Getting into the centre of the city is very simple with the two new airport shuttles that drop you in, or close, to all the major tourist areas. The bright yellow number 109 was clean, comfortable, air-conditioned and had very few people on board. At just 20,000 VND (S$1.25), it\u2019s great value, and I was able to avoid the infamous Saigon taxi scams.<\/span><\/p>\n There are two links you could use here:<\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n Airport Bus<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n Scam-free taxis<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/i><\/p>\n Saigon Traffic is a real eye-opener. Wow, what a crazy place. It seems there are no road rules at all with thousands of motorcycles vying for space with cars, buses and people. Despite the frenetic pace, it all appeared to flow. I had to wonder\u2026 “Would I survive the next two days in Ho Chi Minh City?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One boutique hotel to check out is\u00a0Pavilion Hotel<\/a>\u00a0as it is located near Ben Thanh Market. It is an ideal location as it is only a five minutes walk to Mariamman Temple, Zen Plaza and\u00a0Ben\u00a0Thanh\u00a0Market. Having your accommodation near the main shopping districts is always convenient as you can unload your shopping loot and enjoy a fuss-free shopping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n Without wasting any time,\u00a0my first priority was to get out and try the famous Vietnamese food!<\/span><\/p>\n What better way to get a taste of many different dishes and experience various parts of the city, than to take a “back of the bike” food tour. Everyone in the group had an expert guide who expertly maneuvered through the crazy traffic to a selection of local cafes and restaurants, each offering a different specialty. It was like being on a progressive dinner inside an amusement game. The ride around town was as exhilarating as the food was delicious.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Vietnam rises early and so did I. After a quick local coffee and b\u00e1nh m\u00ec g\u00e0<\/em> (baguette loaded with shredded chicken) I headed for Tao Dan Park<\/strong> to check out the morning action. The park is one of the larger green spaces in the city, and it\u2019s an excellent place to people watch. Traditional fan dancing, martial arts, tai chi, aerobics and ballroom dancing classes vie with joggers and badminton games for your attention and photo lens.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite the size of the city, you can easily visit the main sites on foot in a comfortable day. The early start set me up well to beat the crowds for a tour of Independence Palace<\/strong> and then on to the War Remnants Museum<\/strong>. These are two \u201cmust see\u201d things to do in Ho Chi Minh if you\u2019re to gain an understanding of recent Vietnamese history. <\/span><\/p>\n By the time many tourists had finished their second coffee of the morning, I had been appalled and saddened at the tragic waste of life in recent wars, then moved to amazement at how well the country, especially Ho Chi Minh City, has bounced back.<\/span><\/p>\n By noon I was headed back into town via the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral<\/strong> and French Colonial Central Post Office.<\/p>\n There are lots of cafes and restaurants on this route if you\u2019re feeling hungry, thirsty or just need a rest. Ho Chi Minh City has so many options for food; your biggest challenge will be the decision on what to try next. I used the age old principle of choosing cafes and street food stalls that were popular with the locals. Vietnamese are fussy about their food. If it isn\u2019t good, the place doesn\u2019t last long.<\/p>\n I took my time heading into the centre of town along Don Khoi which runs directly off the square in front of the cathedral. It was easy to spend a couple of hours dropping into the many art galleries, gift shops and bookstores dotted along the way. The juxtaposition of the old and the new is striking. The soaring Vincom Plaza clad in huge LCD screens sits just metres from the wedding cake fa\u00e7ade of the recently renovated Peoples Committee building, Continental Hotel and the beautiful Opera House.<\/span><\/p>\n After a little more window shopping I headed to Bitexco tower<\/strong>, Saigon\u2019s tallest building. I managed to find my way up to the bar on Level 52 (it takes two elevators) for happy hour (from 1-5pm.) You can enjoy a beer for 99,000 VND while you enjoy 360-degree views of the city. That beats 200,000 VND just for entry to the Skydeck, and you are a few levels higher.<\/span><\/p>\n As the day turned to night, I headed back to Nguyen Hue<\/strong> \u2013 \u201cWalking Street\u201d and made my way back to the rooftop bar at the Rex Hotel for happy hour sunset drinks as the city lit up around me.<\/span><\/p>\n Nguyen Hue has become the people’s place, and it\u2019s hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. There are dozens of excellent restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from, offering all types of food. In the end, I chose Asian House which has four floors of restaurants, bars and caf\u00e9s. They have outstanding service and food at reasonable prices.<\/span><\/p>\n Although I was tempted to party on at one of the city\u2019s many nightspots, I had another early morning adventure planned, so I headed back to my hotel via the bustling Ben Tanh Night Market<\/strong>. It\u2019s touristy, but if you bargain hard, there’re some beautiful souvenirs to take home.<\/span><\/p>\n The first half of my 48 hours in Ho Chi Minh City was everything I hoped – history, culture, great food and architecture. I was eager to explore further, but I needed my beauty sleep. (Note: If you\u2019re more energetic than me check\u00a0what\u2019s on<\/a>\u00a0around town in Any Arena.)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n After another early start, I was picked up by my guide from Saigon Unseen to do their\u00a0Urban Kaos \u2013 Motor Bike Tour<\/a>\u00a0and see the \u201dother\u201d side of Saigon. Tiny temples, bustling markets and narrow laneways filled with street hawkers provided photo opportunities at every turn. <\/span><\/p>\n Whizzing around on the back of a motorbike was exhilarating. We covered a lot of ground but took plenty of time out to explore the different locations on foot. And, I finally got to have my first bowl of delicious Vietnamese Pho for lunch.<\/span><\/p>\nA Weekend in Ho Chi Minh City – Itinerary<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nArriving in the Evening<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/6-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFood Tour<\/h4>\n
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<\/h3>\n1st Morning in Ho Chi Minh<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/3-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Sharyn Nilsen<\/em><\/i><\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\nAfternoon in Ho Chi Minh<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/7-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/4-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Sharyn Nilsen<\/em><\/i><\/span><\/p>\nEvening in Ho Chi Minh<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/8-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/9-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/itinerary-day2-1024x115-1.png\")
<\/h3>\nSecond Morning in Ho Chi Minh<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/10-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAfternoon Activities<\/h4>\n
![\"Ho](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/1-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")
Chinatown, Ho Chi Minh City \/\u00a0<\/span>Sharyn Nilsen<\/em><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n
![\"Cha](\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.sg\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/2-48-hours-in-HCM.jpg\")