Ho Chi Minh City

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Vietnam — a whole city, district by district, sourced

District 1 83 places · area 1 of 17

Bến Nghé · Bến Thành

1 Must see within District 1

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

The twin-spired red-brick French cathedral (1863-1880) built with imported Marseille materials, on the square opposite the Post Office. UNDER RESTORATION since 2017 (interior closed to visitors; completion pushed to ~2027, scaffolding coming off by early 2026) — view the exterior.
Look for Colonial cathedral (restoration)
01 Cong xa Paris, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Ca Phe Do Phu

The 'Commando Cafe' - a 1940s house that was a secret Viet Cong special-forces base with a weapons bunker and hidden mailbox; today it pours nostalgic bac xiu and serves com tam Dai Han above its wartime tunnel.
113A Dang Dung, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Must see within District 1

Sủi Cảo Hà Tôn Quyền (Thiên Thiên)

The heart of Saigon's nicknamed 'phố sủi cảo' — a cluster of Hoa family dumpling shops (Thiên Thiên among the best-known) that have run for 30+ years each. Plump shrimp-and-pork sủi cảo steamed, fried, or in clear soup with handmade noodles.
Hà Tôn Quyền, Ward 4, District 11, Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Must see within District 1

Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)

The modernist 1960s presidential palace where NVA Tank 843 crashed the gate on 30 April 1975, ending the war. Frozen-in-time state rooms, war-command bunker and telecoms basement. National monument; daily ~07:00-18:00, 80,000d.
Look for Historic palace & war site
135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Photo: Kevin Rutherford · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

5 Must see within District 1

Saigon Central Post Office

Working 1886-1891 post office (architect Alfred Foulhoux; often mis-credited to Eiffel) with a vaulted iron-truss hall, painted maps and a portrait of Ho Chi Minh. Ranked among the world's most beautiful post offices; still operational.
Look for Colonial landmark
125 Cong xa Paris (Hai Ba Trung), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Photo: Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

6 Must see within District 1

Jade Emperor Pagoda (Phuoc Hai Tu)

Saigon's most atmospheric Taoist temple, built by the Cantonese community in 1909, thick with incense smoke and carved wooden deities incl. the Hall of Ten Hells and a turtle pond. Obama visited in 2016. Free, ~07:00-18:00.
Look for Taoist temple
73 Mai Thi Luu, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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7 Must see within District 1

Nguyen Hue Walking Street & People's Committee Building

The city's 900 m pedestrian boulevard (a former canal, walkerised 2015) running from the floodlit French Hotel de Ville / People's Committee Building (1898-1909, viewed from outside) and Ho Chi Minh statue down to the Saigon River. Liveliest at night.
Look for Pedestrian boulevard & civic landmark
Nguyen Hue Boulevard, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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8 Must see within District 1

Mariamman Hindu Temple (Chua Ba Mariamman)

Saigon's only Hindu temple, a vivid South-Indian shrine built by Tamil merchants in the late 1800s to the goddess Mariamman, its ~12 m gopuram crowded with painted deities. Free; daily ~07:00-19:00, remove shoes.
Look for Hindu temple
45 Truong Dinh, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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9 Must see within District 1

Bach Dang Wharf & Saigon Waterbus

The 1.3 km riverside park and pier on the Saigon River where locals gather at sunset and river cruises and the 15,000d public waterbus depart for Thu Duc. The best way to see the city from the water, past Landmark 81 and Bitexco.
Look for River
10B Ton Duc Thang, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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10 Must see within District 1

Cầu Ba Son (Thu Thiem 2 Bridge)

The city's newest icon — a cable-stayed bridge with a single soaring pylon, opened April 2022, linking central District 1 (Mê Linh Square) to the Thủ Thiêm new-urban area. Its artistic night lighting and the riverside park beneath it have made it one of Saigon's most popular sunset and check-in spots on the water.
Look for Bridge / landmark
Nối Quận 1 với TP. Thủ Đức (sông Sài Gòn), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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11 Must see within District 1

Tuyến Metro số 1 Bến Thành - Suối Tiên (Metro Line 1)

The city's first metro, opened 22 December 2024 after more than a decade of building — and an instant 'triệu-like' check-in phenomenon in its own right. The Bến Thành underground hall's lotus-shaped skylight and the elevated An Phú and Thảo Điền stations (sunset views over Thủ Đức) are the most-photographed spots; ride it as an attraction, not just transport.
Look for Metro / check-in
Tuyến Bến Thành (Quận 1) – Suối Tiên (TP. Thủ Đức), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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12 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

Pho Tau Bay

North-to-South phở institution since 1954, famed for its giant 'to xe lua' (train-car) bowl of simple, garnish-free Northern phở bac that Saigonese have loved for 70+ years.
435 Ly Thai To, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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13 Must see within District 1

Che Thai Y Phuong

The standout of District 10's neon-lit chè Thái street; a famously rich Thai-style sweet soup of pureed durian, jackfruit, palm seed and longan in coconut milk.
380 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 6, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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14 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

Bun Bo Hue Dong Ba

A perennially packed bún bò Huế spot beside the Conservatory of Music, singled out by a visiting New York chef as one of the best bowls of soup in all of Vietnam.
207B Nguyen Van Thu, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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15 Must see within District 1 · Cafés & modern

The Cafe Apartment

1960s apartment block on the Nguyen Hue walking street turned vertical warren of 50+ cafes; a Saigon coffee landmark.
42 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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16 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

Cuc Gach Quan

Beloved home-cooking restaurant in restored villas; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, rice cooked in cast iron on wood stoves.
10 Dang Tat, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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17 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

The Lunch Lady

Nguyen Thi Thanh's canalside stall made famous by Bourdain's No Reservations; a different regional noodle soup each day.
23 Hoang Sa, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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18 Must see within District 1 · Khmer

Hồ Thị Kỷ Food Street

A 300m alley market settled by Vietnamese-Cambodian refugees in the 1970s, now Saigon's densest Cambodian-Vietnamese food alley (100+ stalls); Khmer fish noodles, prahok and palm-sugar chè, from ~3pm.
Hồ Thị Kỷ, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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19 Must see within District 1 · Cafés & modern

2 Lam Son

Park Hyatt Saigon's martini bar and one of the city's cocktail landmarks, running guest shifts with bartenders drawn from the World's Best Bars.
2 Lam Son Square (Park Hyatt Saigon), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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20 Must see within District 1 · Hawker & zi char

Saigon Saigon Bar

Historic 10th-floor rooftop bar atop the Caravelle Hotel, a wartime haunt of diplomats and correspondents since 1959, with live music and skyline views.
Caravelle Saigon, 19-23 Lam Son Square, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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21 Must see within District 1

Long Trieu (The Royal Pavilion)

One MICHELIN Star; chef Angus Chan's refined Cantonese kitchen inside The Reverie, weaving Vietnamese ingredients into Hong Kong technique amid jade and gold-leaf interiors.
4F, The Reverie Saigon, 22-36 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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22 Must see within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Stir - Modern Classic Cocktail

Saigon's highest-placed bar on Asia's 50 Best Bars (ranked 2022-2025, No. 61 in 2025) — a speakeasy-jazz room of precise modern-classic drinks.
1st floor, 136 Lê Thánh Tôn, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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23 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

Banh Mi Huynh Hoa

Saigon's most famous banh mi since 1989 — permanent queues for the thap cam loaded with pate and cold cuts.
26 Le Thi Rieng Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Photo: Crcolas · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

24 Must see within District 1 · Vietnamese

Anan Saigon

Chef Peter Cuong Franklin's MICHELIN-starred restaurant over the Ton That Dam market; street food reimagined as fine dining.
89 Ton That Dam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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25 Worth the detour within District 1

Saigon Opera House (Municipal Theatre)

Flamboyant 1897-1900 French Beaux-Arts theatre, once seat of South Vietnam's Lower House, now a national relic staging the acclaimed bamboo-circus A O Show and The Mist.

Look for Beaux-Arts theatre

07 Cong Truong Lam Son, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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26 Worth the detour within District 1

Bitexco Financial Tower & Saigon Skydeck

The 262 m lotus-bud tower (2010) with a helipad wing and the 49th-floor Saigon Skydeck, the city's first observation deck, giving 360-degree views over the river. Open daily ~09:30-21:30.

