independence Palace – Historical Witness” in the cinema room. Independence Palace is really one of the 10 things that you must do when you come to Saigon, right?
Go shopping at Ben Thanh Market
To ask about the symbol of this city, the answer of every Saigon travel guide must be Ben Thanh Market. Built-in the late 19th century, Ben Thanh belongs to the top of the oldest markets and is now also one of the busiest markets. Today, the market has become a famous tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists as well as a place to supply a variety of goods.
Ben Thanh Market is active both day and night. During the day, the market is full of goods from food, restaurants, fabrics, and souvenirs for visitors. At night, the market is concentrated on two side streets, mainly for food and souvenirs. In particular, you will be transported to the antique market, where products are sold for hundreds of years. You will surely find a good souvenir here when coming to Saigon.
>>>> More: Top 10 must-come destinations for you to travel to Ha Noi
Check-in at major churches
Notre Dame Cathedral
Referring to Saigon, many people will immediately remember the Notre Dame Cathedral located in the heart of the city and also a favorite check-in point of many young people. The church has a total length of 91m, 35.5m wide, the main dome is 21m high and the two bell towers on both sides are nearly 57m high.
The architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral is bold in ancient French architecture, built according to the project of architect J. Bourard. With a large and airy space from outside to inside the cathedral, this place has become a symbol of Saigon, a tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists when coming to Saigon.
Tan Dinh Church
Besides Notre Dame Cathedral, you will also never forget the impressive pink Tan Dinh Church located on Hai Ba Trung Street. The old Tan Dinh Church was built in 1870, at a time when Vietnam was still a colony. This project has a fairly large area, possesses impressive architecture, and is considered the most beautiful in Saigon today.
The different pink tones, the dome-shaped architecture, and the unique and meticulous carvings, all combine to create ancient and magnificent architecture in the heart of the bustling city.
Admire the architectural and spiritual beauties of ancient temples
While exploring the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, temples are a place you rarely pay attention to. However, this is where the mysteries of this beautiful city are hidden. Coming to Saigon, it is impossible not to go to Chinese temples, notably Thien Hau Pagoda in Chinatown. This temple has Chinese-style architecture and passionate scents from spiral incense sticks.
Another temple with Southern architecture – Thap Lam Pagoda, was built in 1744. This is one of the oldest temples in the city. Or the Jade Emperor Pagoda – which was honored to be visited by former US President Obama, is famous as a sacred temple that many people visit.
>>>> More: 10 reasons to visit Nha Trang – Pearl of the East Sea
Learn about history and culture in museums when coming to Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City Museum
Re-used from a building built by the French in the 90s of the 19th century, the City Museum is still a delicate combination of Eurasian architecture. Coming to the museum, you will learn about the history of this city through each period, each period in history.
War Remnants Museum
As the most famous museum in the city, the War Remnants Museum currently holds thousands of artifacts and documents about the Vietnam Wars and the heavy consequences they left behind. In addition, the museum also regularly organizes different thematic exhibitions, with the desire to always innovate and attract more visitors.
Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts
If you are an art lover, you will not want to miss the Fine Arts Museum when coming to Saigon. In addition to valuable artifacts, the museum itself has its own fascinating stories. Previously, the house used to be the residence of Uncle Hoa – Hua Bon Hoa, who was the “land king” of Saigon in the last century.
Explore the two biggest and busiest walking streets when coming to Saigon
Nguyen Hue Walking Street
One of the most crowded spots of Saigon at night is Nguyen Hue pedestrian street. The long path is only for pedestrians. On both sides are the most popular shops, cafes, and entertainment centers among young people.
The pedestrian street is also home to impromptu free-form art groups, bringing the youthful and bustling atmosphere of this young city. Besides, there are also many interesting places around the pedestrian street: Saigon Garden, cafe apartment 42 Nguyen Hue, famous milk tea brands on both sides of the road, Zone 87…
Bui Vien Walking Street
Bui Vien is the place that clearly demonstrates the saying “Saigon does not sleep”. The bustling street in the heart of District 1 is blocked by cars, becoming a walking city every Saturday and Sunday night. Bui Vien Walking Street is known as the hangout of the city, focusing on beer bars, rooftop bars, and pubs from popular to high-end. You can choose to sit on the sidewalk with a few bottles of cool beer and add a few dishes of snacks, and it is enough for young people to chat all night.
>>>>More: Gia Lai trip – A journey to great scenery in the middle of the Central Highlands
See Saigon from above at Landmark 81
When you have the opportunity to travel to Saigon, you must definitely visit the tallest building in Vietnam and Southeast Asia — Vincom Landmark 81. Opened in 2019, this architectural achievement welcomes thousands of visitors thanks to the specially designed observatory SkyView is located from floors 79 to 81 at an altitude of 461.3 meters.
With a stunning panoramic view of the city from the observatory, this is truly an experience you can not miss. Remember to bring your camera to shoot, as this is a magical place to live with breathtaking views of the city!
Buy books at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street
Nguyen Van Binh Book Street is one of the attractive destinations for tourists when coming to Saigon. You will be immersed in a giant book paradise and enjoy wonderful relaxing moments.
