20 reasons to fall deeper in love with Saigon

No matter where you are, remembering the following will make your affection for this city over 300 years old even stronger.

20 reasons to fall deeper in love with Saigon

Saigonese people have countless reasons to love their city, each day adding more. Here are the simple things:

Sipping coffee on the sidewalk

You can sip coffee anywhere. But in Saigon, you'll experience interesting things while enjoying a cup of coffee on a street corner. Sitting in front of the bustling traffic, sipping coffee on the sidewalk will make you feel peaceful and time will pass slowly.

Take a stroll around Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

Saigon is famous for its bustling life, but if you understand this city, you'll know that behind that scene, there are tranquil corners waiting to be discovered. Sitting at Turtle Lake chatting with friends and enjoying snacks, or taking a walk around 30/4 Park, the City Post Office, then stopping to admire the hundred-year-old cathedral in the afternoon sun will dispel your boredom.

Indulge in street food

Saigon is a melting pot of various culinary cultures, and street food is one of its unique features. On any street in Saigon, you can easily find a colorful dessert stall, a fragrant spicy mixed rice paper stall, or a steaming hot noodle soup cart...

Enjoy Saigon's hủ tiếu gõ, banh mi, and broken rice

These are three dishes you shouldn't miss when in Saigon. The unique flavors that are hard to find elsewhere make these three dishes characteristic of Saigon's cuisine.

Admire Saigon from above

Saigon welcomes the first rays of a new day peacefully. Saigon is vibrant amidst the rain and shine, and enchanting amidst the myriad of colorful lights at night. Finding a spot in a skyscraper or a rooftop café to overlook the city will leave unforgettable images in your heart.

Explore life in the alleys

Alleys in Saigon are straighter, wider, and longer compared to many other places. The bustling daily life here makes the city lively. Somewhere in any alley, you'll find a delicious eatery, an interesting café, or simply a beautiful corner. All will leave you with memorable impressions.

Listen to music in the early morning

On weekend mornings, at 30/4 Park where the famous sidewalk cafes are, there are often duet singing groups, or in front of the city theater, there are free performances for the public. All create a unique rhythm for Saigon amidst the busy daily life.

Cooling off in the park on top of Thủ Thiêm Tunnel and admiring Saigon when it lights up

The park on top of Thủ Thiêm Tunnel has become an exciting rendezvous spot for weekend evenings. It's also a place to admire the most vibrant city in Vietnam sparkling at night.

When Saigon lights up, it's also the moment you'll get to admire the entire city shimmering in colorful lights.

Dining out late at night

The exciting thing about this activity is that you have to go out late at night, when the city is lit up or when the streets are deserted. Popular eateries open late into the night are always the top choice. A plate of hot broken rice or a bowl of steaming noodle soup, accompanied by a glass of sweet soy milk, will enchant you.

Participating in activities on Bùi Viện Western Street

This street always attracts a large number of both domestic and foreign tourists at midnight with lively activities such as beer stalls, bars serving street food, etc.

Visit Ben Thanh Night Market at 10 PM and Ho Thi Ky Flower Market at 3 AM

Many people living in Saigon believe that Ben Thanh Night Market is only for foreign tourists because prices are often inflated. However, if you're savvy, you can find items to your liking. After dinner, you can leisurely stroll to enjoy the fresh air and do some shopping. The market area has contributed to creating a characteristic feature of nightlife in Saigon.

Or you can take a walk around Ho Thi Ky Flower Market amidst the cool night air. The sound of roaring motorcycles transporting goods, the voices of buyers and sellers echoing incessantly, but you can still feel a very different lively rhythm in a bustling Saigon.

Free Iced Tea

This is one of the scenes you can encounter on a few streets in the city. Cool iced tea jars can quench the thirst of anyone in the scorching noon. Or simply a resting place for street sweepers, motorbike taxi drivers, or construction workers...

Traffic in Saigon

For many, the image of gridlocked intersections during rush hours may be unpleasant. But this image becomes familiar in Saigon, and anyone who travels far remembers it.

Tree-lined avenues

If you don't like staying in one place, you can zoom along the streets in the city center or farther. On rainy days, rows of lush trees, stretching endlessly with dew, will give you a sense of relaxation. After strolling along the streets, you can drop by a 'white night' café to continue your journey.

Sipping coffee in an old apartment building

Savoring a cup of coffee in a secluded and vintage space in any apartment building will be experiences that you can hardly forget when away from the city. The melodious tunes of a few songs along with that old space not only help you relax but also bring back memories of the vibrant city.

Enjoying overnight coffee or sidewalk cafes

Saigon is known as the 'city that never sleeps', as the nightlife is still lively. You won't find it difficult to find a place to rest at midnight. Trying out cafes that stay open late is also an interesting experience.

Or when savoring the flavor of sidewalk coffee, you can easily feel images of the old city. The cart filled with coffee-making tools such as cups, teapots,..., the waft of smoke from the boiling water tank on the charcoal stove, and the indispensable shuttlecock – the origin of the memories of this cup of coffee.

Exploring villas and buildings with French architecture

With a history of over 100 years, French architectural structures in the city center always attract visitors from all over. Sober and ancient, French architecture in the heart of the city exists as a touch of the past, a gentle pause for modern life to escape the hustle and bustle.

The City Opera House, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the City Post Office, the City People's Committee Headquarters, and Ben Thanh Market are places you should try to explore.

Diverse cultural life due to cultural influences from various places

Through hundreds of years of ups and downs in history, it can be said that cultures from around the world converge under the sky of Saigon, giving this city a diverse and colorful cultural face. You can encounter and get to know new friends from all over the world.

Saigonese are generous, friendly, and open-minded

In Saigon, even when you buy a bunch of vegetables, you'll be thanked, not charged for iced tea at many eateries, and adding another plate of vegetables won't cost you extra. And more than that, Saigonese are always gentle when you want to talk and ready to help you when you encounter difficulties, even if they don't know you.

In Saigon, you never feel lost no matter where you go

This is a sharing from a friend of mine. She wasn't born and raised in Saigon but she came to the city to study and build her career. Just these few simple words are enough to make us love the city even more and love everyone living here, even those we don't know.

Source: Article on Vnexpress.net

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Reference: Travel guide on Mytour