Look for Skyscraper & observation deck

36 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

27 Worth the detour within District 1

Ho Chi Minh City Museum (Gia Long Palace)

City-history museum in an 1885-1890 neoclassical palace that served the French governor, President Diem (as Gia Long Palace) and the RVN Supreme Court, with a wartime bunker/tunnel beneath. Traces Saigon from prehistory to reunification.

Look for City history museum

65 Ly Tu Trong, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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28 Worth the detour within District 1

Museum of Vietnamese History

Vietnam's national-history collection in a 1926-1929 Indochinese-style building beside the Botanical Gardens: Cham and Oc Eo antiquities, Dong Son drums, a mummified noblewoman, plus water-puppet shows. Closed Mondays.

Look for Archaeology & history museum

2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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29 Worth the detour within District 1

Fine Arts Museum (Bao tang My thuat)

The city's leading art museum in a yellow 1929-1934 Franco-Chinese mansion of the wealthy Hua family, with the first lift in Saigon; holds lacquer, silk and war-era painting plus Champa/Oc Eo relics. Closed Mondays.

Look for Art museum

97A Pho Duc Chinh, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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30 Worth the detour within District 1

The Cafe Apartment (42 Nguyen Hue)

A crumbling 1960s nine-storey block (once housing for US advisers) reborn as a vertical warren of independent cafes, boutiques and bars, each balcony overlooking the walking street. Slow lift ~3,000d, or take the stairs.

Look for Cafe & boutique building

42 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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31 Worth the detour within District 1

Bui Vien Walking Street

Saigon's neon backpacker strip in the Pham Ngu Lao quarter (on the map since Lonely Planet's 1993 guide) — bar stools spilling into the road, street food and live music. Pedestrianised nightly; peaks Fri-Sun.

Look for Nightlife street

Bui Vien Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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32 Worth the detour within District 1

Tao Dan Park

One of central Saigon's largest green spaces (a former French garden), with a Cham-style shrine, a Hung Kings temple and a famous early-morning 'bird cafe' where locals hang songbird cages (~06:00-09:00; disrupted in recent years by Metro works). Free.

Look for Park & nature

Truong Dinh Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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33 Worth the detour within District 1

Việt Nam Quốc Tự

A landmark District 10 Buddhist temple on Ba Tháng Hai (3/2) Boulevard, originally built in 1964 and rebuilt 2014–2017 around a soaring 13-storey stupa (Tháp Đa Bảo). A historically significant seat of Vietnamese Buddhism and a striking, uncrowded stop; upper floors open on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month.

Look for Buddhist temple

244 Ba Tháng Hai, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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34 Worth the detour within District 1

Phung Son Pagoda (Chua Go)

An early-19th-century pagoda built on the foundations of an ancient Khmer/Oc Eo-era temple mound, a recognised National Historical-Cultural Monument with a fine timber-framed Southern-style hall. A quiet, deeply historic stop in District 11.

Look for Temple

1408 Duong 3 Thang 2, Ward 2, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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35 Worth the detour within District 1

September 23 Park (Cong Vien 23 Thang 9)

A long, 9-hectare downtown green ribbon on the site of Saigon's demolished 19th-century railway station, running from behind Ben Thanh Market through the backpacker quarter. Handy central breathing space for a stroll or people-watching.

Look for Park

Pham Ngu Lao, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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36 Worth the detour within District 1

Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre

The city's main venue for mua roi nuoc (water puppetry), the thousand-year-old northern folk art performed on a pool of water with live traditional musicians. Two short shows daily (17:00 and 18:30) beside Tao Dan Park.

Look for Performance

55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

37 Worth the detour within District 1

Hotel Continental Saigon

The city's oldest hotel (1880) on former Rue Catinat opposite the Opera House, where Graham Greene wrote much of 'The Quiet American' in Room 214 and its terrace was the correspondents' 1950s watering hole. A living piece of literary and war-era Saigon.

Look for Architecture

132-134 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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38 Worth the detour within District 1

Hotel Majestic Saigon

A 1925 French-colonial landmark on the Dong Khoi/Ton Duc Thang riverfront corner, built by the tycoon Hui Bon Hoa and preserving its original Art Deco character. Worth a look for the facade and a drink at its river-view rooftop.

Look for Architecture

01 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

39 Worth the detour within District 1

Rex Hotel Rooftop Garden Bar

The open-air rooftop bar of the 1960 Rex Hotel, site of the US military's daily wartime press briefings mocked as the 'Five O'Clock Follies'. Iconic Vietnam-War history plus sweeping views over Nguyen Hue and City Hall.

Look for Architecture

141 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

40 Worth the detour within District 1

Dam Sen Cultural Park

A 50-hectare cultural-and-amusement park in District 11 with landscaped gardens, thrill rides, cultural exhibits and an adjoining water park. One of the city's big family day-outs, alongside Suoi Tien and Dai Nam.

Look for Park

3 Hoa Binh, Ward 3, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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41 Worth the detour within District 1

Cầu Mống (Mong Bridge)

One of Saigon's oldest surviving bridges — a 128 m green iron arch built 1893–94 by Levallois-Perret (the old Eiffel firm) over the Bến Nghé canal, sibling in age to Hanoi's Long Biên. The French called it 'Arc-en-ciel' (rainbow); locals named it Cầu Mống for its arch. Ranked among the city's 10 heritage sites in 2015; a quiet evening photo spot.

Look for Historic bridge

Nối Quận 1 với Quận 4 (kênh Bến Nghé), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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42 Worth the detour within District 1

Đền thờ Trần Hưng Đạo (Tran Hung Dao Temple)

A dignified 1932/1958 temple to the national hero Trần Hưng Đạo on a quiet Tân Định block, built by the Bắc Việt mutual-aid society. Curved-tile roofs with dragon-and-phoenix motifs and a triple gate; ranked a city relic, and busiest around the eighth-lunar-month death anniversary of Đức Thánh Trần.

Look for Temple / historic

36 Võ Thị Sáu, phường Tân Định, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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43 Worth the detour within District 1

Tu viện Khánh An (Khanh An Monastery)

A century-old monastery rebuilt over ~10 years (reopened 2016) in a serene Japanese-influenced style — timber and wood-grained structures in white, ochre and red-brown among green courtyards, earning it the nickname 'little Japan' of Saigon. A calm, camera-ready riverside retreat in District 12, busiest on weekends and full-moon days.

Look for Temple / check-in

1055/3D Quốc lộ 1A, phường An Phú Đông, Quận 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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44 Worth the detour within District 1

Bảo tàng Chiến dịch Hồ Chí Minh (Ho Chi Minh Campaign Museum)

A free military museum set in an early-20th-century French building beside Reunification Palace, opened 1987, devoted to the 1975 Spring Offensive that ended in the fall of Saigon. Maps, sand-table dioramas, weapons and photographs trace the final campaign; a focused complement to the nearby palace and War Remnants Museum.

Look for Museum

2 Lê Duẩn, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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45 Worth the detour within District 1

Đền thờ Vua Hùng (Hung Kings Temple, Thao Cam Vien)

A near-century-old temple inside the Botanical Gardens, built by the French in 1926 as a 'Temple du souvenir' and rededicated after 1954 to the Hùng Kings and other national heroes. Modeled on Huế imperial-palace architecture with a 3-ton bronze elephant in the forecourt; the focal point of Saigon's Giỗ Tổ Hùng Vương observances each third lunar month.

Look for Temple / historic

2 Nguyễn Bình Khiêm, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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46 Worth the detour within District 1

Khách sạn Grand Sài Gòn (Hotel Grand Saigon)

One of Saigon's three great heritage hotels (with the Continental and Majestic), opened 1930 at 8 rue Catinat with classical French lines — and still running its original 1930 cage elevator. A near-century of Đồng Khởi history preserved in the 'ancient wing'; step into the lobby or the rooftop bar to feel old Saigon.

Look for Historic hotel

8 Đồng Khởi, Quận 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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47 Worth the detour within District 1

Kênh Nhiêu Lộc - Thị Nghè (Nhieu Loc Canal)

A nearly 10 km 'green ribbon' through the inner city — once a dead, polluted canal, reborn after a decade-long clean-up into landscaped embankments and a signature of Saigon's revival. Since 2015 a 4.5 km guided boat tour (covered wooden boats and hand-rowed phụng boats) runs it with đờn ca tài tử music; the multi-coloured bridge lighting is a night check-in.

