The author stated that the first day of his trip saw him visit the Old Compass Café at 10 a.m. for Vietnamese coffee and banh mi op la, a hearty local dish combining a warm baguette with fried eggs and pate which all guests should sample.
Tourists should spend time travelling the southern city by motorbike or taxi, or pay a visit to the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace which are both popular destinations among foreign visitors.
Famous places for foodies are also mentioned on Atkinson’s first day, including sampling vegetarian food for lunch at Vegetarian Cafe & Restaurant, drinking craft beer at the Heart of Darkness brewery, and tasting the cuisine of northern Vietnam at Quan Bui bistro.
The second day of his trip saw the writer suggest that tourists seek out Ho Chi Minh City’s most interesting cafe scene amid a raffish 1960s apartment block which is situated along the pedestrians-only Nguyen Hue Boulevard.
Exploring the Jade Emperor Pagoda, a site which features a range of superb wood carvings and fantastical statues of Taoist deities, as well as checking out two of the city’s most loved French colonial buildings, including Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office, are unmissable sightseeing spots when visiting the city.
Nearby options for lunch include Banh Xeo 46A, a dish of Vietnamese egg pancakes crammed with pork and shrimp, as well as a hearty bowl of pho bo, a type of beef noodle soup, at Pho Hoa.
“Ho Chi Minh City is at its most exciting after dark, especially when coursing through neon-lit streets on the back of a Vespa scooter. Four- to five-hour experiences with Vespa Adventures include the Saigon After Dark itinerary, packed with great street food and live music, and a special craft-beer tour taking in four different venues in Southeast Asia’s hippest beer hotspot,” the author wrote.
Con Dao island named Asia’s paradise sea: CNN
NDO/VNA – Boasting crystal turquoise sea and a placid atmosphere, Con Dao island in the southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau has been named by the US Cable News Network (CNN) as one of Asia’s paradise seas.
Ho Chi Minh City tourism strives to become spearhead economic sector
NDO—The Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee held a conference on March 8 to disseminate and implement the Politburo’s resolution on developing tourism into a spearhead economic sector.
Hanoi, HCM City see good growth of tourism revenue
NDO – In the first ten months of 2016, the revenue of Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism industry amounted to VND80 trillion while Hanoi’s reached over VND50 trillion.
Lonely Planet names Con Dao among best destinations in Asia
NDO – Travel website Lonely Planet has named Vietnam’s Con Dao Islands as one of the top ten places to visit in the next 12 months.
Ho Chi Minh City launches programme on stimulating tourism
NDO – The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism launched a programme on stimulating tourism in December and 2019, promising to bring fresh experiences for visitors travelling to the city.
