Feature Image: Street Vendor on Bui Vien Walking Street
We were coming up to our two month limit in Cambodia, so had to do a visa run to a neighboring country. We could have gone to Thailand, but we opted for Vietnam because UK citizens are entitled to a free two-week visa. Easy decision!
We’d received nothing but negative feedback from our fellow traveller about Ho Chi Minh City, they told us we’d want to get in and out of the city as quickly as we could, because it wasn’t a nice city to spend time in. I’m glad we didn’t listen to them. We fell in love with the place, and ended up using is as our base a couple of times during our trip.
Yes the people weren’t as friendly as the Cambodians, and it didn’t seem like there were as many smiles to go around, but that seemed more cultural than a reaction to our presence. We ate delicious street food, spent days wandering around the city to explore the markets, the colonial architecture, and war museums.
Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City
I spent days pouring over the online maps and blogs to find out the best place to stay, there are so many different Districts in the city. I like being in charge of picking the areas and places to stay, but it always add a little bit of pressure to make sure I pick somewhere that we both like.
Entrance off Backpacker Street to our accommodation 
Navigating the lane to our hotel
We ended up a little street off Backpacker Street (Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão) in District 1. Cars couldn’t get down our road, but you had to keep an eye out for scooters tearing through the pedestrians.
Our hotel had a choice of room from budget to expensive, some of them had swish looking bathrooms, and balconies, which was a good sign. But we’re budget flash-packers, so price is always a consideration. Our room was a basic Standard Double with small shower room for $22 per night (booked through Agoda). It was in a narrow four-story building, with a desk clerk who had enough English to make the checking in process easy and painless. Just as well because our Vietnamese is non existent.
185 / 20 Backpacker Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
After all of our rooms in Cambodia without any place to hang any clothes, or anywhere to put anything, this room was a real treat with a wardrobe, coat hanger and a chair and table. The fridge was also a real bonus, but I could have done without the mirror! I’d become comfortable at not seeing the state of my sweaty face and haggard hair at the end of a day sightseeing, or what I looked like going out for the evening—in the same familiar clothes. So this mirror was an intrusive bonus!
No Matter what your budget, there’s lots of little guest houses and hotels in this area, so set you budget and take your pick. When we came back to the city the second time, we didn’t have accommodation booked because we figured it’d be easy enough to find a place to stay. But we’d loved the location and staff at Thao Nhi Hotel, so we bowled up for a second stay. The room was clean, the shower was hot and powerful, and we got a discounted rate because we booked direct with them.
Staying in District One
District One, and this area of the city is an ideal location for backpackers because there’s a big choice of travel agents along this main road (Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão). Ho Chi Minh is a travel hub, and you can book day trips and onward travel to other places in Vietnam, or buses back to Cambodia from any of the local agents.
We visited a few, and found one where the lady spoke excellent English, and used her to book our trip to Na Trang, and then when we came back to the city, we visited her again to book our night bus to the island of Phú Quốc in the south of the country.
District One is centrally located, and makes it easy to walk to a range of indoor and outdoor markets, and the key sights are also within walking distance. We walked miles during the day, and loved exploring this city on foot (much more enjoyable than our meandering around Phnom Penh).
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Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão is busy street, morning, noon, and night. It was a good choice for us because it’s where the Giant Ibis bus from Phnom Penh dropped us off, so we only had a short walk to find out hotel.
Our little side street was shoulder to shoulder with small businesses, coffee shops and narrow accommodation options, but best of all you’re within a few minutes walk of the pedestrian walking street, Bui Vien (Phố đi bộ Bùi Viện).
Bui Vien Walking Street
Bui Vien touted as a backpacker’s haven with bars, restaurants, and shops so I was a bit worried that it would be full of foreigners and no locals. But I needn’t have worried.
This street was party central for everyone, especially at the weekend. There were huge crowds of Vietnamese partying until the wee small hours. The bars and restaurants had low plastic tables and chairs spilling out onto the street, and as the night went on, the walkable part of the street got narrower and narrower.
It’s a mystery how the wait staff offering table service managed this huge crush of people. We walked down here a couple of times, but didn’t avoided these really busy (and very noisy) bars in favor of some quieter options.
We discovered a trendy bar, Ong Cao Craft Beer, which was higher priced than the backpacker bars, but it’s an oasis away from the crowds.