Look for Canal / waterfront

Chạy qua Quận 1, Quận 3, Phú Nhuận, Bình Thạnh, Tân Bình, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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48 Worth the detour within District 1

Ben Thanh Market

The landmark 1914 central market — street food, textiles and souvenirs in the heart of Saigon.

Look for Market

Le Loi, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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49 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Pho Cao Van

One of Saigon's oldest phở houses, founded 1947 by Mr Tran Van Phon and still simmering its crystal-clear, lightly sweet broth over a charcoal stove; now second/third generation.

25 Mac Dinh Chi, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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50 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Pho Phuong

Canalside beef pho stall; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2024-2026, famed for its long-braised oxtail.

25 Hoang Sa, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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51 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Pho Minh

Alley pho institution serving Saigonese since 1945; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, pairs its broth with pate chaud.

63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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52 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Banh Mi Bay Ho

Nearly-century-old banh mi cart (est. 1930), now third generation, with homemade pate and pork roll.

19 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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53 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai

Alley cart open ~4 hours a day; sweet charcoal-grilled pork patties in place of pate, a Saigon street icon.

37-39 Nguyen Trai, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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54 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Banh Canh Cua 87 Tran Khac Chan

Corner stall famed for a thick, stew-like crab banh canh loaded with crab meat, crab cake and quail egg.

87 Tran Khac Chan, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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55 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Oc Dao

Saigon's most famous snail operation tucked down a downtown alley; 100+ snail and shellfish dishes.

212B Alley, Nguyen Trai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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56 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

The Workshop Coffee

Saigon's pioneering specialty-coffee roaster in a 1912 building; pour-over, cold brew and light-roast Arabica.

27 Ngo Duc Ke (2nd floor), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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57 Worth the detour within District 1

Dim Tu Tac

Always-busy Cantonese dim sum house by the Dong Du mosque; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, a large dim sum and BBQ selection.

55 Dong Du, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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58 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Maison Marou

Marou's flagship cafe and bean-to-bar chocolate factory in a heritage building; award-winning single-origin Vietnamese cacao.

167-169 Calmette, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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59 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Stir

1960s-70s-styled cocktail bar on Asia's 50 Best Bars list; local-ingredient drinks like the sugarcane Nuoc Mia Highball.

136 Le Thanh Ton (1st floor), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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60 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Firkin Bar

Hidden second-floor whisky-and-cocktail bar styled after a classic Tokyo whisky den, with several hundred single malts and bespoke cocktails; a Tatler Asia pick.

20 Mac Thi Buoi, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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61 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Shin Coffee

Widely regarded as one of the city's best practitioners of specialty coffee — serious brew hardware, Vietnamese and international beans, standout egg coffee.

27 Lưu Văn Lang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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62 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Cộng Cà Phê

The retro, olive-green subsidy-era chain that made cà phê cốt dừa (coconut coffee) a Saigon signature — a near-obligatory coconut-coffee stop.

26 Lý Tự Trọng & Nguyễn Huệ, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (multiple branches)

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63 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Okkio Caffe

A sleek retro-Saigon small-batch roaster near Bến Thành that blends traditional Vietnamese coffee with modern specialty craft across its city outlets.

22 Lê Lợi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (branches incl. Thảo Điền, District 2)

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64 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Summer Experiment

Layla's experimental sibling and a sustainability-driven cocktail lab — Saigon's sole entrant on Asia's 50 Best Bars 51-100 in 2021 (No. 77).

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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65 Worth the detour within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Snuffbox

A 1920s New York-styled speakeasy specialising in classic cocktails and mixology — one of the bars that seeded Saigon's speakeasy wave.

1st floor, 14 Tôn Thất Đạm, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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66 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Bep Me In

Hole-in-the-wall down an alley by Ben Thanh's north gate; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand home cooking and shrimp banh xeo.

136/9 Le Thanh Ton (Hem 136), Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

67 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Banh Cuon Tay Ho 127

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand banh cuon shop; freshly-made, paper-thin steamed rolls with pork and mushroom.

127 Dinh Tien Hoang, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

68 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Xoi Ga Number One

Nearly-70-year sticky-rice corner by Ben Thanh Market; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand xoi ga with house pate and quail egg.

Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (corner by Ben Thanh Market)

69 Worth the detour within District 1

Tiem Com Tho Chuyen Ky

Cantonese clay-pot rice shop since 1948, now third generation; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand for its double-boiled silkie soup.

67 Ton That Dam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

70 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Beo Oi

Owner-run shop of generous Hanoian home cooking; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand bun rieu cua topped with crispy fried tofu.

15/20 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

71 Worth the detour within District 1 · Vietnamese

Vi Que Kitchen

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand modern-Vietnamese vegan kitchen using produce from the family garden; punchy bun Vi Que broth.

110 Suong Nguyet Anh, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

72 Worth the detour within District 1 · Hawker & zi char

Sol Kitchen & Bar

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2024); Malaysian chef Adrian Chong Yen's pan-Latin-American plates — Mexican empanadas, Peruvian scallop ceviche — in the city centre.

112 Ly Tu Trong, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

73 Deep cut within District 1

Ton Duc Thang Museum

Riverside museum (opened 1988) to Ton Duc Thang, Vietnam's second president and a Con Dao political prisoner, with 16,000+ documents on his life and the labour movement. Closed Mondays; free.

Look for Biographical museum

5 Ton Duc Thang, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

74 Deep cut within District 1

Dan Sinh Market (War Surplus Market)

The 'American Market' off Yersin St, famous since 1975 for army-surplus gear, dog tags, ponchos and militaria (genuine and replica) alongside hardware stalls — a gritty relic of the war years. Bargain and check provenance.

Look for War-surplus market

104 Yersin, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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75 Deep cut within District 1

Le Van Tam Park

A shaded central park laid out in 1983 over the former Massiges (European) Cemetery, once the resting place of colonial elites and President Ngo Dinh Diem. A leafy escape with a fascinating buried history documented by Saigoneer.

Look for Park

Dien Bien Phu, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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76 Deep cut within District 1

Saigon Centre & Takashimaya

The city's most polished shopping complex on Le Loi, anchored by Vietnam's first Takashimaya Japanese department store with a top-floor food court and basement Japanese supermarket. A cool, glossy contrast to the street markets.

Look for Market

65 Le Loi, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

77 Deep cut within District 1

Công viên Lê Thị Riêng (Le Thi Rieng Park)

A green, lake-dotted culture park on Cách Mạng Tháng Tám — built in 1983 on the cleared Chí Hòa cemetery — that doubles as a family playground with the 'Thỏ Trắng' rides, pool, weekend magic shows and street-food stalls. Free entry; a local weekend hangout rather than a headline sight.

Look for Park

875 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, Quận 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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78 Deep cut within District 1 · Vietnamese

Mountain Retreat

Hidden rooftop above Le Loi serving northern Vietnamese home cooking with city views; part of the Cuc Gach/Secret Garden family.

36 Le Loi (5th floor), Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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79 Deep cut within District 1 · Cafés & modern

Drinking & Healing

Ingredient-focused hidden cocktail bar; debuted on Asia's 50 Best Bars (No.99, 2024) with drinks built on Vietnamese produce.

25 Ho Tung Mau (2nd floor), Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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80 Deep cut within District 1 · Vietnamese

Quan Bui

Well-loved modern-traditional Vietnamese restaurant (since 2011); MSG-free home dishes in a vintage-contemporary setting.

17-19 Ngo Van Nam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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81 Deep cut within District 1 · Vietnamese

Propaganda Bistro

MICHELIN Selected; a bright, retro-era bistro opposite the cathedral serving contemporary Vietnamese street food with homemade tofu and bread.

21 Han Thuyen, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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82 Deep cut within District 1 · Cafés & modern

L'Usine

A pioneering concept-store cafe-bistro brand that keeps innovating brunch with Vietnamese ingredients; the Thảo Điền outlet anchors District 2.

Thảo Điền, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (also Lê Lợi & Đồng Khởi, District 1)

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83 Deep cut within District 1 · Vietnamese

Pho Hoang

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand pho whose owner simmers a clear beef broth over 12 hours; customizable cuts.

460 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

District 3 24 places · area 2 of 17

Võ Thị Sáu

1 Must see within District 3

Phap Hoa Pagoda

A near-century-old pagoda on the Nhieu Loc Canal, a city-designated heritage site and the city's most photogenic Vesak venue, when thousands of lanterns are floated on the water. Serene canal-side visit any day; spectacular at Buddha's Birthday (4th lunar month).

