Ho Chi Minh
This city has incredible energy! I love the rich culture, the people and wonderful cafe shops! The sounds of motorbikes, cafe sua da and beautiful scenery is what makes Ho Chi Minh so vibrant! This photo of the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon is a place that holds dear to my heart. My family and I used to go there every Sunday and then we would go for lunch afterwards. I am so happy to share with you all my favorite spots in my hometown! I feel very lucky to have grown up in Vietnam! I am confident you will love this city as much as I do!
MY TRAVEL GUIDE: HO CHI MINH
- All
- DINING
- ACCOMMODATION
- EXPERIENCES
- WELLNESS
- SHOP
ACCOMMODATION, DINING
HOTEL DES ARTS SAIGON M GALLERY
76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dist.3 Ho Chi Minh City
www.hoteldesartssaigon.com
(+84) 28 3989 8888
Cafe Des Beaux Arts and Social Club Rooftop bar are two of my favorite spots in M Gallery. This hotel is beautiful. My family loves to dine here for lunch. There is a great upscale buffet at the Social Club Restaurant. The food is amazing and is a great place to take photos. There is so much beauty and elegance in this hotel. Cafe Des Beaux Arts has great coffee and breakfast. I like to read the newspaper and edit my blog post when I am eating breakfast here! Such a cosy and fashionable cafe to do some work. My creativity starts flowing the minute I enter this place. The rooftop bar has one of the best skyline views of Saigon. The DJ and music is incredible! You cannot leave M Gallery without going to the rooftop bar! There is always a fashionable crowd and such great energy!
ACCOMMODATION, DINING, EXPERIENCES
VILLA SONG THAO DIEN
197/2 Nguyen Van Huong Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, HCMC, Vietnam
villasong.com
+84-28-3744 6090
This hotel is located by the Saigon River and a couple of mins away from my home. I like going to Bistro Song Vie for breakfast. I recommend the Chicken Pho and Cafe Sua Da! There are other great dishes too but I always seem to order the same thing! It’s just so delicious! I like to sit outside when I am having my breakfast. I love looking at the river while I enjoy my Pho! This spot is very sentimental to me because my family and I celebrated most of my birthdays here. I used to come here often after school to go swimming and to play outside at their courtyard. The security guards still remember me when I visit. They practically saw me grow up! I am tearing up a bit as I write this! Such wonderful memories with my friends and family at this restaurant located inside Villa Song.
DINING
PIZZA 4PS
48/01 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
pizza4ps.com
+84 1900 6043
You will never find Italian-Japanese pizza as good as this place! I do not like Western pizza so much! Because I grew up in Vietnam, my taste palette is accustomed more to Asian flavors than Western. My favorite thing to order is the Salmon Miso Pizza and Crab Tomato Cream Pasta! It is such a classic dish and you will never go wrong with it. In fact, those two dishes are what made Pizza 4Ps famous in Vietnam when they first opened! All my friends from high school were telling me how great this place was! I also really like the fact that their menus are not the typical restaurant menu in laminated paper. Their menus look like high-end fashion magazines. The food photography is stunning and I like the beautiful fonts on the menu! It's little details like this that make a huge difference. I definitely notice it and it makes the whole dining experience very curated and upscale! I love it!
DINING
KATINAT SAIGON KAFE
91 Đ. Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 70000, Vietnam
katinat.vn
+84 28 3825 6679
Mac Thi Buoi and Dong Khoi street have the best coffee shops! I absolutely love having my Vietnamese Iced coffee at Katinat Saigon. It’s right in the center of the city and you will see many tourists and locals walking nearby. This cafe is the epitome of Vietnamese coffee culture. There are plastic tables and chairs outside for you to sit and enjoy. You will see a lot of motorbikes! I recommend the classic Vietnamese iced coffee and the Dark Choco coffee. I like spending my day here when I am not too busy so I can fully enjoy and be in the moment! If Katinat coffee is too strong for you, there is Phuc Long cafe right next door. Phuc Long has sweeter drinks like milk teas and matcha lattes.
EXPERIENCES, WELLNESS
L’APOTHIQUIAIRE SPA
64A Trương Định, Võ Thị Sáu, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
spa-lapothiquaire.vn
+84 28 3932 5181
There is an element of “art of relaxing” and” living in the moment” when you go to a spa in Ho Chi Minh City. I never feel rushed and the service is always impeccable. One of my favorite spas in Ho Chi Minh is the L’Apothiquiaire Spa. This spa is housed in a restored-century old French townhouse.The building is stunning and I love that there is a vintage car parked right at the entrance! Each treatment room is beautifully decorated and smells like lavender and eucalyptus. There are many tasteful antiques around the building! There is also a swimming pool where you can go before or after your treatment. I normally come here for massages and always book the treatment room upstairs. My favorite treatment room has a jacuzzi and old-fashioned claw bathtub! It makes the whole experience very fun and old-hollywood. La Maison de L’Apothiquaire also offers facials and has a wonderful selection of products which you can shop at the reception area. I always look forward to making a trip to this spa when I return home.
DINING, EXPERIENCES
SWEET + SOUR BAKERY
9 Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
www.sweetandsour.vn
+84 28 3519 1568
This is my childhood! I used to go here after school and buy a pack of 6 cupcakes to share with my friends! I would order the Red Velvet, Smores, Passion Fruit, Lime Coconut, Ganache and Salted Caramel. It was such a treat and delight! I would always look forward to having cupcakes and an iced cappuccino for a nice afterschool snack and then go home and do my homework. The store is adorable. If you’ve watched Father of the Bride, then this is the equivalent of “Babyland!” You will have such a blast here with your friends and family! The cupcakes are also sold at L’usine cafe.
ACCOMMODATION, DINING
PARK HYATT SAIGON AFTERNOON TEA
2 Lam Son Square Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/vietnam/park-hyatt-saigon/saiph
+84 28 3824 1234
The atmosphere of this place is the epitome of elegance and class. I love dining at the Park Lounge. I feel like it’s my second office! It’s a wonderful place for having coffee, meeting friends and business gatherings. You definitely must try their famous Afternoon Tea. The patisseres are presented on an elegant tiered stand. Tea is served on beautiful Hanoia Lacquer trays. There are scones, fruit tartlets, mini desserts and your choice of tea. I enjoy having my afternoon tea here because it’s just simply an amazing experience. There is so much artistry, color and grace when you dine here. During the evening time there is a pianist and vocalist duo. I recommend you not only come to the Park Lounge for Afternoon Tea but also for evening snacks and drinks! I will not be surprised if you meet a lot of Vietnamese artists and celebrities here! You will have a fantastic time!
DINING, SHOP
L’UISINE THAO DIEN
24 Đ. Thảo Điền, Thảo Điền, Quận 2, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam
lusinespace.com
+84 28 3898 9111
I am so excited that L’usine opened their new cafe in my district! L’usine cafe serves as a source of inspiration for all my creative ideas! From my fashion blog, to my travel guide and future blog posts. Everything has stemmed from this place. L’usine just gives me a lot of great creative energy and I am so thankful for it! There is a shop upstairs with an amazing selection of clothes, luxury designer candles and jewelry. Staff are always so kind and courteous. They strive to make sure you have a good experience. This is the reason why I keep coming back! Their menu changes seasonally so you will never get bored. I enjoy their weekend brunch as well!