The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City was the last leg of our two week trip to Vietnam. It was also the shortest.

When planning our trip, I had read that Saigon was like your typical modern Southeast Asian city. Like Manila in my native Philippines, many travelers treated it more like a stopover than a destination. They suggested spending no more than one or two days in the city, which is what we did.

Truthfully, it did remind me a lot of Manila. It lacked the old world charm of Hanoi and felt more like a modern metropolis with trendy bars and a pulsating nightlife. Younger travelers would probably enjoy that, but Ren and I are closer to 50 than we are to 30 so those things don’t appeal to us anymore.

What we did find appealing however, was Saigon’s vibrant street food culture that exceeded every other destination we had visited in Vietnam. Despite spending little more than two full days here, we left with some of the most memorable dining experiences from our trip. In fact, it’s…