Look for Temple

870 Truong Sa, Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within District 3

War Remnants Museum

HCMC's unflinching museum of the Indochina and Vietnam wars — the city's most affecting historical site.

Look for History museum

28 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Pho Dau

Legendary 60-year alley phở serving strict Nam Dinh/Northern-style beef phở with no herbs, sprouts or hoisin - the 'take it or leave it' bowl locals queue for.

288 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia (in the alley), Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Hu Tieu Lien Hua

One of Saigon's most storied hủ tiếu Nam Vang brands and reputedly its most expensive bowl - Chinese-Cambodian noodles with minced pork, liver, heart, shrimp and quail egg in a refined sweet broth.

Vo Van Tan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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5 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Pho Hoa Pasteur

Landmark Southern pho since 1968; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, a whole plate of herbs, bean sprouts and you tiao.

260C Pasteur, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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6 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Hu Tieu Hong Phat

Chinese-Khmer-Vietnamese hu tieu Nam Vang since 1975; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand celebrated for its Phnom Penh-style bowl.

Vo Van Tan, Ban Co Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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7 Must see within District 3 · Cafés & modern

Cheo Leo Cafe

Saigon's oldest cafe (est. 1938), sole keeper of ca phe vot cloth-filter coffee, run by the founder's daughters.

109/36 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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8 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Com Nieu Sai Gon

Bourdain's 'flying rice': clay pots smashed and rice tossed across the room, from A Cook's Tour and No Reservations.

59 Ho Xuan Huong, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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9 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Nguyễn Thượng Hiền Food Street

District 3's official night food street (opened Dec 2022) on a stretch Time Out ranked among the world's coolest; ~90 stalls of bánh tráng trộn, snails and skewers, 7pm–11pm.

Nguyễn Thượng Hiền (Điện Biên Phủ to Nguyễn Đình Chiểu), Bàn Cờ Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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10 Must see within District 3 · Vietnamese

Bún Bò Huế Cô Như

Family-run bún bò Huế in a narrow District 3 alley; a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand for its rich lemongrass-and-beef-bone broth and generous mixed bowl.

274/29 Võ Văn Tần, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

11 Worth the detour within District 3

Turtle Lake (Ho Con Rua)

A modernist 1967-1972 traffic-circle monument of five splayed concrete 'hands' and an octagonal fountain, on the site of a French water tower and an old Nguyen-era citadel gate. Now a beloved evening hangout for street snacks.

Look for Modernist monument & plaza

Cong Truong Quoc Te (Pham Ngoc Thach / Tran Cao Van), District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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12 Worth the detour within District 3

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda

The city's largest Mahayana pagoda (built 1964-1971 with Japanese aid), the first to render traditional temple form in concrete, crowned by a seven-storey, 40 m stupa. Free.

Look for Buddhist pagoda

339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 7, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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13 Worth the detour within District 3

Xa Loi Pagoda

A seven-storey 1956-1958 pagoda that was the flashpoint of the 1963 Buddhist Crisis: the epicentre of anti-Diem protests and the 21 August 1963 army raid that arrested hundreds of monks and helped trigger the coup.

Look for Buddhist pagoda & 1963 history

89 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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14 Worth the detour within District 3

Tan Dinh Church (Pink Church)

The bubblegum-pink Romano-Gothic Catholic church begun 1870-1876 (its signature pink dates to a 1957 repaint) — the city's second-largest church and a landmark photo stop. Active parish; exterior always, interior around Mass times.

Look for Colonial church

289 Hai Ba Trung, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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15 Worth the detour within District 3

Trường THPT Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai (Trường Áo Tím / Gia Long)

The 1913 Collège des Jeunes Filles Indigènes — the storied girls' school known first as the 'Purple Áo Dài School', then Gia Long — a Gothic-influenced early-20th-century complex on a 23,000 m² block. A century of southern women's education; ranked a city Architectural-Art Monument in 2012.

Look for Historic school

275 Điện Biên Phủ, Quận 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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16 Worth the detour within District 3

Chùa Chantarangsay (Candaransi, Khmer Temple)

The first Khmer Theravada Buddhist temple built in old Saigon-Gia Định (founded 1946, inaugurated 1949), on the bank of the Nhiêu Lộc canal — its name means 'Moonlight'. A blaze of golden stupas, naga rooflines and an east-facing main hall, and for 70+ years the cultural-religious centre of the city's Khmer community.

Look for Temple

164 Trần Quốc Thảo, phường Võ Thị Sáu, Quận 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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17 Worth the detour within District 3 · Vietnamese

Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau

Saigon's best-known outpost of Vung Tau-style banh khot - crispy coconut-batter mini rice pancakes topped with shrimp - wrapped with herbs and dipped in sweet fish sauce; also serves banh xeo.

40B Tran Cao Van, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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18 Worth the detour within District 3 · Vietnamese

Bot Chien Dat Thanh

A 40-year Chinese-Vietnamese street stall whose bot chien - rice-flour cake pan-fried crisp in a copper pan with egg, scallion and rich soy - is a Saigon late-afternoon institution.

277 Vo Van Tan, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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19 Worth the detour within District 3 · Vietnamese

Banh Mi Hoa Ma

Iconic 1958 breakfast spot; sizzling cast-iron skillet of fried eggs, pate and cold cuts with baguette.

53 Cao Thang, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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20 Worth the detour within District 3 · Vietnamese

Bánh Cuốn Hải Nam

A northern-style bánh cuốn shop of more than half a century on a two-metre-wide Cao Thắng storefront, where — however crowded — the cook still hand-pours each rice-and-tapioca crêpe to order rather than using a machine. A quiet multi-generation Saigon fixture.

11A Cao Thắng, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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21 Worth the detour within District 3 · Vietnamese

Nha Tu

Alley hideaway with a rooftop balcony; MICHELIN Bib Gourmand home cooking, signature oyster-and-beef hotpot.

129/4 Vo Van Tan, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

22 Deep cut within District 3

Southern Women's Museum

A 31,000-object museum (est. 1985; Class-I museum from 2024) devoted to southern Vietnamese women in war and culture — female guerrillas, ao dai history and Mother Goddess worship. Closed Mondays; free.

Look for Social history museum

202 Vo Thi Sau, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

23 Deep cut within District 3

Trường THPT Marie Curie

A 1918 girls' lycée on a rare four-frontage block, built in Indochine style (yellow walls, red tile, high arched gates) and one of the very few century-old schools in Vietnam still under its original name. Ranked a city heritage site (2015); it still keeps 100-year-old xà cừ trees, a wooden staircase and water tank.

Look for Historic school

159 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Quận 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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24 Deep cut within District 3 · Vietnamese

Pho Huong Binh

Humble pho ga stall since 1958 in the MICHELIN Guide; freshly-made clear chicken broth, second generation.

148 Vo Thi Sau, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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District 4 2 places · area 3 of 17

Vĩnh Khánh

1 Must see within District 4 · Vietnamese

Ốc Oanh

The most famous ốc house on District 4's Vĩnh Khánh seafood strip (~20 years); a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2024 pick, signature salt-roasted crab claws, plastic-stool buzz.

534 Vĩnh Khánh, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Worth the detour within District 4

Ho Chi Minh Museum - Dragon House Wharf (Nha Rong)

The 1862-1863 twin-dragon-roofed former Messageries Maritimes house on the riverfront from which the 21-year-old future Ho Chi Minh sailed to France in June 1911; a branch of the Ho Chi Minh Museum since 1979. Closed Mondays.

Look for Historic wharf & museum

1 Nguyen Tat Thanh, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Chợ Lớn 12 places · area 4 of 17

D5–6

1 Must see within Chợ Lớn

Thien Hau Temple (Cholon)

Cholon's most famous temple (Tue Thanh Guildhall), built by Cantonese immigrants around 1760 for Mazu, sea goddess of the overseas Chinese. Famed for its porcelain-figurine roof friezes and hanging incense coils. National monument.

Look for Chinese temple

710 Nguyen Trai, Ward 11, District 5 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within Chợ Lớn

Chè Châu Giang

An ~80-year-old Cantonese dessert cart (opened 1938 by a Guangdong immigrant), nicknamed Chè Cột Điện and Chè Ma for its lamppost spot and late hours. Warm and iced Chinese sweet soups — almond, black-sesame, lotus and herbal chè — done the old way.

