48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City dedicated to eating and drinking and snacking and cooking Vietnamese food – browsing the markets, grazing at streets stalls on food tours, and savouring Vietnamese cuisine in restaurants – is our idea of a delicious weekend in Ho Chi Minh City, as Vietnam’s southern city is officially known.
48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon, as the southern Vietnam city is still called by many locals, is not enough time to properly savour one of Asia’s great food capitals. However, if you follow our Ho Chi Minh City itinerary you’ll certainly get a great taste of the food scene and the city’s superb Vietnamese cuisine – punctuated by a combination of must-do sights and off-the-beaten-track strolls with locals.
The last time I was in Ho Chi Minh City, hosting food-lovers on a Vietnam culinary trip, I was astonished to see how rapidly the city had changed since our previous visit. Northern Southeast Asian cities are developing at a giddy pace right now. Phnom Penh barely resembles the city we briefly moved to in 2012 before settling in Siem Reap, and Siem Reap is remarkably different to what it was like when we moved here a decade ago. Bangkok is under constant modification.
But the changes in Ho Chi Minh City seem seismic. There were parts of the city I simply didn’t recognise, whole blocks that have disappeared. Many lament the loss of architectural heritage as countless colonial buildings have been demolished to make way for soaring skyscrapers. But there have been positive changes, too.
Walking Street has made Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 so much more enjoyable for visitors needing a break from dodging motorbikes, especially in the evenings when it enlivens the city centre. The new underground train system should relieve a lot of traffic congestion. Then there are all the new restaurants, cafés, bars, and craft breweries.
Fortunately, some things don’t change. Namely, the food. Whether it’s Vietnamese countryside cooking, street food, or more creative and contemporary Vietnamese fusion, Ho Chi Minh City still has some of the best eating in Asia. Here’s how to sample it in 48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City.
48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City Itinerary for Food Lovers
Here’s how to spend 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City if you’re a food lover.
Getting to Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam Airlines, VietJet Air, Jetstar, Air Asia, Scoot, and Nok Air all fly to Ho Chi Minh City. The key to cheap flights is to book either as far in advance as you can if you have fixed travel dates or leave it as late as possible if you can be flexible to take advantage of last minute deals. You’ll need a visa for Vietnam, even if you’re only spending 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City.
Getting around Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is divided by district and District 1 is where first time visitors to Ho Chi Minh City will spend most of their time. While distances aren’t great and the city can easily be walked, it’s not all that walkable. Fortunately, there are numerous alternatives to your feet – traditional cyclo, xe om (motorbike taxis), conventional taxi cabs (only use Mai Linh and Vina Sun), and Grab and Uber. An underground metro railway is currently under construction.
Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City
If you only have 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City, opt for a central hotel in District 1. For first-timers, I recommend heritage lodgings that ooze history, such as the French colonial Hotel Continental, built in 1880, which featured in Graham Green’s The Quiet American and has rooms overlooking Saigon Opera House. Green stayed in Room 214.
For more luxurious accommodation, directly behind it is the five-star Park Hyatt Saigon. A hip new boutique hotel that melds old and new, The Myst Dong Khoi is unlike any the city has seen before. Overlooking Cong Vien Van Hoa Park, minimalist Fusion Suites has a Nordic feel with blonde woods and neutral tones. Hotels don’t get more central in Ho Chi Minh City than those.
In District 3, the swanky new Hôtel des Arts Saigon M Gallery Collection channels the 1930s and has Ho Chi Minh City’s highest rooftop pool. If you’ve been to the city before, you could opt for a tranquil riverside stay at An Lam Retreats or Villa Song, which offers a complimentary shuttle boat from their private pier to District 1.
More affordable is Ma Maison, which has snug rooms and abundant French charm. The Alcove Library Hotel is handsome and handy to the airport, but make sure to book a room with a window.
Day 1 in Ho Chi Minh City
Sundowners
Kick off your 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City from the lofty heights of the 49th floor Saigon Skydeck in the Bitexco Tower. After you’ve taken in the jaw-dropping birds-eye views, head up to the 52nd floor bar to gawk at even more gob-smacking vistas with a cold drink in hand. We recommend reserving a window table: 08 6291 8752, reservations(at)eon51(dot)com.
