Have a sip of morning coffee
Drinking coffee in the morning has become a way of life for the Saigonese. Step out to meet the early risers who enjoy sipping hot coffee and chatting with their peers on plastic stools on the sidewalks before the city awakes and the traffic takes over.
A cup of black or white coffee, the city's beverages of choice, ranges from VND10,000 to VND15,000.
Walk around Vietnamese markets and try to bargain
Walking around a Vietnamese market is a complete sensual experience — the smells, the noises and, especially, the weird and wonderful sights. There are pig heads, mounds of colourful fruits, bushels of herbs, trays of freshly caught fish and so much more.
Grab a taste of nightlife
Take a stroll down the city’s popular walking streets, Nguyen Hue and Bui Vien, where the party goes on until most parts of the city fall asleep.
Put on your coolest outfit and wander into a world of beer clubs, bars, pubs and coffee shops, while shaking up the night to loud music, blinking lights and cheering revelers. This is a version of Saigon you will not see during the day with a frenzied and excited atmosphere.
Own the mike at a Vietnamese karaoke club
It’s hard to know what karaoke represents to the Vietnamese until you have been in one of their late-night karaoke bars. Prepare for an unusual experience. Karaoke bars in Ho Chi Minh City are private rooms where you have full control of what you sing. If you have Vietnamese friends along, expect an earful of stirring romantic ballads.
Rent and ride motorbikes in Saigon
Driving a motorbike is one of the great joys of living in Saigon. The millions of two-wheeled smog factories congesting the streets are the machinery of this enigmatic city — the blood pulsing through the veins of this smoky organism.
However, Be careful! Just go when you can, don’t go when you cannot.