25 things you would love travelling Saigon (Part 3)

25 things you would love travelling Saigon (Part 3)

11. Street Food Snacks

Travelling to Saigon, you must try all street food snacks, not only rice papper salad. Because Saigon is a paradise of snacks and a big house of candies and cakes. There is a large amount of choices: Vietnamese crab soup, papaya salad with shredded beef jerky, cupcake with salted egg, milk tea, Chineese sweet soup…And we couldn’t miss fresh fruits and cool drinks.

Mixed Rice Paper Salad

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

12.Breakfast with Broken Rice

People in other regions aren’t familiar with having breakfast with rice, but it isn’t right for Saigonese. From students to officers, from adults to children like to choose broken rice for their breakfast. The main reason is that the dish provides a lot of energy for a new working day. And perhaps because they couldn’t refuse grilled pork that are chilled with special sauce, then cooked on charcoal grill. The main ingredient, broken rice, is a traditionally cheaper grade of rice produced by damage in milling.

Broken Rice In Vietnam

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

13.Walking Bui Vien Street at Night

Bui Vien Street – “Pho Tay” (street of foreigners) is probably the best known street amongst the backpacker crowd and a familiar address as well as the gathering place of foreign visitors in Ho Chi Minh City. “Pho Tay” does not sleep at night, with a lot of fun, sadness and happiness in the life span of Saigon.

Drinking In Saigon Scooter Saigon Tour

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

The living rhythm in “Pho Tay” is always fast and noisy, especially at night. During the daytime, tourists can travel to other places but at night, they return to “Pho Tay” to relax, entertain and experience the pavement life of Saigon. The night in “Pho Tay” is colorful in lights and the colors of varied cultures. Dozens of bars, street food stall, street vendors and the backpacker community, lend a party atmosphere most of the time. Don’t be put off by this, no visit to Saigon would be complete without a late night drink on the thriving little street.

Ho Chi Minh Sightseeing & Food Tour by Motorbike

14. Thu Thiem Tunnel

Motorbike Saigon Sightseeing Tour

Photo source: unknown

The Thu Thiem Tunnel is an underground road tunnel which links the Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 with Thu Thiem New Urban Area in District 2.
New technology is being used to build the Thu Thiem Tunnel crossing of the Saigon River with the 1,490m underwater tunnel as one of the project’s most ambitious features. The project began in 2004 with $189m capital provided by Japanese ODA (official development assistance) and by a consortium of four Japanese contractors: Obayashi Corporation, Taisei Corporation, the Kumagai-Kajima consortium and Toa Corporation. The contract consisted of the construction of more than 7,000m2 of diaphragm wall and barrettes, both going down to approximately 33m.

15. Nguyen Hue Flower Street

Nguyen Hue Street, one of Saigon’s oldest thoroughfares, has undergone numerous transformations over its history. For many years, Nguyen Hue Street was a main spring flower market for citizens of Ho Chi Minh City. This market has been moved to 23/9 park, however to commemorate the traditional market, The Nguyen Hue Flower Street Festival has been held for seven years as an annual event of Tet holiday. Every Tet holiday, the street is flooded with flowers of all kinds and all colors which are decorated splendidly and impressively according to each year’s theme. On this occasion millions of visitors come here to enjoy the beauty of Nguyen Hue Flower Street.

Now Nguyen Hue Flower Street has been upgraded to become a – walking square – and has officially opened on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Liberation of South Vietnam and National Reunification. But in memory of many Saigon people, Nguyen Hue still remains the most beautiful flower street.

16. Bitexco Fianancial Tower

As soon as travellers hit the ground in Saigon, they can’t help but notice the large building that anchors the city’s skyline. Built at a time of unprecedented growth for the Vietnamese economy, the Bitexco Financial Tower is designed to represent the energy and aspirations of the country’s people and is an iconic embodiment of the new and dynamic Vietnam.
Located in District 1 and surrounded by Hai Trieu, Ho Tung Mau and Ngo Duc Ke streets, and the HCM City State Treasury facing Nguyen Hue Boulevard, Bitexco Fianancial Tower has a structure of steel and glass. The Financial Tower stands at 68 storeys, or 262 metres high is the tallest building of the Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The skyscrapper was designed to look like a lotus bud, for its design inspired by the Lotus Flower, which is a symbol for Vietnam.

The main attraction of the tower is the 49th floor observation Sky Deck. A trip to the 49th floor will set you back 10USD, a little high for Saigon entertainment. If you have the time, and the cash, Bitexco is worth a look; you just can’t get a view quite this good anywhere else in the city.

Saigon In The Morning Tracy

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

17. Ben Thanh Market

In the subconscious of Ho Chi Minh inhabitants, Ben Thanh market is not merely a touristic shopping zone but a symbol of this animated city.

 

Warmest Greetings To All from Tracy Do! If you have any questions about Vietnam including Vietnam tours, do not hesitate to contact me.

Tracy and her team are proud to provide excellent Ho Chi Minh City Day Trips including Ho Chi Minh Motorbike Tour, Ho Chi Minh Food Tour, Mekong Delta Tour, Cu Chi Tunnel Tour, Ho Chi Minh Transfer Service and Shore Excursion to thousands of guests for nearly 10 years. Let us have a chance to show you South Vietnam to the fullest.

 

The main entrance is through the archway beneath the clocktower, leading into a tightly packed and chaotically organised grid of commodities. Once wandering into the market, visitors can’t help gaping at tempting stalls clothes, shoes, souvenirs, cosmetics, jewellery, utensils, household appliances as well as seafood, meat, vegetables, fruit, coffee powder, flowers and so on. Generally, the quality of these products is quite good but do prepare to bargain hard and be careful when converting the price to US dollar.

ben thanh market scooter saigon tour

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

In open-air stalls surrounding the market are some nice little eateries that open just as the market itself starts closing down, and this is, in fact, one of the best place to try authentic

local cuisine. The adventurous can sample good local specialties like rice dishes, noodle soup, bun dishes of vermicelli noodles, or ice cream and dessert for next to nothing.

18. Ho Chi Minh city People’s Committee Building

Ho Chi Minh City Hall Tracy

Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

The People’s Committee Building is one of oldest, biggest and most beautiful French style buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, functioning as a city institution and as the city’s most prominent landmark today. It is situated at the North-western end of Nguyen Hue Street, facing a river. The former hotel is notable for its garden, ornate façade and elegant interior lit with crystal chandeliers.

It was designed by French architect P. Gardes and completed in 1908. Originally it housed the Hotel de Ville, the Saigon City Hall, as is still also known today as the City Hall of Ho Chi Minh City. This was the venue in 1945, that thousands of people gathered to establish the Provisional Administrative Committee of South Vietnam.

19. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden

Established in 1864 by French botanist JB Louis Pierre, Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens (aka Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens) are listed as one of the oldest zoos in the world. 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 of more than 250 species. There’s also an amusement park that is sometimes open, and you can get an ice cream or a coconut from one of the several cafés sprinkled around the grounds.

Motorbike Saigon Sightseeing Tour

Photo source: unknown

There is a large amount of different sections to explore including the animal conservation area, orchid garden and plant conservation centre and a children’s amusement area. Lakes brimming with tropical fish form part of the zoo and botanical gardens. The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a popular place for locals and tourists to enjoy the fresh atmosphere and relax. Visitting the garden, visitors will be surprised by the fact that you can get up close and personal to some of the animals and feed them.

Read more: 25 things you would love travelling Saigon (Part 1)

                     25 things you would love travelling Saigon (Part 2)

                    25 things you would love travelling Saigon (Part 4)

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