Dinner
We always toast to the start of another fantastic 48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City with a feast of traditional Vietnamese food at lovely, laidback Vietnamese restaurant, Secret Garden, enchantingly set under the stars, with a tropical kitchen garden vibe, on a rooftop illuminated by fairy lights.
While it’s no longer a secret, Secret Garden is certainly secreted away, in speakeasy style: down an alleyway, into the dingy stairwell of a residential building, then up numerous flights of stairs. Dinner here makes for a very memorable first meal in Saigon. The food is traditional Vietnamese, with a light touch. If you can’t deal with the stairs, try the owner’s other restaurant, Secret House. Top Floor, 158 Pasteur, Bến Nghé, District 1.
Post-Dinner Drinks
You could stick with the speakeasy theme and try to find The Alley (63/1 Pasteur Street, District 1; 5pm-late), tucked down a gritty lane on Pasteur Street. Reward yourself with a Mekong Delta, concocted from dried banana-infused bourbon, banana syrup, lime juice, egg white, and ginger bitters.
Or you could complete the night the way you started and take a taxi to the swish Hôtel des Arts Saigon and head up to the 24th floor to the Saigon Social Club Rooftop Bar for cocktails, breathtaking views of the Saigon skyline and a peek at the highest infinity pool in Ho Chi Minh City. It could have you checking in if you’re not staying here. Note that the bar closes at 1am weekdays and 2am weekends. Hotel des Arts M Gallery, 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3.
Day 2 in Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast in Saigon
The first breakfast of your 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City should be a bowl of phở, Vietnam’s quintessential noodle soup. Skip the hotel buffet and head to one of Saigon’s old-school noodle joints.
In District 1, try Pho Cao Van (25 Mac Dinh Chi Street; 6am-10pm) where it all began. The 90-something year-old owner is credited with bringing pho south from Hanoi, where it originated, and serves genuine Northern-style pho with a clear broth, subtle flavour and tender beef.
Blink and you’ll miss tiny Pho Minh (Alley 63 Pasteur Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1; 6-10am), a 60-odd year-old pho shop that had its heyday in the 1950s when the alley was a destination for Northern food.
If you’re in District 3, locals love Pho Dau (Alley 288 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia; 6-11am), for authentic Hanoi style pho in its original location, opened by the mother of the current 70-something year-old owner. Order the medium-rare or rare beef, which quickly cooks in the soup.
Morning in Ho Chi Minh City
Spend your first morning on some self-guided exploration in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, where you’ll find all the star sights, museums and parks within walking distance of eachother and easy to navigate on your own.
Start at the Saigon Central Post Office, built between 1886 and 1891; after admiring its handsome lemon-coloured exterior with green shutters, head inside for a closer look at the vaulted ceiling and portrait of Ho Chi Minh. Saunter across the road to Notre-Dame Basilica, dating to 1887 and another splendid example of French colonial architecture.
Cross the road to 30-4 Park and wander through the gardens to the Independence Palace (135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, daily 7.30am-11am & 1-4pm) formerly known as the Reunification Palace. For the Vietnamese, it’s a symbol of victory over the Americans, marking the end of the American War (Vietnam War) in 1975 when a North Vietnamese army tank rammed the main palace gates and hung the Vietnamese flag from the balcony, officially unifying the country. The interior decor is a vintage design lover’s dream.
Back outside, hang a left, then another left on D Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, then right into Le Quy Don Street, and in a block you’ll come to the War Remnants Museum (daily 7.30-noon & 1.30-5pm). The museum is focused on the history of the Vietnam War, which the Vietnamese call the ‘American War’, told through the eyes of the Vietnamese, with stories and images by some of the world’s foremost war correspondents and photographers. The exhibits are sobering and confronting but important to see. You’ll need cheering up afterwards…
Lunch in Ho Chi Minh City
Backtrack and stroll around the perimeter of 30-4 Park to Propaganda, near the Cathedral. It’s one of the newer breeds of casual Vietnamese restaurants and is a cool spot for lunch. Literally: the air-conditioning is lovely and chilly and you’ll need it after all that walking.
