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Hotel Class: 
4 Stars - 221 Opinions
179 Le Thanh Ton St., District.1, Ho Chi Minh City, 0084, Vietnam
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of people enjoy staying here
221 Opinions
Motorbike Parking - Cannot parking anywhere
Viva Coffee
Ben Thanh Market
Augustin
Where do the locals eat in HCMC around District one and the centre? What do they eat
I guess Beef noodles and other local options. There are many restaurants around District 1 with reasonable prices and a good range of variety.
Locals eat just about any place frequented by foreigners. They always enjoy trying new foods.
But if you're asking for predominantly Vietnamese foods you can find quite a variety just about at every turn. Popular dishes are Pho (beef noodle soup), Cha Gia (spring rolls), Banh Xeo (crispy crepe filled with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, mushrooms, mung bean and onions) and local versions of curry which are especially good tasting. These are popular with almost all foreigners. You can go to Pho 2000 or Pho 24 restaurants for the soup. Pho 2000 has a great curry, whereas Pho 24 doesn't serve it. Pho 2000 is located next to the Ben Thanh Market. Spring rolls can be gotten at many locations and each place has their own version, some great, some good and some just plain lackluster. I don't recall the Banh Xeo restaurant names but if you show the spelling to a Vietnamese they can direct you to their favorite spots.
Keep in mind that 10% of the population ends up in hospitals each year from food poisoning, mostly from eating street food. And that's the reported cases. Eating from street vendors may be quaint and tasty, but serious caution is advised. I read many local articles about the dangers of street food. You can get the tastes you are desiring in cleaner restaurants, just be careful. For example, greens are washed in local tap water in many places and street vendors are notoriously unhygienic. WHO advises against using local tap water even for brushing teeth. I know one lady who contracted parasites from eating any and all street foods. It took her almost two years of treatment once she returned to the U.S. I'm not trying to ruin your vacation. I've lived here three years and have not had even one problem because I'm cautious.
There are many other foods that I don't even know the names. Some are cooked in clay pots that carmelize the ingredients, usually fish and some veggies. There is also a hot pot dish that is a favorite among VN.
The best opportunity you will have to taste local food is to befriend an English speaking Vietnamese and invite him or her for dinner at one of their favorite places. You'll enjoy the conversations about local foods as well.
Hope this helps a little.
HI! You guys can try eating at Dijon's Pizza for your snack or light dinner. They have the best pizza and pasta. If you want coffee, try TRUNG NGUYEN coffee. I love their coffee here. better than Sta---cks. believe me!. Pho24 have the best fried spring roll and pho. By the way, Trung Nguyen, Pho24 and Dijon's are near the hostels. You wont gety lost. just ask the receptionist in the hotel.happy eating!
Have you noticed how many people are waiting to meet an incoming aircraft? They wait for you to get out but hardly would allow you to pass, and if you should knock them with your luggage, god forbid, frowns are in order..
immediately, approached by taxi drivers or their agents. It is five dollars to town, but viets pay much less, by the meter it is about 40 000 dongs less than three dollars...
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While I was in Saigon for Têt I saved this calendar page to show how the Vietnamese keep their solar and lunar calendars straight.
The big section at the top is the solar date in French, Saturday, January 30, 1965. Below, in Vietnamese and Chinese, is the corresponding date on their lunar calendar: Saturday, December 28.
In a letter dated February 9, 1965 (by the solar calendar, of course) I wrote:
We had a good vacation in Saigon Jan. 31 - Feb 4. I stayed in the Hotel Dong Khanh in Cholon, the Chinese twin-city of Saigon. Did a lot of walking, writing, studying, also saw the movie version of Flower Drum Song again, this time in French.
-- For the benefit of those who are too young to remember Flower Drum Song I should explain that it was a Broadway musical by Rogers and Hammerstein set in San Francisco's Chinatown. It was later made into a film starring Nancy Kwan.
www.nancy-kwan.com/
Tipping is not really a custom for restaurants in Vietnam but of course any small amount given would always be appreciated. It is a nice idea to tip guides and drivers who might have given you good service. Do not tip too much though.
A Hiu Quan supposed to be the chinese assembly hall but this one there are actually worshiping a few Gods. The pagoda is near a school so if you visit there at the time the student finished school, you will have trouble getting in or walking out from the pagoda.
If you’re looking for original Communist propaganda posters check out the Hanoi Gallery. They have shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and the collection varies from store to store. Although, we saw a piece we liked in Hanoi and passed it up but after looking at the collection in Saigon they offered to deliver the piece we liked from Hanoi down to the Saigon store. Replicas are also available at inexpensive prices, but if you’re looking for hand painted originals expect to spend a little dough. Their collection was far better than any other “propaganda seller” we saw. Original Communist Propaganda posters as well as replicas. Originals start at about $300 US on up.
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Q: Vanilla pods "May I know where I can buy vanilla pods in Ho Chi Minh City?"
A: "I would try Benh Tanh markets: they seem to have just about everything else there. The fresh produce section is at the back."
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