Trần Hưng Đạo B, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Binh Tay Market

Cholon's grand wholesale market, financed by merchant Quach Dam and completed 1928, built around a pagoda-roofed courtyard; a recognised heritage building (restored 2016-2018) and still a major distribution hub.

Look for Heritage wholesale market

57A Thap Muoi, Ward 2, District 6 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Cha Tam Church (St Francis Xavier)

Cholon's Chinese-Catholic parish church (1900-1902), Gothic with Chinese detailing. Here President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother took refuge and surrendered during the 1 November 1963 coup, before being killed en route.

Look for Colonial church & 1963 history

25 Hoc Lac, Ward 14, District 5 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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5 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Nghia An Hoi Quan (Ong Temple)

A 19th-century Teochew guildhall temple to the deified warlord Quan Cong, one of Cholon's oldest, celebrated for its gilded woodwork, a huge red-lacquer horse of Quan Cong and intricate roof ceramics.

Look for Chinese temple

678 Nguyen Trai, Ward 11, District 5 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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6 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Đình Minh Hương Gia Thạnh (Minh Huong Gia Thanh Communal House)

The first communal house of the Chinese-Vietnamese (Minh Hương) community in Saigon-Chợ Lớn, built 1789 and named 'Gia Thạnh đường' by Emperor Gia Long in 1808. A national architectural-art relic (1993): a five-bay timber-frame đình with tube-tiled roof, 'two dragons contesting the pearl' friezes and Ông Nhật–Bà Nguyệt statuary — a rare monument to how the Minh Hương wove into Vietnamese culture.

Look for Historic communal house

380 Trần Hưng Đạo B, Quận 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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7 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Trường THPT chuyên Lê Hồng Phong (Lycée Petrus Ký)

The former Lycée Petrus Trương Vĩnh Ký, built 1927 on an 8-ha campus in classical French style — the leading boys' lycée of the colonial south and still an elite specialist school. Ranked among the city's top-10 architectural-art heritage sites (2015); its ochre halls and old courtyards are a quiet architecture stop in Chợ Lớn's fringe.

Look for Historic school

235 Nguyễn Văn Cừ, Quận 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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8 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn · Vietnamese

Pho Le

Cholon-area pho household name since 1970; generous flank-and-filet bowls, in the MICHELIN Guide selection.

413-415 Nguyen Trai, Ward 7, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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9 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Sủi Cảo Đại Nương

A Chợ Lớn dumpling stalwart on Châu Văn Liêm known for chive-packed sủi cảo — soft-yet-chewy dumplings loaded with garlic-chive; also plates a Chinese-style phá lấu. A neighbourhood authority on the craft.

Châu Văn Liêm, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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10 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Phá Lấu Tám Ký (Tiều)

A 60-year, three-generation Teochew phá lấu cart on Nguyễn Trãi: pork ears, tongue, tripe, chicken feet and tofu braised in a five-spice, star-anise and cinnamon master stock, with a sweet Teochew dipping sauce. Also famed for its bánh mì phá lấu.

823 Nguyễn Trãi, Ward 14, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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11 Worth the detour within Chợ Lớn

Chè Hà Ký

A 30-year Cholon institution that grew from a single chè stall into a symbol of Chinese-Vietnamese sweets — egg-in-tea chè and almond chè among the classics.

District 5 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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12 Deep cut within Chợ Lớn

Ha Chuong Hoi Quan

A southern-Fujian (Zhangzhou) guildhall temple founded 1809 for Thien Hau, with four China-carved dragon-wrapped stone pillars shipped in by boat and vivid ceramic roof scenes; especially alive at the Lantern Festival.

Look for Chinese temple

802 Nguyen Trai, Ward 14, District 5 (Cholon), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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District 8 · Bình Tân 4 places · area 5 of 17

1 Must see within District 8 · Bình Tân

Chùa An Phú (Chùa Miểng Sành)

A near-180-year-old Buddhist temple in District 8 whose surfaces are almost entirely mosaicked in over 30 tonnes of broken porcelain and ceramic shards — bowls, plates, teapots — applied by hand from 1961 to 2004. Holds a Vietnam Book of Records mark for the most ceramic pieces, plus a pair of 3.4 m, 1.8-tonne candles. The 'Miểng Sành' pagoda is District 8's signature sight.

Look for Buddhist temple

24 Chánh Hưng, Ward 4, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Worth the detour within District 8 · Bình Tân

Bến Bình Đông & the Tết Flower Market

The old rice-trade wharf strung along Kênh Tàu Hủ, once the 'prosperous Tàu Hủ avenue' linking Saigon-Chợ Lớn to the Mekong. Each Lunar New Year it becomes the 'trên bến dưới thuyền' flower market, with growers selling blooms straight off sampans — the most atmospheric Tết scene in the city and a working glimpse of canal-borne Saigon.

Look for Historic wharf / seasonal flower market

Bến Bình Đông (along Kênh Tàu Hủ), Ward 11, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Deep cut within District 8 · Bình Tân

Cầu Nhị Thiên Đường

A 1925 bridge over the Kênh Đôi, said to be the first reinforced-concrete bridge in Indochina, built by the Chinese-Vietnamese magnate behind the Nhị Thiên Đường medicated-oil empire. A row of arches beneath it evokes an old Roman viaduct; a District 8 landmark and marker of the Nam Bộ resistance era.

Look for Historic bridge

Cầu Nhị Thiên Đường (over Kênh Đôi), Ward 5, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Deep cut within District 8 · Bình Tân

AEON Mall Bình Tân

The 114,000 sqm Japanese-run mall that anchors Bình Tân, opened 2016 as one of the largest in Ho Chi Minh City — cinema, a huge food street, and the everyday air-conditioned pull for the district's working-class west. The practical family day-out landmark out here.

Look for Shopping mall

1 Đường số 17A, Bình Trị Đông B Ward, Bình Tân, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Phú Nhuận 3 places · area 6 of 17

1 Must see within Phú Nhuận · Vietnamese

Bánh Đúc Phan Đăng Lưu

A 40-year alley institution off Phan Đăng Lưu famous for warm bánh đúc ladled to order with pork, wood-ear mushroom and fried shallots; once notorious for its brusque service.

116/2/3 Phan Đăng Lưu, Ward 3, Phú Nhuận, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Worth the detour within Phú Nhuận

Nhà thờ Đa Minh - Ba Chuông (Ba Chuong Church)

A remarkable 1962 Catholic church on Lê Văn Sỹ that fuses East-Asian temple form with Christian meaning — its three-tiered bell tower and roofline echo a southern Vietnamese communal house (đình), with dragons turned to face the cross, and a square-nave/round-sanctuary plan symbolizing earth and heaven. One of the most architecturally distinctive churches in the city.

Look for Church

190 Lê Văn Sỹ, Quận Phú Nhuận, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Phú Nhuận · Vietnamese

Com Tam Ba Ghien

A Bib Gourmand com tam house famous for its thick, well-charred grilled pork chop over broken rice.

84 Dang Van Ngu Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Bình Thạnh 3 places · area 7 of 17

1 Must see within Bình Thạnh

Landmark 81 & SkyView Observatory

At 461 m the tallest building in Vietnam (2018), a bamboo-cluster supertall over the Saigon River in Vinhomes Central Park. The SkyView observatory spans floors 79-81 for the city's highest panorama.

Look for Supertall tower & observatory

720A Dien Bien Phu, Ward 22, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Worth the detour within Bình Thạnh · Cafés & modern

Bosgaurus Coffee Roasters

A multi-storey riverside coffee mansion (opened 2016) that helped awaken Vietnam's Arabica specialty scene and trained national barista champions.

Saigon Pearl, Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, Bình Thạnh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Bình Thạnh

Binh Quoi Tourist Village

A riverside 'traditional-village' recreation park on the Thanh Da peninsula run by Saigontourist, known for its weekend Southern-style buffets, folk games and thatched-hut gardens along the Saigon River. Free entry; paid activities and buffet.