Buzzy and bright, there are floor to ceiling glass windows, French colonial tiles on the floors and colourful Communist-era murals enlivening entire walls. There’s also a fresh, light, contemporary approach to traditional dishes that almost feels Japanese.
Opt for a set lunch menu if you’re alone, and if you’re not, order plates of spring rolls to share. Don’t miss the fresh rolls with omelette, avocado, brown rice and soya sauce; the duck in betel leaf and spicy ginger fish sauce; and the fried rolls with crab, prawn and glass noodles.
There are French and Vietnamese wines and craft beers from Pasteur Street Brewery. Try the thirst-quenching Saigon Saison with lemongrass and ginger. But don’t order dessert. That’s coming… 21 Han Thuyen, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Afternoon in Ho Chi Minh City
Meander over to Ben Thanh Market – walk back towards the Independence Palace, take a left on D. Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and . Once at Cho Ben Thanh browse the local food section first – note how clean the wet market is and how beautiful the fresh fruit and vegetables are presented – before heading into the dry goods hall.
Here the stalls have almost entirely given over to tourism, which expats seem to moan about more than locals do. Vendors sell handicrafts, lacquerware, lanterns, indigenous textiles, áo dài, and an abundance of edible souvenirs, including local nuts and specialty snacks, as well as Vietnamese tea and robusta coffee from Dalat, as well as Vietnam’s famous coffee filter cups.
Leave through the front main entrance for the short walk to your next destination: chocolate heaven.
Chocolate
Look, every itinerary should have time set aside for chocolate as far as we’re concerned. We’re talking about seriously good chocolate here. From Ben Thanh Market, it’s a five- to ten-minute walk to Calmette Street and Maison Marou, the House of Marou Chocolate.
The French introduced cacao to Vietnam in the late 19th century and it is two Frenchmen who have once again been responsible for making Vietnamese chocolate globally renowned. Currently considered one of the finest chocolates in the world, Marou chocolate is being used by many of the world’s best chefs.
Sample whatever’s on offer to taste, buy a few blocks of chocolate (note that they sell flavours here that you won’t find anywhere else, including the airport), and indulge in one of their decadent French pastries, baked on site. 167 Calmette, Nguyễn Thái Bình, District 1.
Late Afternoon
Art lovers can amble around the corner to the outstanding Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum (97A Pho Duc Chinh Street, District 1; Tues-Sun 9-5pm), in a 1920s building (with Saigon’s first elevator), for the city’s finest collection of Vietnamese art, from traditional arts such as woodcuts and silk painting to modern works in different mediums.
There are also archaeological relics from the Cham kingdom and Óc Eo, which would interest travellers who have visited Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and Angkor Archaeological Park. Between the 1st and 7th centuries, Óc Eo was the bustling port of the pre-Khmer Empire Kingdom of Funan, connected by canals to Angkor Borei, Funan’s capital, in Cambodia’s Takeo province.
If you have time on your trip, sign up for Sophie’s Art Tour, ran by British expat art aficionado Sophie Hughes, which examines Vietnam’s history, culture and art, while taking in highlights of the Museum’s collection, as well as small galleries and studios, where you can meet curators and artists.
From the museum, it’s just a ten-minute walk to Audrey Tran’s Saigon Kitsch (43 Ton That Thiep Street, District 1) which is crammed with retro-cool communist-kitsch gifts, much of which she has designed herself, including notebooks, mouse pads, purses, coffee mugs, and coasters.
Continue along Ton That Thiep for two minutes and you’ll reach Nguyen Hue Walking Street.
Nguyen Hue Walking Street should be getting lively with locals about now. The wide boulevard was pedestrianised in 2015, making it possible to wander all the way down to the riverside then back up to the splendid old Saigon City Hall, otherwise known as the People’s Committee Building, without having to contend with a single motorbike. It’s tricky to get a good shot with the row of trees obscuring the splendid building, however, most people seem content with taking a selfie with the statue of ‘Uncle Ho’ instead.
Evening in Ho Chi Minh City
Your first evening in Ho Chi Minh City should be spent with Vu from Saigon Street Eats. Trust me on this. Pick up is at 5.30pm for their Street Food 101 Tour by Moto so skedaddle back to your hotel or meeting spot so you’re not late.
