Travel Tips Vietnam: #Saigon

I have lived in Saigon for the past six months. During that time, I have collected business cards, travel books, written notes, picked up recommendations and the list goes on. Now is as good a time as any to share the love...for Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon. 

People often ask for my recommendations for things to see and do in Saigon. In turn, I ask what they hope to achieve. We travel for different reasons...to discover, to relax...to look for answers.  If you are travelling to Saigon, chances are you have just a few days, possibly less than 24 hours. I have compiled a list to direct you, with a few of my favourites ** and ones recommended to me. 

Above all else, my recommendation for Saigon is to wander slowly and with care, absorb the sights and sounds, feel the beat of the city and enjoy. In fact..hold that throughout your time in Vietnam. It is a pretty special place, you will see...

My list starts with a list of books and movies, many I have read or viewed and others have been recommended. If you see two red stars **, it means it is tried and true by me. I have provided links for everything else, where possible.  It is a start... 

BOOKS

Travel Books:

LUXE Travel..Ho Chi Minh City **

To Vietnam With Love..A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur by Kim Fay **

National Geographic Traveler: Vietnam **

Vietnam: A Traveler's Literary Companion by John Balaban **

Lonely Planet Vietnam vy Nick Ray, Yu-Mel Balasingamchow, Iain Stewart **

Vietnam Baedker Guide by Baedeker **

Destination Saigon: Adventures in Vietnam by Walter Mason 

Vietnam Journeys by Charles Fields 

The Word Ho Chi Minh City Magazine **

AsiaLIFE magazine **

Cookbooks:

Indochine by Luke Nguyen **

My Vietnam by Luke Nguyen **

The Little Saigon Cookbook by Ann Le

Quick & Easy Vietnamese by Nancie McDermott **

Vietnamese Street Food by Tracy Lister, Andreas Pohl

Secrets of the Red Lantern by Pauline Bguyen, Luke Nguyen **

The Songs of Sapa by Luke Nguyen **

Bill's Everyday Asian by Bill Granger **

Literature:

River of Time: A Memoir of Vietnam and Cambodia

The Quiet American by Graham Greene **
The Gentleman in the Parlour by W. Somerset Maugham

The Lover by Marguerite Duras
When Heaven and Earth Change Places by Le Ly Hayslip
The Unwanted: A Memoir of Childhood by Kien Nguyen

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Mariantes
Vietnam: Rising Dragon by Bill Hayton
Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X. Pham
Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong, Nina McPherson **

Cinema

Indochine**

The Quiet American**

The Scent of Green Papaya**

The Lover

Three Seasons

The Buffalo Boy

The White Silk Dress
At the Height of Summer
Good Morning Vietnam **
Top Gear UK: Vietnam Special **

WHEN IN SAIGON...

SHOP

Anupa Boutique (fashion/accessories)  9 Dong Di, D1**

Gaya (fashion and home)  1 Nguyen Van Trang St. D1

Catherine Denoual Maison (luxury linen) 15 Thi Sach St, D1**

Song (fashion) 76D Le Thanh Ton St. D1

Vietnam Quilt (bedding and home) 26/1 Le Thanh Ton St. D1

Saigon Kitsch  (art) 43 Ton That Thiep St. D1**

Ipa-Nima (fashion) 77-79 Dong Khoi,  D1

Sapa (fashion and home) 47 Dong Khoi St. D1

The Vietnamese Refinement 141 Dong Khoi St. D1 **

It Happens to be a Closet (fashion) 89 Mac Thui Buoi

ArtBook ( art books) 43 Dong Khoi D1 **

Nguyen Freres (ethnic home and fashion) 2 Dong Khoi, D1 **

Therese Jewelry (jewlery) 9 Nguyen Thiep, D1

Alphana Jewelry 159 Dong Khoi St D1

My Way Deco (laquer/home) 13 Nguyen Thiep St, D1

Red Door Deco (art/furniture) 31A Le Thanh Ton, D1**

Fahasa Bookshop 40 Nguyen Hue, D1

Minh Hahn (fashion couture) 128 b Hai Ba Trung

Minh Khoa (fashion formal) 81 Ly TuTrong, St, D1

Villa Anupa (fashion accessories) 17/27 Le Thanh Ton 

Michele De Albert (laquerware) 30 Ton That Thiep St, D1

Verlim Interior Design 152 Le Lai St, D1**

Kim Phuong (home linen, embroidery) 98 Le Loi St D1**

FABRIC

Kenly Silk 132 Le Thanh Ton, D1

Khai Silk 107 Dong Khoi St, D1

Huong Fabrics 57 Thu Khoa Huan, D1

T M Silk Boutique 155 Dong Khoi St, D1

Hoang Silk 201 Dong Khoi, D1

Bao Silk 223 De Tham St, D1

Tan Binh Market 171M Ly Thuong Kiet, D3

Thanh Thuy Cotton House 230 Le Thanh Ton, D1

TAILOR (and fabric)

