S01-E15
South Vietnam - the History, the Food, the Beaches
We started our five weeks in Vietnam with a few days in Saigon. Saigon is a very large modern city that has a lot to see, do and of course, eat. Below are our recommendations on how to spend your time in this incredible city.
To See and Do in Saigon:
Walking tour through With Locals to see many of the top sites, learn about the history of the city, and walk through the War Remnants Museum. We booked this with Thien and cannot recommend her enough. You will get an honest POV from a local who does not go along with the status quo.
We also booked a street food tour with Elise again through With Locals. We got to try so many local specialties that we would not have known to try such as papaya salad with beef, broken rice, and the best bahn mi of the trip.
You HAVE to get a hair wash and scalp treatment. These are offered all over the city. We went to Lisa Nails and there are several locations within the city. They were busy, clean, and very professional. They also give a great mani and pedi.
Tan Dinh Market is an amazing local market in Saigon. You can find produce, food, clothes, knock-offs as well as BAD knock-offs which we were very excited to find. Ben Thanh another more touristy market that has a lot more knock-offs if that is your thing.
Cafe Apartments - an iconic building that is best seen at night. Pay the small fee to take the lift up to the top, walk down, and stop at one of the many cafes or bars on the way to take in the view of the city below.
Where to Eat and Drink in Saigon:
Spice Viet Saigon - yes it is in a hotel, the decor is not that great, but the food is amazing! They have the best spring rolls we have ever had, the chicken salad is incredible, and the pork lemon grass skewer wraps are dreamy. We cannot recommend this place enough. They do have restaurants in other major cities and we tried the one in Hoi An as well and it was not that great…
MEN Quan - do not let the online description fool you, this place is more than just a beer garden. The fired taro salad is perfection and the baby bamboo shoots are interesting and yummy.
Secret Garden Restaurant - a beautiful rooftop restaurant with great food and tasty cocktails. Well worth the climb up the 6+ flights of stairs.
LOST - hidden down an alley is a gem of a cocktail bar. They have a massive spirits collection, and a great cocktail menu, and Wednesdays are Ladies Nights with all cocktails 1/2 off for women.
Hotel:
We stayed at SILA Urban Living in District 3 - it had an apartment feel with a small kitchen, washer, separate living room, a good sized, normal gym and stretching room, a pool, and an attached Italian restaurant.
Mui Ne is a short 4 hour sleeper bus ride from Saigon. This area is known for kite surfing. Unfortunately, most of the beaches have had significant erosion and because of the waves and currents it is not super safe to swim, but there is one calm and protected beach area that is perfect for a dip.
We stayed at Sunsea Resort which is halfway between Phan Thiet and Mui Ne. You are right on the beach, there are two pools, a bar and restaurant, and a variety of rooms. It is within walking distance of several other restaurants and bars - we loved our stay.
We had a lovely dinner at the family owned and run Sunset Restaurant. Fresh yummy food with great service.
For a seaside, seafood restaurant, Mr. Crab provides beautiful views and fresh seafood. There are a couple of locations on the main road that runs along the ocean.
We rented a motorbike one day to explore the Po Sha Inu Cham Tower. These Shiva Towers are over 1,000 years old on a hill overlooking the ocean. We then headed on to walk Fairy Stream. This is a freshwater stream that you walk down and is surrounded by sandstone rocks and orange sand dunes. Very unique experience with many cool photo ops.
Phu Quoc is a small island just a quick 40-minute flight from Saigon. The Lahana Resort is just across the main road from the beach, it is secluded with a horizon pool, bar, and restaurant. Private, well-sized rooms make this a great place to stay when visiting the island.
Duong Dong Night Market is a great place to grab a meal. There are a lot of fresh fish restaurants where you pick your seafood directly from the tanks. There are also lots of stalls selling grilled meats, drinks, and desserts. This was where we first tried grilled beef wrapped in betel leaf - which ended up being something we ordered time and time again while in Vietnam.
Rory’s Beach Club is owned and run by Australians so of course, there are a lot of Australians who stay and hang out there. Good food, a saltwater pool, and an impressive-looking mini golf course. We were there on a weekday afternoon but heard from some others that it can pop off on the weekends.
If you visit Phu Quoc it is worth renting a motorbike one day and doing some exploring. The day we did this, we went to Starfish Beach. The drive will take about 45 mins to get to the fishing villages - these elevated houses built out over the ocean. You will then pay to take a boat to the beach - about 10 mins. Perfect white sand and glass, crystal clear waters await. There are a ton of starfish at this beach, and unfortunately, the locals go and collect them every now and then to bring them close to shore. Most people leave them be, but of course, some idiots feel like it is ok to pick them up and take pictures with them. There is a stand where you can buy beers, water, and snacks.
Nha Trang is a very interesting city - you could forget you are in Vietnam and think that you are in Miami. It is pretty large, on an amazing stretch of white sand beach with large bars and clubs that offer bottle service. Nha Trang is a 4.5-hour bus ride from Mui Ne. This city is very popular with Russian tourists which gives it a bit of a different energy.
Skylight is a popular rooftop restaurant and nightclub that is open till the early morning hours with DJs and bottle service - there is also a glass floor deck that makes it feel like you are standing literally on air above the city.
We had a great meal at Lang Ngon. The restaurant has a huge outdoor seating area and live music in addition to very good food.
Ot Hiem is another tasty and authentic Vietnamese restaurant in Nha Trang. They have at least two locations.
There is a great surfing beach about 20 minutes outside of the city. The waves are suitable for all levels.
We took the cable car over the ocean to an island that houses VinWonders. This is a brand new theme park that was still being developed when we visited in March 2024. There are many attractions like a water park, a sky wheel, gardens, and rides. If you have children, you could defineatly spend one or more days exploring and even staying at the resort.
All throughout Vietnam there are loads of pampering spas lining the streets. You can get full massages, but many of them specialize in focused leg massages. These are very affordable - most are around USD 6 for 1 hour. There are many nights that we would walk in and get leg massages. If you want to splurge Sen Spa provides incredible services in a very tranquil setting.
Getting around the cities is very easy and flagging down a VinFast was one of our favorites. These are new electric cars with great air con, are always metered, and you can pay with a credit card. This was our choice mode of transportation.
In Nha Trang, we stayed at The Novotel. Located across the street from the beach, they offer free seating and beach umbrellas. Most (if not all) rooms have balconies. There is a pool and a large gym, and in addition to being across from the beach, the location is perfect for walking to all the restaurants, bars, and clubs in Nha Trang.
