Party block street:
it’s another block from Pham Ngu Lao street corner of the Starbucks café. It’s Bui Vien street there are tons of white guys, Korean, Japanese and of course Cambodian. A lot of choices on seafoods, grilled vegetables, meats and don’t miss 333 beers or Saigon beers, one bottle of beer cost 12Kdong to 15Kdong just keep in mind that you have to bargain all the times in HCM, asking price before the foods on table. There are live bands almost every bar both in English and Vietnamese songs, their voices are incredible and amazing, if you drink with the live music, beers price is quite expensive than one beer was like 80Kdong when other street table was only 15Kdong. Bui Vien is downtown where the backpackers were, so the accommodations was not really expensive, most of them are affordable and clean enough to stay. Watch out your value stuff when you walk back to the hotel, last time two guys in HCM tried to grab my small bag it was happening around 2am in the morning but I was luckily.
Saigon Central Market:
It sounds like our Cambodian’s new central market [Phsa Thmey] it’s actually the food stores, where you can have the grilled squid, octopus, juice, egg tart, bbq, fruit shake and so on………………
Dam Sen park:
It’s about 3Km from downtown by taxi. The entrance fee cost about 150Kdong, a lot of games inside the park and colorful of flowers. You can spend time there like 3hours or half day for taking photos and enjoy the games. It’s probably nothing to see in the park if you are coming from Western countries or European. I have been playing those exciting games in HK and Singapore so it was like the baby game but the scenery is not bad.
Ben Thanh Market:
The market is big, difficult to navigate at times and certainly best avoided during the hottest part of the day but all the same it’s well worth a look. When night falls, restaurants around the perimeter of the market open their doors creating a vibrant street side scene filling the air with the scents of wok-fried noodles, barbecued fish and meats. One of Saigon’s oldest landmarks, Ben Thanh offers a great atmosphere.
It’s located in downtown of HCM district 1. Where you can walk about 10minutes from Pham Ngu Lao street. The large marketplace where you can buy handicraft, souvenirs, jewelry, dry snack, dresses, scarf and many stuff but one thing you have to bargain. When it comes to night time many local foods are served along the outside street of Ben Thanh market. Do notice also some items is fixed price but you still can-do bargain. However, the shoppers speak a little English may be hard to understand do bring the note book or sticker note to write down the price.
Anh Dong Market:
Anh Dong is also one of the bigger local market, it sells mostly daily using stuff, groceries, dresses, shoes and tons of local foods are served there. Taxi costs about 60Kdong from downtown do ask the price before get into the taxi. If it’s taxi meter then show them the GPS how to get there, so they won’t take you around the city and be aware of rip off.
Notre Dame Cathedral
In front of the cathedral stands a Virgin Mary statue, which is said to have shed tears in 2005, causing thousands of people to stop around the Basilica. Amidst an active and continuously moving Saigon today, the French-influenced design of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral still acts as a stop for people who seek for old beauties and calmness. Not only followers keep praying under candle lights in front of Virgin Mary statue everyday but tourists and local people also come there to discover the true soul of the city. The cathedral looks most beautiful in daylight, together with the smiles of couples coming to take photograph and record movies, especially for wedding.
Ho Chi Minh Post Office
The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh was constructed between 1886 and 1891 and once inside, the looping arches, intricately designed marble floors and antiquated telephone boxes all serve as a reminder of the importance the post office played in days before email and mobile phones. Although the architecture is distinctly French, the large portrait of Ho Chi Minh hanging high above everyone at the far end of the building reminds everyone we are definitely in Vietnam. Painted onto walls overhead are two maps of the region; one of them showing the telegraph lines that crisscross Vietnam and Cambodia.
Vietnamese coffee
Nowhere has better coffee ever but only in Vietnam, this only for the coffee lover. It’s on every block, every corner, every street since Vietnamese people like drinking coffee, no matter is day time or night time.
Vietnamese Street food
It’s quite similar if we are talking about the standard living in HCM and Phnom Penh, from my views. The street food in HCM is tasty and affordable.
Water Puppet Show
Water puppetry is a traditional Vietnamese art form that dates back several centuries and is performed in a shallow pool of water. The wooden puppets are manually controlled behind a screen by master puppeteers who splash them through the stage with precision and skill.