Keeping it simple at Ong Cao Craft Beer 
My Sai Gon Cider was fruity but not too sweet
Ong Cao was located in towards the far end of Bui Vien, and served a broad range of local Vietnamese craft beers and ciders accompanied to a backdrop of hip-hop and RnB. The staff were young and friendly, and the when we chatted with the owners you could tell they had a real passion and knowledge about the craft drinks they served.
A quieter alley near Bui Vien Walking Street 
Cheap Local beers – $1 
One of our favorite bars at the end of our alley 
Bui Vien Walking Street – on a quieter night
There were lots of little side streets that had a much more chilled and relaxed atmosphere, but still had little tables and chairs outside so you could order a beer and people-watch. The local Saigon was a much cheaper alternative to our craft beer, and the red and green label beers were both winners—drinkable, thirst-quenching, and cheap.
Enjoying the Chaos
Bui Vien is a crammed, noisy and chaotic (especially at the weekends), but it’s still a lot of fun to wander around at night. But after a while the pushing, shoving, and large groups of drunk locals that stop dead-still in the middle of the walkway so you can’t get around them, becomes slightly annoying. So it’s a lot less stressful to find a pavement bar, and watch the chaos from a distance.
Sometimes it’s better to be an observer than a participant.
We chatted with a global array of travelers, and the younger Vietnamese who struck up conversations with us, were eager to chat and improve their English. Most of them lived in different parts of the city, and this area is known as the fun hub they gravitate towards at the weekend.
Ho Chi Minh is a constant hustle. You’re surrounded by scooters, people, and undefinable odours. This city pushes you to the edges of your comfort level. It’s not long before the chaos envelopes you, and you become part of the brimming, teaming, morass of activity.
Just when you feel you can’t take any more heat or noise, you stumble across one of the many delicious French bakeries in the city.
A strong black coffee, sweet pastry, and blast of air conditioning prepares you for your next foray along the city streets. It’s hard not to love Ho Chi Minh city, and we’d return in a heartbeat!
Want to know the best area to stay in #HoChiMinh city? This area is teeming with life, scooters, peoples and aromas, and is the best place to practice your people-watching skills. #Vietnam #travelblogger Share on XDisclaimer: This trip was taken in January 2018, as a break from of our Cambodia Workaway adventures.
Flashpacking through Cambodia
Flashpacking through Cambodia: For Baby Boomers on a Budget is my latest Roving Jay travel guide full of travel tips, advice, and sample itineraries for flash packers who want the back packing experience without foregoing some of life’s creature comforts – like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, free wi-fi, and somewhere to plug your electric toothbrush in.
I spent almost three months backpacking around Cambodia in 2017/2018 to research this travel guide, and I share insights and first hand knowledge of tourist traps and off-the-beaten-path discoveries. We ate street food, drank 50c beers, and travelled by train, bus, minivan and tuktuk to identify the best ways to get from A to B.
If you’d like to receive a free Review Copy ahead of the general public release, please click here.
Here’s my Cambodia posts on this blog:
- Cambodia Visa and Arrival at Siem Reap Airport
- Cambodia: How to Avoid the Crowds at Angkor Wat
- Filling up your scooter in Cambodia
- The Best Tasting Street Food in Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat at Dawn: Is it worth it?
- Come face to face with Angkor Thom’s Bayon
- Good vs. Evil at Angkor Thom’s Impressive Southern Gate
- The Baphuon Temple and the Terrace of the Elephants at Angkor Thom
- Visiting Siem Reap’s War Museum
- Where to Stay in Siem Reap
- Visiting Siem Reap’s Markets
- Give your taste buds a disco at Siem Reap Night Market
- Responsible Tourism at Joe to Go in Siem Reap
- What to See and Do in Siem Reap
- Which Siem Reap Floating Village should you visit?
