Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Ho Chi Minh City, which most locals still call Saigon, runs on sheer energy. Motorbikes fill every lane, street vendors grill meat on the kerb, and the smell of strong Vietnamese coffee mixes with freshly baked baguettes. French colonial buildings with pastel facades stand next to glass towers, making every block feel like two different cities. The War Remnants Museum is sobering but worth your time. Cholon, the old Chinatown, has golden pagodas and narrow alleys hiding Thien Hau Temple. Street food is the real draw. Grab a banh mi, a bowl of pho, or a crispy banh xeo from a roadside stall. Ben Thanh Market sells silk, lacquerware, and handicrafts for souvenirs. Metered Yellow Cabs are the most reliable way to get around. Carry small denominations of Vietnamese dong, though US dollars are widely accepted.