Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — Things to Do
Shopping in Ho Chi Minh City
Travelers in Ho Chi Minh City will at first be overwhelmed with the amount of stalls and roadside vendors that cram the sidewalks and street corners, but there are plenty of bargains to be found amongst the usual tourists tat and counterfeit handbags.
Best buys include silk clothing and other hand-woven fabrics, bamboo ware, ceramics and boxes and vases made from lacquer ware, while traditional Vietnamese hats can be found just about anywhere and tailor-made clothing is popular too.
Most of Ho Chi Minh City's shopping can be done from the local markets and street vendors where polite haggling is expected, especially at the Anh Dong Markets in District 5 or the Ban Thanh indoor market in downtown Saigon.
Shoppers looking for something a little more upmarket should head to Dong Khoi Street in District 1 where designer stores, boutiques, antique stores and jewelry stores abound while bargain hunters will also be pleased to know there is a duty-free store on Nguyen Hue Blvd in District 1 which specializes in duty-free items such as perfumes and colognes.
Most shops in Ho Chi Minh City are open daily from 8am to 8pm.
Ho Chi Minh City Nightlife
Its nightlife gained notoriety during the Vietnam War for its girly-bars but a lot has changed recently thanks to Vietnam's tourist boom. Ho Chi Minh City's nightlife has grown and diversified considerable, and while not rivaling the range of entertainment of other Southeast Asian destinations, it's still guaranteed to do the job.
With everything from rooftop bars and lounges to pubs and nightclubs playing all the latest dance hits, travelers looking to let loose on a night out on the town will have plenty of options in this bustling, neon third-world city.
Start off at the Rex Hotel's a trendy Rooftop Garden for drinks where you can watch the sunset over the busy streets where the flicker of streetlights and neon begin to come to life before heading out to District 1 where the funky bars and fashionable clubs can be found, particularly on the streets around Dong Khoi and Hai Ba Trung. Travelers should also head to the Apocolypse Now bar and club, a popular spot for expats and other westerners, where party goers can make use of the bar, dance floor pool tables and café.
The International Tourist Club disco and karaoke bar in the New World Hotel is a must for a night of fun and singing, or head over to the The Metallic Bar on Ba Huyen Thanh Quan in District 3 for live gigs from local rock bands or for something completely different, Bonsai Cruise on Nguyen Van Thu St. in District 1 operates Saigon River dinner cruises, the perfect way to relax and spend a lazy evening.
Travelers should also note that many of Ho Chi Minh City's bars and nightclubs close early by big city standards, around midnight or when the last customer leaves so anyone looking to keep going until the early hours of the morning will be sorely disappointed.