Nguyen Van Binh Book Street is located in the city center, opposite the Independence Palace and only about 3km from Bui Vien West Street. This is one of the new places, attracting a large number of people, tourists, and especially young people.
Nguyen Van Binh Book Street was born with the desire to promote reading culture. On the small street next to the City Post Office, there are more than 20 stalls of publishers, cafes, old book sales, and display areas… Since its opening, Book Street has been not only a destination visit but also a place venue for books launch and exchange activities.
Explore Cu Chi tunnels
The tunnels are located in the Cu Chi District, about 25 km from the city center. Not only is it one of the longest tunnels in the country, but Cu Chi is also one of the top underground works in the world voted by CNN in 2013. There are three experiences you should try when coming here: conquering the tunnel with the tunnels – where you have to lie close to the ground to get through.
Then you can sip boiled noodles and take a short nap in a hammock between two trees. If you want to go there, you can ride a motorbike, hire a taxi or take a bus on the Ben Thanh Market – Cu Chi route. Challenging yourself with the experience of tunneling and learning about the life of the Vietnamese people in the past, why not?
Have fun and go shopping in the big malls
It is no exaggeration to say that the shopping centers in this city are the place to gather everything you need. Drop into a mall and spend an evening there exploring, from diverse cuisine to indulgent shopping.
Takashimaya – Saigon Center
As one of the busiest commercial centers of Saigon, Takashimaya has all kinds of high-end fashion brands and famous restaurants. In particular, this is also a virtual living address that is popular with young people with extremely “artificial” cafes and extremely luxurious stall designs.
Vincom Dong Khoi
Located in a prime location in the heart of District 1, Vincom Dong Khoi is the convergence of all fashion “talents” such as H&M, Zara, Pull&Bear, and Stradivarius… to famous cosmetic brands such as NARS, Innisfree… If you suddenly have a craving for shopping, Vincom is definitely the place you must visit when traveling to Saigon.
Enjoy a cup of coffee in the early morning when coming to Saigon
The habit of drinking coffee in the morning is like a culture that the Saigon people have. Not only that, but this hobby also attracts many tourists when coming to Saigon.
In the morning, middle-aged men go to the bar, order a coffee and buy a pack of cigarettes. They read the news in the morning newspaper while sipping bitter coffee – a drink that Saigon people believe can help them stay awake to start a new day.
In the morning, the old women meet to sit at a toad cafe on a busy street and have a cup of iced milk coffee with daily stories. Or stories about “once upon a time” and thoughtful moments of the elderly.
>>>> More: The best 14 places to visit on Phu Quoc Island
Enjoy the rich cuisine when coming to Saigon
One of the most attractive things about tourism in Saigon is its diverse cuisine. It is a cross between regional cuisines, cuisines of many cultures, but still has a very Saigon flavor that you can hardly find anywhere else.
Com Tam (Broken rice)
If you ask what the “specialty” dish of Saigon is, the answer is definitely Com Tam. A plate of rice seems simple, but it can accompany Saigon people in every meal, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The most special version of broken rice is still broken rice with pork ribs, served with onion fat, sour food, and a small bowl of sweet fish sauce.
Banh Mi
Coming to Saigon, you must definitely eat bread. Saigon’s Banh Mi has countless versions. The most popular is meatloaf, more diverse there are fish cakes, roasted pork banh mi, grilled meat banh mi, shumai banh mi, and Pan banh mi,…
Hu Tieu
Hu Tieu is the common name of the most “colorful” water dish in Saigon. Whether you step into a luxurious restaurant or a popular type of noodle, this dish is still attractive enough to attract you with all kinds of shapes. From bone Hu Tieu, braised beef Hu Tieu, Hu Tieu Nam Vang, squid Hu Tieu,…
Snacks
What do young people in Saigon eat? Delicious snacks, of course. These are mixed rice paper, grilled rice paper, beef dry salad, spring rolls, fried dough, crab soup… You can find these dishes on every street, and every corner of the city to satisfy your cravings.
>>>> More: Top 13 must-try Ha Noi dishes that you can not refuse
Rent a motorbike to explore all streets of Saigon
Coming to Saigon, it is impossible not to experience riding a motorbike on winding alleys. On a “small but mighty” motorbike, you will admire Saigon after the flash but simplicity as well as know better about the hospitable Saigon people.
You will discover a very strange Saigon through street vendors, alleys selling snacks, old apartments, and shack roofs. Sometimes, this is simply the end of the journey, when you suddenly realize that this city does not sleep.
Saigon is bustling and is considered a “promised land” that brings a lot of interesting things and unforgettable experiences. Coming to Saigon so that visitors have the opportunity to learn and then love this hospitable, gentle land even more.
Here are all the must-do things in this sleepless city. So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and hit the road right away. The trip ahead is sure to be full of interesting things.
Visit Dideden.com to find out more Viet Nam travel information.
Or call us at Hotline 1900 3398 for immediate support and assistance.
Travel Korea Now wants to introduce an article from Travel to Taiwann
>>>> More: Lily exhibition in Taoyuan
Travel Korea Now 
One thought on “Top 13 must-do things when coming to Saigon”