AROUND HO CHI MINH CITY

Random pictures taken in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

On busy hours in HCMC, the streets are dominated by motorcycles.

The  "Khu Tay Ba Lo"  or Backpacker's area is located at the intersection of Pham Ngu Lao and De Tham streets, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam. Inexpensive guest houses or mini-hotels are located in the Pham Ngu Lao area. Tourists and locals frequent the district because of markets selling art paintings, food, clothes and souvenir items at very affordable prices. Bars are open from 6:00 P.M. til wee hours in the morning. 

A typical city walking tour usually starts with a visit to the Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office and the Saigon Opera House which showcase beautiful architecture from the French colonial period. This walking trip will give insights into the rich history, culture and the daily life activities of the locals in HCMC. 

 After the morning city tour, we took a coffee break at the Regina's Coffee, a local cafe, where you can taste authentic Vietnamese coffee. There were no Starbucks around HCMC at the time we were there, so this place is a great alternative for a quick coffee fix.

The Central Business District of HCMC ,where high-end shops are located, was decked with Halloween decors and lights; pumpkins were everywhere and we even spotted Cinderella's pretty carriage in front of the main entrance of the mall.

We had lunch at the CNSG, a traditional local restaurant, which is a place frequented by local office workers and tourists. Price is mid-range. Food:  8 out of 10 (They serve delicious local Vietnamese fare). Ambiance: 7 out of 10.

Small-scale businesses line up most of the streets in the city proper selling baskets made of straw, food, clothes, and other goodies.

In most of the streets in HCMC, tables and chairs are placed outside of the houses or small stores where the locals gather, eat or have afternoon chit-chat. This is a typical street scene  around HCMC according to the driver of the tourist bus.

Vietnamese carrying bags filled with fresh coconut juice sell their products in the streets near the opera house; Women vendors wear the iconic conical hat to protect them from the sun and rain. 

Vietnam is a country rich in history and culture. It's amazing how the local government was able to preserve old-aged buildings and their rich culture. However, skycrapers will soon dominate some key areas of the city; foreign brands are already invading the local markets,  signs that the city is now transforming into a highly urbanized country.