One of Ho Chi Minh City’s first street food tour companies, Saigon Street Eats remains the city’s best. Operated by Vietnamese foodie Vu and his Aussie journalist wife Barbara, their tours will provide you with the best introduction to Vietnamese street food you’re going to get in the city.
Riding behind a local driver on the back of a motorbike taxi (called a ‘xe om’ in Vietnamese), you’ll scoot between their favourite eating spots to sample some of Vietnam’s quintessential specialties in off-the-beaten-track neighbourhoods that most visitors wouldn’t get to on their own.
Don’t book a restaurant afterwards. You’ll eat so much that you’ll struggle to finish dessert. They also offer a seafood tour and a pho tour. Riding on a motorbike is an incredible way to experience the city. While you’re in safe hands – the drivers are highly skilled at navigating Saigon’s insane traffic – do check that your travel insurance covers motorbikes. If it doesn’t, they can take you by taxi.
Drinks
If you’re up for a drink, Ho Chi Minh City has bars to suit every taste and budget. Here are a couple of of our favourites. Layla (2nd Floor, 63 Đông Du; Mon-Sat 4pm-late) has a semi-industrial looking interior with comfy leather sofas and contemporary art in a colonial-era building over Dong Khoi. Not sure what to order? Tell the bartender what you like and let him craft a bespoke cocktail for you.
If gin is your thing, head to speakeasy-inspired The Gin House (28/3A Ton That Tung, District 1; 6pm-late), Saigon’s first specialist gin bar, with vintage style, swing jazz, and house-made gin infusions and cocktails. We loved the zingy green tea and pomegranate gin infusion with tonic, which was super refreshing at the end of a sultry evening.
Day 3 in Ho Chi Minh City
Breakfast in Ho Chi Minh City
If you’re keen to eat breakfast with the locals again, you’ll have to rise early. Yesterday you focused on northern style phở, the original phở, so for your second breakfast in Saigon you should sample Southern style phở.
District 5’s Cholon (Chinatown) is home to the first, Pho Le (Nguyen Trai Street; 6am-1am), established in 1950, which serves the fatty soup, preferred by locals, packed with beef, meatballs, sprouts, and herbs and spices (coriander, cumin, cinnamon). There’s another in District 3 at 303-305 Vo Van Tan Street. Our Hanoi guide called this “Phnom Penh style-phở” and said the owner was from the Cambodian royal family.
Also in District 3, foreigner-friendly Pho Hoa Pasteur (260 Pasteur Street; 7am-9pm) dishes up big bowls of Southern style phở with a sweetish soup brimming with noodles, sprouts and herbs. It’s a travellers’ favourite thanks to its inclusion in countless guidebooks, hence the huge servings and higher prices compared to other phở joints, but it’s still very good.
Morning in Ho Chi Minh City
On the second full day of your 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City, we recommend you get off the beaten track on a half-day Ho Chi Minh City Free Walking Tour with the charming Hoa Sen University Hospitality and Tourism students. I’ve done these tours loads of times and one of the best things about them is spending time with the students. While the walks are technically free, we recommend generously tipping these outstanding young guides.
The students offer a handful of tours, starting at 8am and finishing around noon. The History and Temples Oriental #2 walk kicks off at the History Museum, where you’ll learn about the early civilisations of Champa and Funan, before strolling to the Temple of King Hung Vuong, where worshippers burn incense in commemoration of Hung King, and visiting busy Tan Dinh Market, and the Jade Emperor Pagoda (Ngoc Hoang Pagoda).
Another tour starts at the colourful Cao Đài Temple in District 5, where it explores this Southern Vietnamese sect that combines Confucianism, Christianity, Taoism, and Buddhism, before exploring the 374 Lê Hồng Phong alleys and Lê Hồng Phong Market, a mini-Cambodia, where you’ll find Cambodian cuisine specialties. It finishes at the Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine, where you can see thousands of items used in its preparation and “learn how to become a herb doctor”.
