Travelista Diary

Saigon is known for it's beautiful French colonial architecture and delicious food.  My love for Vietnamese cuisine and all things pretty has brought me here. Thanks to promo fares! Scored the cheapest round trip ticket from Manila via Cebu Pacific for only Php 1,200.
Spent a total of Php 9,000/2 pax  for 3 days including hotel, tours, food & transportation.  It's definitely one of the cheapest cities to visit in Southeast Asia. Three days should be enough to enjoy Saigon. The detailed itinerary is attached below. 




STAY

• Yellow Saigon House - modern, affordable & they offer free breakfast 

SEE

• Notre Dame Cathedral 
• Old Post Office
• Saigon Opera House
• Reunification Palace
• Dong Khoi Road
• Cu Chi Tunnel 
• Mekong Delta River 
• Ben Than Market  

RESTAURANTS & COFFEE HOUSE

• Cuc Gach Quan Restaurant 
• LemonGrass
• Nhà Hàng Ngon,  160 Pasteur Road 
• Lady Lunch Phường (from Anthony Bourdain's No reservations) 
• L’Usine
• Trung Nguyen Coffee House
• Phúc Long

FOOD 

• Banh xeo -  Vietnamese crepe
• Gỏi cuốn – some of the best known Vietnamese food, summer rolls
• Cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk)
• Cà phê đen đá (iced black coffee)
• Cà phê sữa nóng (hot coffee with sweetened condensed milk)
• Cà phê đen nóng (hot black coffee)

Things to remember:

• Choose a hotel in District 1.
• Some people do speak English but a lot more don't.
• Tours can be booked thru your hotel.
• Taxi is cheap. Avoid getting scammed, Vinasun is the most reliable operator. 

Day 1 - Everything is within walking distance

The Famous Notre Dame Cathedral

Saigon Central Post Office   Our hotel room - Modern, Clean & Super affordable Php 1,000/night | Yellow Saigon House image via booking Free breakfast - Money saver!

Lunch at Nha Hang Ngon - everything for Php 460!!!

Dong Khoi Road their version of Rodeo Drive

Mekong Delta River ($21/pax with free lunch)

Cu Chi Tunnel ($12 for the tour no free lunch make sure to bring some snacks)  The amazing underground tunnel built by the Vietnamese soldiers

L'USINE Le Loi

Beautiful lifestyle cafe

pretty  pattern

Millionaire for a day!

The crazy traffic

Across Ben Than Market

River Cruise

Mekong Delta River Tour with free lunch. Delicious!

Motorbike everywhere

so laid back

Authentic Vietnamese Iced Coffee

Pasalubong

Chilling like a local

Banh Mi

District 1