Look for Riverside park & village

1147 Binh Quoi, Ward 28 (Thanh Da Peninsula), Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Gò Vấp · District 12 4 places · area 8 of 17

1 Must see within Gò Vấp · District 12

Chùa Hoằng Pháp (Hoang Phap Temple)

Founded 1957 on ~6 ha in suburban Hóc Môn, this is regarded as the largest Buddhist practice-and-teaching center in Vietnam, with 50+ affiliated branches. Famous for its mass seven-day meditation retreats and student/summer courses; on Vu Lan and Tết it draws enormous crowds. Northern-Buddhist double-tiered tile roofs and a serene bougainvillea-lined forecourt.

Look for Temple

Xã Tân Hiệp, huyện Hóc Môn, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within Gò Vấp · District 12

Đình Thông Tây Hội (Thong Tay Hoi Communal House)

The oldest surviving đình (village communal house) in all of southern Vietnam — first raised in 1679 by Nghệ An migrants and rebuilt in 1883 in the layered 'trùng thiềm điệp ốc' style, honouring two 11th-century Lý princes. A national Architectural-Art-Historical Monument since 1998, prized for its intricate dragon-phoenix woodcarving.

Look for Communal house

Đường Thống Nhất, phường 11, Quận Gò Vấp, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Gò Vấp · District 12

Bà Điểm & the Eighteen Betel Garden Villages (18 Thôn Vườn Trầu)

The historic areca-and-betel-growing belt around Bà Điểm, famed since the 18th century and a cradle of the 1940 Southern Uprising — the Southern Party Committee sheltered in its gardens. Today a living cultural-heritage landscape of remnant trầu (betel) gardens and revolutionary memory rather than a ticketed attraction.

Look for heritage district

Bà Điểm Commune, Hóc Môn, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within Gò Vấp · District 12

Công viên Gia Định (Gia Dinh Park)

The largest green space in the city — a ~32 ha park at the meeting point of Gò Vấp, Tân Bình and Phú Nhuận with ~1,000 trees, 63,000 m² of lawn and a big children's play zone, split into Gia Định 1 and 2. The 'green lung' of Saigon: shaded jogging paths, picnics and early-morning tai chi.

Look for Park

Đường Hoàng Minh Giám, Quận Gò Vấp, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Tân Bình · Airport 6 places · area 9 of 17

Tân Sơn Nhất

1 Must see within Tân Bình · Airport

Suoi Tien Theme Park

The world's first Buddhism-themed amusement/water park (opened 1995), a surreal 200-ha spread of giant dragons, a neon-haloed Buddha shrine, a 'Buddhist Hell' walkthrough and waterslides pouring from sages' beards. ~1.5-2M visitors/year; daily ~07:30-17:00. Reachable on Metro Line 1.

Look for theme park

120 Hanoi Highway, Tan Phu Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within Tân Bình · Airport

Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên (Cat Tien National Park)

A 70,000+ ha tropical-forest reserve and UNESCO World Biosphere ~150 km from the city — the region's marquee nature trip. The Nam Cát Tiên sector holds the trekking trails, Crocodile Lake (Bàu Sấu), the 400-year Tung tree, night wildlife spotting, gibbons and the Dao Tien primate centre. Best in the December–May dry season.

Look for National park

Huyện Tân Phú, Đồng Nai, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Tân Bình · Airport

Giac Lam Pagoda

Believed the oldest temple in the city (founded 1744), atmospheric in garden grounds with a Bodhi tree, a nine-tier stupa and thousands of decorative plates set into its walls. National relic. Free.

Look for Buddhist pagoda

565 Lac Long Quan, Ward 10, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within Tân Bình · Airport

AEON Mall Tân Phú Celadon

AEON's first shopping mall in Vietnam, opened 11 Jan 2014 — a ~70,000 m² Japanese-anchored complex in the Celadon City estate that made Vietnam the third country (after Malaysia and China) with a large-scale AEON MALL. A CGV cinema, food court, indoor playground and 200+ brands make it the western suburbs' main weekend gathering place.

Look for landmark

30 Bờ Bao Tân Thắng, Sơn Kỳ Ward, Tân Phú, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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5 Worth the detour within Tân Bình · Airport

Làng bưởi Tân Triều (Tan Trieu Pomelo Village)

A river islet ~40 km from the city famed for its 'orange-leaf' pomelos — thin-skinned, sweet, faintly bitter aftertaste. A model community farm-tourism village where you pick fruit in the orchards and eat a whole pomelo-themed menu (pomelo salad, pomelo wine); Đồng Nai is developing it as a signature agri-tourism destination.

Look for Craft / eco village

Cù lao Tân Triều, xã Tân Bình, huyện Vĩnh Cửu, Đồng Nai, Vietnam

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6 Worth the detour within Tân Bình · Airport

Địa đạo Phú Thọ Hòa (Phu Tho Hoa Tunnels)

A resistance-era tunnel network right inside the city — dug from the 1940s and used to stage raids on Tân Sơn Nhất airfield and the Bảy Hiền/Phú Thọ Hòa depots. Recognised a national historical site in 1996 and the only one in Tân Phú District; a compact, little-visited alternative to the Củ Chi tunnels.

Look for Historic site

139 Phú Thọ Hòa, phường Phú Thọ Hòa, Quận Tân Phú, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Thủ Đức City 6 places · area 10 of 17

D2 · Thảo Điền · D9

1 Must see within Thủ Đức City · Cafés & modern

The Deck Saigon

Saigon's benchmark riverside restaurant-bar (since 2008) on a near-rural stretch of the Saigon River; named by The Guardian among the world's best bars, and Rusty Compass's pick for the city's best riverside meal.

38 Nguyễn Ư Dĩ, Thảo Điền, Thủ Đức City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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2 Must see within Thủ Đức City

Buu Long Pagoda (Gotama Cetiya)

A gleaming white Thai/Indian-style Theravada temple and 56 m Gotama Cetiya stupa on a hill above the Dong Nai River in Thu Duc, named by National Geographic (2019) among the world's 10 most beautiful Buddhist sites. Free; incense-free grounds.

Look for Buddhist pagoda

81 Nguyen Xien, Long Binh Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Thủ Đức City · Vietnamese

Laang

A tranquil green villa in Thảo Điền serving authentic Vietnamese with a gentle modern twist and vegetarian focus — a District 2 expat favourite.

22 Đặng Hữu Phổ, Thảo Điền, District 2 (Thủ Đức City), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within Thủ Đức City · Hawker & zi char

La Villa French Restaurant

Chef-owner Thierry Mounon's elegant colonial villa off Thảo Điền serving classic French gastronomy from the southwest; a MICHELIN Selected restaurant (2023 & 2024) with a deep French wine list.

Ngô Quang Huy, Thảo Điền, Thủ Đức City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

5 Deep cut within Thủ Đức City

Vietnam National Historical Culture Park (Cong vien Lich su Van hoa Dan toc)

A ~400-ha state park recreating Vietnam's history in themed zones, anchored by the grand Hung Kings temple complex where the city holds its official Hung Kings' Death Anniversary rites. Long-running build-out; the ancient/Hung-Kings zone is the finished, visit-worthy core.

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Long Binh Ward, Thu Duc (District 9), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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6 Deep cut within Thủ Đức City

Cầu Phú Mỹ (Phu My Bridge)

The largest cable-stayed bridge in the city — a 2,000 m span (705 m cable-stayed) opened September 2009 on the Ring Road 2, linking Phú Mỹ Hưng in District 7 to the Thủ Thiêm side. A modern engineering icon of Saigon, photogenic from the riverside at dusk.

Look for Bridge / landmark

Nối Quận 7 với TP. Thủ Đức (sông Sài Gòn), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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District 7 · Nhà Bè 1 place · area 11 of 17

1 Worth the detour within District 7 · Nhà Bè

Crescent Mall & Starlight Bridge (Cau Anh Sao)

The centrepiece of planned Phu My Hung: a 170 m LED-lit pedestrian bridge over crescent-shaped Ho Ban Nguyet lake, glowing like a starry sky at night, beside the riverfront Crescent Mall. The go-to evening promenade of Saigon's affluent south.

Look for landmark

Ton Dat Tien, Phu My Hung, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Biên Hòa 2 places · area 12 of 17

Đồng Nai

1 Must see within Biên Hòa

Núi Chứa Chan & Chùa Gia Lào (Chua Chan Mountain)

At 837 m the second-highest peak in the south after Bà Đen — a national historical-scenic site (2012) and Đồng Nai's premier day-hike. Trek or take the cable car up through cloud-hunting viewpoints to the cliff-set Chùa Gia Lào (Bửu Quang) tucked under a giant three-trunk fig; camping on the summit is popular with young hikers ~110 km from the city.