Orchid Taylor  84 Le Loi St D1**

Khai Silk 107 Dong Khoi St

Dung Tailor  221-223 Le Thang Ton

Tricia & Verona 39 Dong Du St, D1

MARKETS/STREETS

Ben Thanh Market (food, fashion, home)  Le Loi St. **

Saigon Centre 60 Le Loi St, D1**

An Dong Wholesale Market  35-36 An Dong Vuong St. D5

Binh Tay Market 578 Thap Muoi St, D6

Cho Ben Thanh Market intersection Le Loi, Ham Nghi, Tran Hung Dao Avenues and Le Lai

Russian Market ( fashion) 225 Ben Cguong St, D1**

Dan Sinh Market (war surplus market) 104 Yersin St

Saigon Square Intersection Le Duan and Hai Ba Trung

Cho Lon  Market Tran Hung Dao St, D5**

Le Cong Kieu St (vintage and antiques) **

Camera Street ( Huynh Thut Khang, Ho Tung Mau, Nguyen Hue Le Loi)

ART

Apricot Gallery 50-52 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 **

TuDo Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau, D1**

Ben Thanh Art & Frame 7 Nguyen Thiep St, D1**

Galerie Nguyen 139 Dong Khoi St, D1 **

Galerie Quynh 65 De Tham, D1

Craig Thomas Gallery 27i Tran Nhat Duat, D1

Dogma 1st floor, 43 Ton That Thiep, D1

Galerie Lotus 67 Pasteur St 

Lac Hong Gallery 1A Le Thi Hong Gam St, D1

Duc Minh Art Gallery 31C Le Quy Don, D3

Phuong Mai Gallery 213c Dong Khoi St, D1

Tara & Kys Art Gallery 48 Dong Du St, D1 

EAT

Temple Club 29-31 Ton That Thiep St, D1**

Hoa Tuc 74 Hai Ban Trung St, D1 **

The Refinery 74 Hai Ba Trung, D1

Au Parc 23 Han Thuyen St, D1 ** funky and fun cafe

L'Usine First Floor 151 Dong Khoi St, D1** enjoy for Sunday brunch and lunch

An Vien 178A Hai Ba Trung D1

Restaurant 13 13 Ngo Duc Ke St. D1

Lemongrass 4 Nguyen Thiep St. D1

Square One Park Hyatt  2 Lam Son Square D1

Opera Park Hyatt 2 Lam Son Square, D1**

Carmague  74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1

Hoi An 11 Le Thanh Ton, D1

Mandarin 11a Ngo Van Nam, D1

Pho Pasteur  260 Pasteur St,  D3

Quan An Ngon  138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, D1

The Deck 38 Nguyen U Di, D2 **

Mekong Merchant 23 Thao Dien, D2 ** family favourite

El Gaucho Saigon 5D Nguyen Sieu, D1 **

Lucca Cafe 88 Ho Tung Mau St, D1 **great coffee

Fanny Ice Cream 29-31 Ton That Thiep, D1 ..** gelato..passionfruit sorbet

Bobby Chinn Saigon 39 Le Duan St, Kumho Aisana Plaza Saigon, D1**

HISTORY
Reunification Palace Museum 106 Nguyen Du St, D1

Women's Museum of South Vietnam 202 Vo Thi Sau, D 13

War Remnants Museum 28 Vo Van Street, D3

Ho Chi Minh City Museum 65 Ly Tu Trong St D1 **

Museum of Traditional Vietnamese Medicine 41 Hoang Du Khoung St. D10

Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum 97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1**

Vietnam History Museum 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1
Ho Chi Minh Museum 1 Nguyen Tat Thanh, D4
Military Museum 2 Le Duan, D1
Opera House Lam Son Square, D1

PRAY

Notre Dame Cathedral Han Thuyen, D1**

Jade Emperor Pagoda 73 Mai Thi Luu St, D1

COOK

Saigon Cooking Class/ Hoa Tuc 74/7 Hai Ba Trung,  D1

Vietnam Cooking Centre 362/8 Ung Van Khiem, D1

Overland Club 36 Bis Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1

Saigon Culinary Art Centre 269 Bis Nguyen Trai St, D1

Caravelle Hotel 19-23 Lam Son Square, Di

TRAVEL NOTES:

Vietnamese Tourism online assistance

Saigon Tourist Information Centre 4G-4H Le Lot St at Nguyen Hue

As with all recommendations, I am constantly seeking out new ones. If you have any you would like to recommend, please leave a comment or write to me... jeannecollageoflife@gmail.com
Thank you for reading along!