- Memorable Boat Trip from Siem Reap to Battambang
- Libations and Bric-a-Brac tempt our purse strings in Battambang
- Vegetable Amok at About the World Restaurant in Battambang
- Cooking Classes at Nary’s Kitchen Battambang
- Pomme Bar, Restaurant and Hostel, at the Core of the new Battambang
- An educational trip around Battambang’s Central Market
- Sightseeing and things to do in Battambang Cambodia
- Bayon VIP Bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh Cambodia
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s 172nd Street in the dark
- The challenge of wandering Phnom Penh’s streets
- A visit to Phnom Penh’s Central Market
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s Markets
- Phnom Penh Photo Diary
- Tops sights to see in Phnom Penh
- Touring S-21 Security Prison (Tuol Sleng Museum Phnom Penh)
- A reflective visit to The Killing Fields
- Taking a train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville
- The majesty of Otres Beach sunsets
- Our Workaway Gig at Otres Beach Market Cambodia
- Working Away to make Cambodian Bagels
- Cambodia Pastry Wars: The Battle of the Quiche
- Our Cambodia workaway gig renovating a market stall
- Unwind on Cambodia’s Koh Ta Kiev Island
- Cambodian Beach Massage and Grilled Seafood
- Building Community during our Cambodian Workaway
- Gecko Village in Kampot Cambodia – a Photo Essay
- Christmas Eve in Kampot
- more coming
I remember reading the book Message from Nam when I was younger, and that kind of started a thing between me and Vietnam, so ever since that I have always wanted to go.
We only saw a tiny slice of it, but we’ll go back one day to explore some more. I’d love to travel further north, but I think I’ll wait until the pandemic is over!
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Yeah, I would love to travel around asia without a bigger plan of destinations, just travel around and visitng places that you feel like in the moment. I know that kind of requires a large budget, at least for me, I am a big spender. But someday, I dream of doing that trip vising places like Ha Long bay and Cat Ba island 🙂
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There’s plenty more of the country we haven’t seen yet, and Ha Long Bay is on our list too.
Only been once to HCM City…thanks for the tips ..great starting point for trip planning. It’s always a challenge to know where to stay, because that helps you start your trip off right. If you happen to end up in a unexciting or residential area, that can ruin your whole experience.
We lucked out for sure. It was a great area for a short visit to the city, everything was in walking distance, and we didn’t feel like we missed out. We saw everything we wanted to see … even though we had to walk miles in the heat to see it. But we both have such fond memories of our time in HCM city.
I loved Vietnam, this post brought back great memories of my backpacking trip. Seeing those photos of the crowds in the markets makes me freak in the current climate, lol, but I used to love the chaos of the markets, the motorcycles. Definitely beginning to feel homesick for travel – there must be a word for that 🙂
I wish we’d had longer than 2 weeks, as we only scratched at the surface of the country. So much more to see and do.
I have never been to Ho Chi Minh city, but I know how noisy and chaotic cities can be fun while checking out different streets and immersing in the new culture. That video of endless scooters is a lot like what you would see in many smaller cities in India! Would love to explore this city someday. 🙂
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There was definitely a great vibe to this city. So much going on, no matter what the time of day or night. So much life, noise, and distractions down every street and alleyway… an excellent city to visit.
Reading this seemed very alien to the Vietnam I love. I have never been to Ho Chi Minh and so it was a real eye-opener to the difference of the main cities to the quieter tourist areas like Hue and Hoi An. I found all the Vietnamese I met to be really friendly but then again if you live in a noisy bustling city like Ho Chi Minh maybe you just get fed up. I hope you get back to experience other parts of Vietnam. It is a wonderful place.
Yes it was probably the city vibe, and maybe the heat getting too much for everyone. But compared to Cambodia, we found the Vietnamese we met to be slightly less welcoming and friendly. Maybe we just didn’t get to the right towns. We’ll just have to go back again!
Wow! This looks like quite a bustling and interesting place. I’d love to explore all the markets there.
There’s lots of brilliant markets, outdoors and indoor ones. We explored a lot of them, because that’s one of our favourite travel past times. We both ended up buy a few clothes in Vietnam, at bargain prices. Lots of war time memorabilia too .. but we held ourselves back from buying those!
Wow. What an interesting tell. The video with all the scooters was crazy.
I just love the constant noise and action of the city. There were scooters everywhere we went, and I loved the vibrancy they gave the city.
We were hoping to travel to Vietnam at some point in the near future but of course now that is also an unknown. I love that you were able to visit with so many people in Ho Chi Minh City and experience all the great stuff. Thanks for all the information!
I do worry how the tourism and travel industry will cope with new ways of doing things, especially in countries like Vietnam where the cities are so populated.