Look for Mountain / temple

Huyện Xuân Lộc, Đồng Nai, Vietnam

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2 Deep cut within Biên Hòa

Tri An Lake

Vietnam's largest man-made reservoir (behind the Tri An hydro dam), a vast expanse dotted with ~76 forested islets, popular for boat trips, sunrise/sunset floats, island picnics and overnight fishing with local boatmen. ~65-70 km northeast of HCMC.

Look for nature

Vinh Cuu District, Tri An, Dong Nai, Vietnam

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Bình Dương 4 places · area 13 of 17

Đại Nam · Thuận An

1 Must see within Bình Dương

Chùa núi Châu Thới (Chau Thoi Mountain Temple)

The oldest temple in Bình Dương (founded 1612) and one of the earliest in the whole south, perched atop an 82 m granite hill reached by a 220-step stone stair. A national scenic-landmark since 1989, with a 'sacred rock', panoramic views over the Đồng Nai plain and coiled-dragon rooflines — an easy ~40-minute pilgrimage day-trip from the city.

Look for Temple / mountain

Phường Bình An, TP. Dĩ An, Bình Dương, Vietnam

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2 Must see within Bình Dương

Dai Nam Wonderland (Dai Nam Van Hien)

Vietnam's largest tourist complex (711 ha, opened 2008): an amusement park, a man-made 'sea' with wave beach, a zoo/safari, a racecourse and the colossal gilded Kim Dien (Dai Nam) temple, once the country's biggest. ~40 km north of HCMC.

Look for theme park

Dai Nam, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong, Vietnam

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3 Worth the detour within Bình Dương

Làng sơn mài Tương Bình Hiệp (Tuong Binh Hiep Lacquer Village)

The near-300-year cradle of Bình Dương's fine-art lacquerware, recognized in 2016 as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Family workshops still build up gold-leaf and inlay lacquer over many painstaking layers; a living craft-village visit ~30 km from the city, best paired with Thủ Dầu Một's temples.

Look for Craft village

Phường Tương Bình Hiệp, TP. Thủ Dầu Một, Bình Dương, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within Bình Dương

Chùa Hội Khánh (Hoi Khanh Temple)

A near-300-year-old temple (founded 1741) in Thủ Dầu Một crowned by a 52 m-long, 12 m-high reclining Buddha completed in 2013 and recognized by Asia Records as the longest rooftop nirvana Buddha in Asia — set 23 m up on the roof, with 20 relief panels of the Buddha's life below. A serene old-Bình Dương compound of carved wood and lacquer.

Look for Temple

Phường Phú Cường, TP. Thủ Dầu Một, Bình Dương, Vietnam

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NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh 7 places · area 14 of 17

1 Must see within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Tây Bổ Đà Sơn Buddha Statue

A 72 m bronze Bodhisattva cast from 170+ tonnes of red copper on the 986 m summit — recognised by Guinness as Asia's tallest bronze Lady-Buddha statue on a mountain peak. Ringed by terraced gardens and often wrapped in cloud, it is the visual icon of the Bà Đen complex.

Look for Temple / Monument

Summit of Núi Bà Đen, Tây Ninh, Vietnam

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2 Must see within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Sun World Ba Đen Mountain Cable Car

The Doppelmayr cable-car complex that lifts you up the 986 m 'Roof of the South' in minutes instead of a three-hour climb. Its Ba Den departure station holds the Guinness World Record for the largest cable-car station (10,959 sqm), moving 4,400 passengers an hour to the spiritual complex on top.

Look for Cable car / Things to do

Sun World Ba Den Mountain, Núi Bà Đen, Tây Ninh, Vietnam

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3 Must see within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Cao Dai Holy See (Tay Ninh)

The kaleidoscopic 1933-1955 Great Temple of Caodaism, Vietnam's homegrown syncretic religion, with a divine 'all-seeing eye', dragon pillars and rainbow interior. Time a visit for the white-robed noon ceremony. Often paired with Cu Chi.

Look for Cao Dai temple (day trip)

Long Hoa, Hoa Thanh, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam (day trip ~90 km NW of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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4 Must see within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Cu Chi Tunnels

The vast wartime underground tunnel network northwest of the city — a defining day trip from Saigon.

Look for Historic site

Cu Chi District (Ben Dinh / Ben Duoc), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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5 Worth the detour within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Ba Den Mountain (Nui Ba Den)

The 986 m 'Black Virgin Mountain', highest peak in the south, a pilgrimage site of cave temples reached by a Guinness-record cable-car system to Sun World, with a 72 m bronze Bodhisattva at the summit. Pairs with Tay Ninh's Cao Dai temple.

Look for Sacred mountain & cable car (day trip)

Ninh Son, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam (day trip ~100 km NW of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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6 Worth the detour within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Dầu Tiếng Lake (Reservoir)

Vietnam and Southeast Asia's largest artificial lake — 270 sqkm damming the upper Saigon River, completed 1985 — now an ecotourism draw of forested islets and hill-fringed water. A go-to for camping, fishing and sunset-watching on the far side of Bà Đen.

Look for Nature / Lake

Dầu Tiếng, Tây Ninh, Vietnam

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7 Worth the detour within NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh

Long Hoa Market

Tây Ninh's busiest market, laid out in 1952 to the design of Cao Đài dignitary Phạm Công Tắc to serve the faith's followers. The place to buy the province's edible souvenirs — dew-soaked rice paper, muối tôm, sesame and beans — and to eat at its famous vegetarian stalls.

Look for Market

Long Hoa, Hòa Thành, Tây Ninh, Vietnam

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SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta 5 places · area 15 of 17

1 Must see within SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta

Mekong Delta Day Trip (My Tho & Ben Tre)

The classic close Delta day trip: a Tien River cruise past the Dragon/Unicorn/Phoenix/Tortoise islets, sampan rides through coconut-palm canals, a coconut-candy workshop, honey tea and the large Vinh Trang Pagoda at My Tho.

Look for River delta day trip

My Tho (Tien Giang) & Ben Tre Provinces, Vietnam (day trip ~70-90 km SW of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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2 Must see within SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta

Vinh Trang Pagoda

The largest and most famous pagoda in Tien Giang (completed 1850), a national heritage site blending Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese and European arches, set in gardens with giant Buddha statues; the standout stop on any My Tho / Mekong day trip.

Look for temple

Nguyen Trung Truc, My Phong, My Tho, Tien Giang, Vietnam

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3 Must see within SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta · Vietnamese

Nem Nướng Thanh Vân

Cần Thơ's most famous house for nem nướng Cái Răng — grilled pork balls seared over charcoal and rolled at the table with bánh hỏi, herbs, green banana, starfruit and pickled lemongrass in soft rice paper, dipped in a sweet-savoury sauce. A city institution on Hòa Bình boulevard.

17 Đại Lộ Hòa Bình, P. Tân An, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

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4 Worth the detour within SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta

Cai Rang Floating Market (Can Tho)

The biggest floating wholesale market in the Delta, where boats trade produce hung from tall poles at dawn on the Can Tho River. Deep in the Delta (~3.5 hrs each way) — best as an early-start long day trip or overnight; trades wind down by ~08:30.

Look for Floating market (day trip)

Cai Rang District, Can Tho, Mekong Delta, Vietnam (long day trip / overnight ~170 km SW of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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5 Worth the detour within SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta

Chùa Ông Cần Thơ (Quảng Triệu Hội Quán)

A vivid Cantonese assembly hall on the Hậu-River waterfront by Ninh Kiều, built 1894–1896 by Guangdong migrants from Guangzhou and Zhaoqing and dedicated to Quan Cong. Ranked a national historical-architectural relic in 1993, its coiled-dragon roof, incense spirals and red-and-gold interior make it central Cần Thơ's most atmospheric temple.

Look for Chinese assembly hall / temple

32 Hai Bà Trưng, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ, Vietnam

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SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu 12 places · area 16 of 17

Nha Lon Long Son wooden compound (Long Son House) — Photo: Bùi Thụy Đào Nguyên · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons (resized)

1 Must see within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Nhà Lớn Long Sơn (Đền Ông Trần)

A one-of-a-kind 2-hectare wood-and-tile temple compound on Long Sơn island, built 1910–1929 by Lê Văn Mưu ('Ông Trần'), founder of a local folk faith blending Confucianism and Taoism. Temple, mausoleum and communal halls with a century-old tamarind tree; a national relic and the island's living heritage site.

