Why Ho Chi Minh City Should Be on Your Radar

Ho Chi Minh City — still called Saigon by everyone who lives there — is a city of 9 million people and roughly 9 million motorbikes, all moving in a fluid, horn-honking swarm that somehow works. Vietnam's southern metropolis is chaotic, loud, and hot, and it also serves some of the best food in Asia, costs almost nothing to explore, and has a nightlife scene that runs from rooftop cocktail bars to street-corner bia hoi (fresh beer) stalls.

The food is the primary argument for visiting. Phở is the headline act, but the real depth lies in bánh mì (the baguette sandwich that is genuinely the world's best street sandwich), bún thịt nướng (vermicelli with grilled pork and herbs), cơm tấm (broken rice with pork chop), and bánh xèo (crispy turmeric crepes). A full meal at a street stall costs 30,000-50,000 VND ($1.20-2.00). Ben Thanh Market's food court is the accessible entry point; the alleys of District 4 are where the locals eat.

The War Remnants Museum in District 3 is the most impactful museum in Southeast Asia — unflinching in its documentation of the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese perspective. It's heavy, but essential for any visitor trying to understand the country. The Reunification Palace, where the war ended in 1975 when a tank crashed through the gates, is a time capsule of 1960s architecture and Cold War history. Explore more at https://www.vietnam.travel/things-to-do/ho-chi-minh-city.

District 1 is where the colonial architecture, high-end restaurants, and rooftop bars cluster. The Saigon Central Post Office, designed by Gustave Eiffel's firm, is a functioning post office and one of the most beautiful public buildings in Asia. Notre-Dame Cathedral (under renovation but still worth seeing) and the Opera House complete the French-colonial trifecta.

Nightlife in Saigon is varied and cheap. Bui Vien Street in the backpacker district is loud, messy, and exactly what you'd expect — bia hoi for 5,000 VND ($0.20) a glass and bars that spill onto the pavement. For something more refined, The Cocktail Bar at Park Hyatt, Snuffbox in District 1, and Anan Saigon's rooftop offer world-class drinks. The craft beer scene has exploded with breweries like Pasteur Street Brewing and Heart of Darkness.

Saigon is also a gateway. The Mekong Delta is two hours south (take a day trip to floating markets in Can Tho), the Cu Chi Tunnels are an hour north (the underground network used by Viet Cong fighters is both claustrophobic and fascinating), and the beach resort city of Vung Tau is 90 minutes by hydrofoil. The city's chaos is its charm — lean into it, drink the bia hoi, cross the street without hesitating, and you'll understand why people come for a weekend and stay for a month.