Ho Chi Minh City, or more commonly known as Saigon, was hands down my favorite city in Vietnam. Not only was it my first ever experience in this country, but I had a good friend living there that hosted me and was able to show me the true local experience.

To me there’s this chaotic charm to this city that makes it so darn special. It’s not a city you go to see, it’s a city you go to experience. My favorite part about visiting was driving around in the craziest traffic I’ve ever seen in my life on the back of my friend’s motorbike.

Matt, a good friend I met in Italy five years ago, relocated to Vietnam two years back and told me that driving a motorbike in the insane traffic of the city was terrifying at first, but you just kind of get used to it until it becomes a part of everyday life. I’m not sure it’s something I could ever get used to, though.

Although simply wandering is the best entertainment in Ho Chi Minh City, here are 7 STANDOUT EXPERIENCES I recommend to any traveler during their visit to this incredible city:

1. Take a humbling visit to the Vietnam War Museum:

Warning – the content and images in this museum are extremely graphic and disturbing and will make you feel a type of sadness you may have never felt before. I would say this is a must for any person traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, but I think it is a mandatory stop for any and all Americans traveling to here. There are a lot of secrets about this war that we were never taught about in school, so I think it is very important to visit in order to learn the other side of the story. I’m not going to get too political here, but it was a very emotional experience that affected me deeply, and I think that part of traveling is learning about the history of the places you visit, so this is a must-do while in Ho Chi Minh City!

2. People watch in the Backpacker District:

There are three different streets in this hectic district: Bui Vien, De Tham, and Pham Ngu Lau. Bui Vien is the hub of this district, with hundreds of bars, brothels, and other dodgy activities. It was definitely fun to visit and I’d recommend it to any traveler looking for cheap beer, fun nightlife, and the opportunity to meet other travelers. However, while in this part of the city – be extra careful! This is where the most crime in Ho Chi Minh City takes place. I was advised to not wear any sort of cross-body bag, as motorbikes regularly speed by and literally yank/cut your purse off of your body (yes – this recently happened to a friend, and it happens multiple times per day here). My suggestion; wear a backpack on your front, or hold a clutch with a strap around your wrist and keep a tight grip on it! Just be hyper-aware of all of your belongings. (In addition, this will be the district where you can buy overnight bus tickets to your next destination for cheap.)

3. Stuff your face with street food:

Since it was my first time in Vietnam, I was eager to eat everything in sight – and you better believe that I did. On my first night in town, Matt took me to get late night beef stir-fry on Nguyen Van Cuu of District 5, which was delicious and incredibly cheap.

He also took me to a roadside fruit stand for a fresh pomelo juice in District 3 (you actually drive up to the stand and they hand you the juice while you’re still siting on your motorbike). While wandering around in District 10, I stopped for banh bo sua nuong which is like a sweet fried egg pastry/crispy pancake.

The vendor was so friendly and was excited I was buying his food – I think I was the only westerner in sight! On my last night, Matt’s amazing girlfriend Summer, made me homemade banh xeo, which is a savory fried pancake stuffed with pork, shrimp, scallions and sprouts.

Although I was lucky enough to get the homemade version – make sure to find some on the streets to try. Please also make sure to stop for crispy pork belly, you just can’t go wrong with this Vietnamese favorite.

4. Experience Ho Chi Minh City’s nightlife:

This city has a buzzing nightlife that I urge any traveler to take advantage of! After a few cocktails at the very trendy Xu Lounge, Summer took me to Blanchy’s Tash for ladies night – which meant free drinks all night! They had me at free drinks. This bar was full of both locals and travelers all looking to have a good time, and that we did. Think 90s hip-hop in a Vietnamese setting…When all other bars are shutting down in HCMC around 3am, you can head to T & R, famous for being the last place to close in Backpacker District, staying open until around 4am.

5. View Ho Chi Minh City from above: 

Although a bit touristy, the views from EON 51 on the 51^st floor of the Bitexco Financial Tower are superb. Expect to pay triple the price for a coffee (still only a few bucks), but the view of Ho Chi Minh city below is so very worth it!

6. Check out a local market:

One of my very favorite experiences in Ho Chi Minh City was stumbling upon a local market in District 10. So local, that I don’t even know the name of it! It’s down an alley off of Nguyen Tri Phuong selling everything from fresh veggies, to chicken livers and brains, as well as ceramic bowls and housewares, to salon services like haircuts and manicures.

It was my first time experiencing a local market like this and was surprised to see vendors shaving the hair off of pigs feet, filleting fish on a mat on the side of the road, and then women getting their hair done a few doors down. I was by far the only westerner in sight and the vendors and locals shopping the market seemed to be amused by my curiosity.

My favorite part was when this group of little kids followed me down the market giggling and then finally had the courage to ask to practice their English with me. One market I would probably skip would be the Bến Thành Market, which was very touristy and lacked the authenticity of the local market like the one I stumbled upon in District 10!

7. Ride around in the hectic madness that is HCMC traffic:

It’s honestly an experience in itself to ride around on the back of a motorbike in HCMC. Some of my favorite memories are sitting on the back of Matt’s bike and just taking in all of the sounds, sights and smells of this crazy city! Trust me, you haven’t seen traffic until you’ve driven around Saigon! I was very lucky to have a good friend to drive me around, but if you are completely solo and have no experience on a motorbike I would recommend hiring a “xe om” to take you around.

As described by my friend, a xe om is a driver up for hire that are usually hanging out on their motorbikes, either smoking, drinking a beer (so safe) or napping on the corners of the main roads of the city. A ride should be between $1-$3, and you maybe be able to hire a driver for the whole day for around $10. If this process sketches you out a bit, you can also download the “Grab” app, which is like Uber but for motorbikes!

Wander On,

Wanderluluu xx