Look for Heritage house / temple

Long Sơn commune (Núi Nứa island), Vũng Tàu, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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2 Must see within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Bình Châu Hot Springs (Suối khoáng nóng Bình Châu)

Southern Vietnam's only natural hot mineral springs — 70-plus surface vents from 37°C up to a boiling 82°C, set in the Bình Châu–Phước Bửu coastal forest with soaking pools, mud baths and an egg-boiling spring. A classic overnight on the Hồ Tràm–Hồ Cốc coast road.

Look for Hot springs / eco-resort

Bình Châu, Xuyên Mộc, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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3 Must see within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Nhà tù Côn Đảo & Nghĩa trang Hàng Dương

The 'hell on earth' prison archipelago — 113 years of French and American incarceration of Vietnamese patriots, its tiger cages, cell blocks and the Côn Đảo Museum ranked a Special National Monument (2012, 17 component sites). Hàng Dương cemetery (20 ha, 1,900+ graves incl. heroine Võ Thị Sáu) is a candle-lit pilgrimage. An overnight boat/flight trip; also known for pristine beaches and sea-turtle nesting.

Look for Historic prison / island

Đặc khu Côn Đảo, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

4 Must see within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu · Vietnamese

Banh Khot Goc Vu Sua

The most famous banh khot house in Vung Tau, the city that owns the dish: tiny turmeric-coconut rice pancakes crowned with fresh shrimp, wood-fired by a line of women and wrapped in mustard leaf with herbs and nuoc cham. One of the oldest, and always a queue. ~07:00-14:00.

14 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 2, Vung Tau, Vietnam

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5 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Vung Tau (Christ the King Statue)

The nearest beach escape: a seaside town crowned by a 32 m Christ the King statue (1974) you can climb (~800 steps inside) for coastal views, plus the White Palace and Back Beach. Reachable by road or Saigon River fast ferry.

Look for Coastal town & statue (day trip)

Ha Long St, Ward 2, Vung Tau, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam (day trip ~95 km / 2-hr ferry from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

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6 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Vung Tau Lighthouse (Hai Dang)

Built by the French in 1862, the oldest of Vietnam's ~79 lighthouses, perched atop Nui Nho (Small Mountain); a short climb up 55 steps delivers a 360-degree view over the city, harbour and the Christ statue on the opposite hill.

Look for landmark

Hai Dang, Ward 2 (Nui Nho), Vung Tau, Vietnam

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7 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Back Beach (Bai Sau)

Vung Tau's main swimming beach, a ~10 km southeast-facing strand lined with loungers, seafood shacks and water sports (surf, SUP, kite-surf); the Saigonese weekend seaside default, two hours from the city.

Look for beach

Thuy Van, Bai Sau, Vung Tau, Vietnam

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8 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Hòn Bà

A tiny rocky islet crowned by a small temple locals hold sacred; at low tide a natural stone causeway surfaces so you can walk out from the shore. A quiet sunrise and spiritual spot — time it carefully or the rising tide strands you.

Look for Islet / temple

off Mũi Nghinh Phong / Bãi Sau, Phường 2, Vũng Tàu, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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9 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Front Beach (Bãi Trước)

Vũng Tàu's crescent-bay waterfront between Big and Small Mountain — a palm-lined promenade for sunset strolls, seafood and coconuts, ringed by landmarks (Bạch Dinh, the cable-car station, Phước Thắng Fortress). The city's social heart, quieter than Back Beach.

Look for Beach / promenade

Quang Trung / Trần Phú promenade, Bãi Trước, Vũng Tàu, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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10 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Hồ Tràm Beach

A long, quiet arc of fine sand and clear water between Long Hải and Bình Châu, ~125 km from HCMC — casuarina-lined, cheap seafood at the fishing hamlet, and the anchor of the coast's cluster of beach resorts and golf courses. With Hồ Cốc, the best beach within easy reach of Saigon.

Look for Beach / resort coast

Hồ Tràm, Phước Thuận, Xuyên Mộc, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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11 Worth the detour within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Núi Dinh (Dinh Mountain)

A ~500 m pilgrimage mountain on the way to Vũng Tàu, threaded with over 100 temples and cave-hermitages hidden in its granite — Tổ Đình Linh Sơn, Hang Tổ, Hang Mai, Chùa Diệu Linh and more — plus streams and viewpoints. A national historical site (1993) and a favourite spiritual-and-adventure day hike east of the city.

Look for Mountain / temples

Phường Phú Mỹ, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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12 Deep cut within SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu

Bình Châu–Phước Bửu Nature Reserve

An 11,293-hectare protected coastal rainforest — the region's only surviving lowland dipterocarp forest — wrapping the Hồ Tràm and Hồ Cốc beaches and the Bình Châu hot springs. Home to the 136m Núi Hồ Linh hill and endangered species; hiking trails through a rare intact ecosystem.

Look for Nature reserve

Bình Châu / Bưng Riềng, Xuyên Mộc, Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu, Vietnam

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S route · Nhà Bè → Cần Giờ 2 places · area 17 of 17

1 Worth the detour within S route · Nhà Bè → Cần Giờ

Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve (Monkey Island)

Vietnam's first UNESCO Man-and-Biosphere reserve (designated 2000), a replanted mangrove forest that was the Viet Cong's Rung Sac guerrilla zone. Boat trips, a reconstructed guerrilla base, crocodile lagoons and a large troop of macaques ('Monkey Island').

Look for Mangrove biosphere reserve (day trip)

Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (~50-60 km SE of the centre)

2 Worth the detour within S route · Nhà Bè → Cần Giờ

Lăng Ông Thủy Tướng Cần Giờ (Whale Lord Shrine)

A Nguyễn-era coastal shrine to Cá Ông (the whale deity revered by fishermen), at the end of Duyên Hải road in Cần Thạnh — and home to a 12 m whale skeleton. Its Nghinh Ông 'Sea Tết' festival, held since 1913 on the 15th of the eighth lunar month, is one of only three National Intangible Cultural Heritages of Ho Chi Minh City.

Look for Shrine / heritage

Thị trấn Cần Thạnh, huyện Cần Giờ, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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How we choose

Named sources recommend every place; review sites never do. Each is pinned to its door and status-checked. Closed places stay, marked closed.

Must see: The places to plan a visit around, graded within each area.
Worth the detour: Strong picks, worth going out of your way for.
Deep cut: For the curious: smaller, odder, more local.

Within each area: by tier, then by named sources, never by popularity. We don’t add ratings, prices or opening hours of our own.

Follow changes — an RSS feed of every closure and status check in this guide.

About this guide

180 places in 17 areas, each recommended by at least two independent sources (104 in all) or one institution such as Michelin.

Every place was checked open and pinned between 2 Sep and 3 Oct 2026. Closed places stay, marked closed.

Photos for 7 places; the rest show a designed cover.

How we choose → Insights →

107 sights and 73 places to eat in the city of Ho Chi Minh City, each traceable to the source that named it (Michelin, local news & vetted local/viral creators) across 17 districts. Renders in soft pastel, light or dark.

District 1 83 places · area 1 of 17

District 3 24 places · area 2 of 17

District 4 2 places · area 3 of 17

Chợ Lớn 12 places · area 4 of 17

District 8 · Bình Tân 4 places · area 5 of 17

Phú Nhuận 3 places · area 6 of 17

Bình Thạnh 3 places · area 7 of 17

Gò Vấp · District 12 4 places · area 8 of 17

Tân Bình · Airport 6 places · area 9 of 17

Thủ Đức City 6 places · area 10 of 17

District 7 · Nhà Bè 1 place · area 11 of 17

Biên Hòa 2 places · area 12 of 17

Bình Dương 4 places · area 13 of 17

NW route · Củ Chi → Trảng Bàng → Tây Ninh 7 places · area 14 of 17

SW route · Long An → Mekong Delta 5 places · area 15 of 17

SE route · Long Thành → Bà Rịa → Vũng Tàu 12 places · area 16 of 17

S route · Nhà Bè → Cần Giờ 2 places · area 17 of 17

How we choose

Keep Ho Chi Minh City offline

How this guide was made

Web-searched & fact-checked