I didn’t stay at the Backpacker District in HCMC, however, walked through quite often. As in most parts of the Asia, the backpacker district is one of the most vivid yet laid back areas with a great choice of everything the good traveller needs. Also, booking tours there was cheaper than anywhere else.
I actually like HCMC, although I was shocked the first afternoon how dirty the air gets – no oxygene whatsoever!
It was hot an humid during our stay, and it was good to escape inside every now and then to get some fresh air.
Looks like a great place to visit- but those motorbikes would scare me I think!! So many!
You get used to them, and it becomes easier and easier to cross the street the longer you stay there.
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I have learned that it is best not to listen to what other people like as far as travel, as we all like different things. Ho Chi Minh does look REALLY busy though and I’m not much of one for crowds lol.
We listen, because you never know what brilliant bit of travel advice you might receive. But we’ve learnt to ignore the stuff we don’t believe in, and try things for ourselves. We might be disappointed, but you might be rewarded with a fabulous experience. I’d rather have regrets for the things I did and saw, than the things I didn’t do.
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This is what I needed. I was plannig to go this year but I am moving it to next year. It looks so good.
You won’t be disappointed, we loved this city, and I can’t wait to go back again and explore more of the country.
Vietnam is still on my list. I was in neighboring Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Good to know where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. Great recommendations, I would like to use them one day.
We did a triple country tour too .. but didn’t get to Laos, but we’re planning on combining that into a return trip to Vietnam.
I agree with you about Ho Chi Minh City, I really enjoyed my time there. I remember finding crossing the road one of the scariest things to do! The scooters never stop! The advice we had to just walk off into the traffic, don’t stop, don’t run & look into their eyes was terrifying but absolutely spot on. It felt very mad, especially when the roads are so busy they start to ride on the pavements! Great memories.
It’s an amazing system .. yes we got the same advice. Just walk at a consistent speed and the bikes will avoid you. It seems like a scary concept, but it works, and we crossed many roads, and didn’t get knocked over! It really is the only way to cross, because there’s no way anyone will stop for you, or that they’ll be a break in the stream of traffic at any point. It’s relentless and constant.
I’ve never been to Vietnam but this looks like my kind of place! I love that they just have tiles with stickers and writing on them – feels more authentic. Great recommendations – hopefully, I get to visit soon!
The beer bar was a very bare-bones kind of place. No trendy furniture or interior decor. Just basic chairs and tables, with the focus on enjoying the craft beer and music.
Oh man, we LOVED Ho Chi Minh City — the food tours we found through Airbnb were incredible, though the motorbikes were a bit much!
We loved it too Sarah .. and I can’t wait to go back. I really wish we’d seen more of this country, but next visit won’t be a visa-run, it’ll be an intentional trip to explore more.
Love the accounts of your travel! You are always so detailed. As soon as I can travel again, I will use your blog!
Thanks Marina, as the saying goes – The devil’s in the details!
This is a great lesson in ignoring the opinions of others and making your own impressions when you visit a new city! You did an excellent job of showing us how to navigate this lovely city and you also captured the flavor and culture with interesting perspective.
Thanks Michelle … it’s always good to get other opinions … but I always like to explore for myself. Because all traveller are different, and have different experiences. It would be a shame to miss out on somewhere fabulous, because somebody just didn’t take to a destination.
Congratulations on making the most out of your task. But this wasn’t during the pandemic was it? I know Vietnam has very low numbers. But I am seeing crowds in your photos.
No not during the pandemic … but you’re right that their numbers have been low – which seems surprising seeing as China is their neighbor.
Oh, I do so miss the chaos, noise and smells of SE Asia. I wasn’t so keen on Ho Chi Minh but it grew on me. But I 100% miss proper Vietnamese food.
You’re right Sarah .. it’s complete chaos, but somehow it works, or the locals and travelers seem to navigate around it. We fell in love with HCM the minute we got there … but I’m glad you got to appreciate it on a slow burn. I’d go back in heart beat.
Thank you for sharing such a detailed experience. I would love to visit Vietnam someday. Ho Chi Minh seems to be a vert noisy and bustling city but still, I will keep it my bucket list.
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There’s a lot going on, and in the heat it can be overwhelming, but it’s memorable.