Lunch in Ho Chi Minh City
Wherever you finish up with the students, have them help you hail a taxi to Cuc Gach Quan, one of our favourite restaurants in Saigon, for home-style Vietnamese cuisine. Spread across two atmospheric French colonial houses, beautifully remodelled by the architect owner, the restaurant is decorated with pre-loved vintage furniture and recycled timber tables.
TIP: before you leave the hotel in the morning, have your hotel book a table for you for lunch in the original building, which is more atmospheric.
The menu is inspired by his grandmother’s ‘countryside cooking’, with a focus on seasonal Vietnamese produce transported directly to the restaurant from their own farm and other small farmers, organic wherever possible, and no MSG is used.
The long menu is off-putting for first-timers so we suggest trying some of our favourites: fried tofu with lemon, salt and pepper; stir-fried morning glory with garlic; pumpkin flower soup; succulent roasted chicken; and caramelised Vietnamese braised pork with boiled eggs. 10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh, District 1, 08 38480144.
Afternoon in Ho Chi Minh City
Alternatively, you could skip lunch and spend the afternoon doing a Vietnamese cooking class. We used to recommend GRAIN Cooking School (71-75 Hai Ba Trung, District), established by Australian-Vietnamese chef Luke Nguyen of Red Lantern, one of Sydney’s finest Vietnamese restaurants, author of formidable Vietnamese cookbooks, and star of cooking shows and documentary series. The set-up at was impressive and quality of instruction high.
However, GRAIN closed during the pandemic, and while I was informed that it would re-open, it hadn’t at the time of updating this Ho Chi Minh City itinerary. The next best cooking school in Ho Chi Minh City is
If you prefer to spend an afternoon shopping, nearby Dong Khoi street is home to two of my favourite Saigon shops: L’Usine concept store and café and Mai Lam boutique.
If you take a right at the Saigon Opera House and stroll past the Hotel Continental, you’ll come to the whimsical boutique Mai Lam (132 Dong Khoi), whose fabulous clothes feature beautiful embroidery, appliqué, embellishments including precious gems, often stitched onto vintage jeans and genuine old army jackets, and bags made from up-cycled old parachutes.
Backtrack along Dong Khoi and cross the road at the Caravelle, from where you should see L’Usine (151/5 Dong Khoi) upstairs in front of you. Accessed by stairs hidden down an arcade, L’Usine is a café and light-filled concept store with a carefully-curated collection of gifts, fashion, jewellery, accessories, such as Saigon-based French expat Valerie Cordier’s wonderful clutch purses (open one up and look inside!).
If you are ready for a glass of wine or craft brew, you would have noticed L’Usine Bistro on your way to the café and concept store. Alternatively, this might be a good time to head back to your hotel to freshen up for dinner.
Early Evening in Ho Chi Minh City
You could work up an appetite for dinner with a wander along nearby Nguyen Hue Walking Street or you could slip around the corner to Dong Khoi Street and Lam Son Square, to admire the splendid Saigon Opera House and beside it the Hotel Continental, both of which look stunning at this time of day. Note that it’s only possible to see the Opera House interior if you buy tickets to a show and do a pre-show tour.
Dinner in Ho Chi Minh City
While it’s no longer a secret, the laidback Vietnamese restaurant Secret Garden is certainly secreted away, in speakeasy style, down an alleyway, then up numerous flights of stairs in a residential apartment building. Enchantingly located on the rooftop in a tropical garden setting, illuminated by fairy lights, dinner here makes for a very memorable final meal in Saigon. The food is traditional, with a modern, light touch. Alternatively, if you can’t deal with the stairs, try the owner’s other restaurant, Secret House. Top Floor, 158 Pasteur, Bến Nghé, District 1.
Drinks
Finish your 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City on a literal high, surrounded by Saigon’s towering skyscrapers at ANAN’s Rooftop Bar (89 Ton That Dam, District 1; Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight) with a Saigon Sunset (dark rum, fresh sugarcane juice, ginger, calamansi, bitters) or a heady Black Tea Tra Da (tequila blanco, rice wine, lychee, lime, and agave syrup).
Have you been to Ho Chi Minh City or do you live in the city? Do feel free to share your most delicious tips below for people spending 48 Hours in Ho Chi Minh City.
