Located in the south, Ho Chi Minh (originally Saigon) is Vietnam's largest city.
Things to do
War Remnant Museum
Located in District 3, the museum has exhibits from the Indochina War as well as the Vietnam War. Although there's hints of anti-American propaganda, the museum offers tons of information about the wars and the impact it had. It's very eye-opening to learn about what happened during the war as well as the aftermath of it. The museum is mostly pictures, but also has war artifacts, historical armoury and vehicles. There's an entrance fee of 15,000 dong.
Cu Chi Tunnels
Head to either the Ben Dinh or Ben Duoc tunnels. These tunnels are located away from the city and takes around 2 hours to get to them. They're definitely worth to visit if you're interested in learning more about the war. There's an entrance fee of 90,000 dong.
Ben Thanh Market
Head here if you're looking to get some shopping done. Just note that the vendors can get really aggressive, so only go if you're going to buy. It's hard to window shop there without feeling pressured to buy something. During the day, the market is indoors where there are tons of stalls selling clothing, trinkets and food. At night, the market is outdoors.
Please note that the coffee and tea sold there may be fake. If you're looking to buy coffee, it might be better to go to a reputable coffee shop like Highlands Coffee or Trung Nguyen. It's pretty affordable too.
Saigon Square
If you're looking to shop for clothing, head to Saigon Square. It's just a few minutes from Ben Thanh Market. It offers more westernized clothing that you can wear on an everyday basis.
Notre-Dame Basilica
Located downtown, Notre-Dame Basilica is a French-built Catholic Cathedral. Head here if you're interested in neo-Romanesque architecture.
Central Post Office
Located across from the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Central Post Office is worth a look for it's architecture. It can easily be mistaken for an old train station. Drop by if you're looking to send some postcards home!
Where to Eat
Bui Vien Street
Located in the backpacker's area, Bui Vien Street has tons of restaurants, cafes and bars. If you're looking for something more local, head to one of the side streets along Bui Vien. There will be stalls in the alleyways offering delicious foods.
5KU Station
Meat + BBQ = Happiness. If you're looking for a place to grill your own meats, head to 5KU Station. Order different meats off the BBQ section. There are some exotic meats if you're adventurous. You'll have a small coal BBQ at your tables so you can grill your own meat. It's a fun way to spend the night. It was 125,000 dong for one dish of meat. It doesn't come with a carb dish, so we ended up ordering fries to fill us up.
Where to stay
Saigon Inn
We didn't stay here, but we went to their rooftop bar. But they have pretty good reviews. They offer private rooms as well as dorms. It offers free breakfast as well. It's $8 USD for a dorm.
If you're interested in the rooftop bar, you need to pay 100,000 dong in advance and it sorta works off the tab. Draft beer was 25,000 dong.