It’s usually pretty warm in Saigon — even the early mornings of December and January rarely dip below 20 degrees Celsius — but the last couple of weeks here have been hot! We’re only in March; things are going to get even hotter over the next month. If you’re walking around the city when it’s … read the full post

Saigon offers plenty of great reasons to visit: every corner you turn on the street can lead you to great food, there are some cool pagodas and theme parks, and it’s a great spot to start a new adventure into other parts of the country. Decent shopping can also be done in my city — … read the full post

I’ve recently covered a few of Saigon’s many pagodas — here and here — and you may have noticed a common theme emerging: they are small and are being chocked out by surrounding buildings. But there is a pagoda that staked its claim early enough, and far enough out of downtown, that it has still … read the full post

In Saigon there is no shortage of places to get a drink; pubs, rooftop bars, taverns, and places on the street with plastic stools all serve a variety of drinks, from locally made 3,000 VND a glass beer to fancy martinis. After I wrote a post about a big cheeseburger recently, which with a bigger … read the full post

As I have mentioned before, Saigon has no shortage of places to worship. There are churches, pagodas and mosques sprinkled throughout the city. While most are of the newer variety, there are some pagodas that have stood the test of time for hundreds of years. Although older pagodas are spread throughout the city, a high … read the full post

While I could eat bun bo hue or banh cuon all the time, there are times in Saigon that I miss the occasional meal from my Western world. For example, being that my port of origin is in the United States I think that somewhere deep down in my soul I was bred to enjoy … read the full post

Saigon isn’t the most kid-friendly city in the world. There are certainly lots of kids in the city but very few places seem to cater to them. Most theme parks and water parks in the city, or country for that matter, have dangerous elements. So I was surprised to find a safe and kid-friendly park … read the full post

I’m trying not to be too repetitive, but I’m pretty much in love with the street food in Saigon. I don’t think I’ve tried many dishes that I wouldn’t want to have on a regular basis; I just can’t get past the mental block for a daily hot vit lon yet. One thing that surprises … read the full post

Saigon is a city filled with places of worship; it seems that every street has at least one pagoda or church — from the roof of my old house in District 3 I could see at least seven. Most of these spots are nothing particularly special in terms of architectural or historical significance but Saigon … read the full post

I’ve mentioned before that I think the greatest thing about my city is the food and the best food is usually on the street. Obviously, I talk a lot about street food but honestly I get most of my “street food” from markets. The problem is that besides Ben Thanh Market, and maybe Binh Tay, … read the full post