Your five-minute guide to Ho Chi Minh City

Get to know Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it is still known to its millions of inhabitants, one of Southeast Asia’s most frenetic cities.

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City’s (HCMC) Tan Son Nhat international airport is just eight kilometres from the city.

The cheapest and most convenient way to get to the city is by taxi; it should cost around $10.

Drivers might try to offer a higher set fare, but always ask to turn the meter on and use the Mai Linh (white and green) or Vinasun (white) taxi companies as they are the most reliable.

Getting out and about

By foot

The sites in HCMC are predominantly located within District 1, which means you can see most of it by foot. You could easily do Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum and Ben Thanh Market in one day.

By taxi

Getting around the city by taxi is reasonable. It’s around 60 cents for flag fall and 20 cents per kilometre, so a trip from Thien Hau Temple to The Independence Palace (about five kilometres) will cost you around $2.

By motorbike

Saigon’s traffic is a chaotic sea of bumper to bumper motorbikes. We don’t recommend hiring one on your own, but if you want to see Saigon on two wheels, try a guided tour with XO Tours, an all-female motorbike company whose four tours cover major sites, street food, the city by night or the best shopping spots.

By cyclo

What better way to get around than by the iconic cyclo? Sadly these three-wheeled bicycles are vanishing from the city, but if you come across a friendly cyclo driver while wandering around District 1, hire one for around $3 to $5 for an hour.

Sightseeing

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Archbishop’s Palace

Said to be the oldest house in HCMC, the Archbishop’s Palace was built in 1790 and is one of the best examples of French colonial architecture in the city.

Despite being relocated several times since it was first built (it now sits in the French Quarter) the original structure, with its tiled roof, carved wooden doors, beams and pillars, has been around for around 200 years.

Tao Dan Park

A fantastic place to people-watch, particularly in the early morning between 7am and 9am when groups of elderly gentlemen bring their pet birds in cages to ring out a collective morning symphony.

The park itself is 10 hectares of green space, with benches and pathways under shady trees – an ideal spot to cool off from the midday heat.

You’ll also spot many locals here exercising, or heading to and from the Workers’ Club, home to a clubhouse, tennis courts and an Art Deco pool.

Saigon Opera House

You haven’t done HCMC until the fat lady sings. You may walk by the Opera House on your travels, but we recommend heading inside the glorious French-style building and seeing a performance.

It hosts a variety of classical and contemporary performances throughout the year, from opera and ballet to rock concerts.

Shopping

Ben Thành Market

This is Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling central market. Pick up souvenirs, clothing, jewellery, hardware, sweets, fruit and veggies, spices… you name it, it’s here. Haggle to your heart’s content (except at the stores with ‘Fixed Price’ signage).

Vincom Center

The city’s biggest mall is divided into two buildings, with everything from Jimmy Choo to Mango, a host of eateries, a huge games centre – bumper cars, air hockey and the like – and a kids’ section called the Fairy Garden.

Dong Khoi Street

Home to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and the Opera House, this street runs for about six blocks and boasts HCMC’s more upscale and boutique shops. But it’s also a great strolling street with plenty of restaurants and cafés to stop at.

Eat & drink

Street food

You’ll find street vendors everywhere in Saigon. One of the best grab-and-go options is Bánh mì, a fresh baguette usually filled with pork or chicken, with chilli, pâté, cucumber, thin strips of pickled carrots, white radish, fresh coriander and a sprig of spring onion. Delicious!

Coffee

Since its introduction by French colonists in the 19th century, coffee has become an everyday staple for the Vietnamese. In particular, iced coffee (‘Ca phe sua da’) – which some liken to melted coffee-flavoured ice cream.

Pho

Vietnam’s unofficial national dish can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Popular places to try it include Pho 2000 (near Ben Thành Market), Pho 24 (spotted in several locations around the city), Pho Le and Pho Hoa. Or just stop by a street vendor!

Dining out

Try Hoa Túc in District 1, a modern Vietnamese restaurant in a beautiful Art Nouveau setting – they also do cooking classes; Cuc Gach Quán, a delightful family restaurant in a restored French colonial villa (the Jolie-Pitts have dined here); and the hip riverside restaurant/bar The Deck has a great courtyard, daybeds and a top cocktail and wine list – worth the 20-minute drive for a change of scenery.

Where to stay

District 1 is the place to be, home to sites such as Reunification Palace, Central Post Office, Ben Thành Market and the Jade Emperor Pagoda.

Silverland Sakyo Hotel and Spa

This hotel is just a 10-minute walk from the Opera House and even less to Vincom Shopping Center.

It has a funky Japanese-meets-Vietnamese design; each room is vibrantly styled and spacious.
There’s a rooftop jacuzzi pool with a bar, a lobby lounge and a Japanese sushi restaurant.

From $101 a night; silverlandhotels.com/silverland-sakyo-hotel-spa

New World Saigon

This hotel is superbly located, just opposite the famous Ben Thành Market, a fantastic area for walking.

The hotel itself is contemporary and elegant with two restaurants, two bars/lounges, a bakery/café, an outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court, gym and day spa.

From $167 a night; saigon.newworldhotels.com/en

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Caravelle Hotel

Possibly the city’s most iconic hotel, the Caravelle is located on Dong Khoi Street, within walking distance to the Opera House, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Central Post Office.

Built in 1959, the hotel was home to many members of the International Press Corps during the American War (it has bullet-proof glass!), with most of their work taking place at the 10th floor rooftop bar, now known as Saigon Saigon.

There are two other bars, two restaurants, a café, day spa, pool and gym.

From $258 a night; caravellehotel.com

InterContinental Saigon

Just a short stroll from the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the InterContinental is located between Nguyen Hue and Dong Khoi streets.

The modern rooms are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows and fantastic views over the city.
The hotel has three restaurants – Asian and Italian cuisine – and two bars/lounges.

From $300 a night; ihg.com

Helpful phrases

‘Hello’ = Xin chao

‘Good bye’ = Tam biet

‘Thank you’ = Cam on

‘How much?’ = Bao nhieu?

‘Where’s the… toilet?’ = Nha ve sinh… o dau?

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.