One thing’s for sure, Saigon loves its coffee. You can find a café on any given block in the city — more than likely, there will be more than one.  Like most major cities, Ho Chi Minh City has its fair share of chain coffee houses, such as Highlands Coffee and Coffee Bean, but you … read the full post

There’s nothing like a good holiday to shake you out of your rainy season blues and luckily for the Saigonese we get just that. Mid-Autumn Festival, Tet Trung Thu, the celebration of the fall equinox, occurs on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, or somewhere between September and early October … read the full post

When I travel I pack light. This helps me breeze through airports and carry fewer pieces of luggage up the stairs in my elevator-less hostel. But packing light has its drawbacks, and sometimes I don’t have room for all the outfits I may need, say for a fun night out or a fancy dinner. That’s … read the full post

Something that I particularly love about Saigon is the fact it is a very walkable city.  As you meander through town on your tour of the various sites you may work up an appetite, but you don’t always want to stop for a proper meal. If you’re looking for quick food on the go, stop … read the full post

Saigon boasts several salons throughout the city, offering a wide range of services, prices, and quality. My favourite, only a 10-minute taxi or xe om ride away from the heart of downtown on the busy street of Dien Bien Phu, is YKC in District 3. I go here for all my hair, nail, and facial … read the full post

When I first arrived in Ho Chi Minh City the many varieties of street food fascinated me, but none more so than banh bao, which to me looked more like big Chinese dumplings than something Vietnamese. Banh bao, not to be confused with the also popular banh mi, actually do have Chinese roots, being introduced to … read the full post

Established in 1864, making it one of the oldest zoos in world, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden is one of the best and largest recreational areas in Saigon. Known as Thao Cam Vien locally, it is home to more than 500 animals of more than 100 species and more than 1,800 trees and plants … read the full post

Hidden down a Saigon back road in a part of District 1 that is more District 3, especially if you’re in Pham Ngu Lao, resides one of the more popular Vietnamese restaurants in the city. Cuc Gach Quan, located at 10 Dang Tat in an easy-to-miss building, is developing a great reputation for serving delicious … read the full post

Roughly 60km from the centre of Saigon — a beautiful two-hour trip by motorbike and ferry away — sits Can Gio, an island formed where the Saigon River hits the sea. Over the last few years this island has become a popular getaway day trip for savvy locals. Tourists to Can Gio don’t come for … read the full post

A trip to Ho Chi Minh City isn’t complete without a quick visit to the Cu Chi district, where the city’s big buildings melt away and morph into rural countryside. While the area is most famous for its tunnels and war history, Cu Chi has something else worth a visit: a Cu Chi cricket farm. … read the full post