8 weekend things to do in Saigon

Watch my interview with Huy and Bao of Leiden Homestay on TikTok (link here)

Today’s article is going to be a bit different. It’s written by a Vietnamese local who runs a boutique hotel in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

His name is Huy. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his business partner / brother, whose name is “Bao”, in January 2024.

It started when I was trying to find a cafe for remote work. Leiden Homestay & Cafe was recommended to me on Google Search and, following my instincts, I found the charming boutique hotel in a backstreet of “Pham Ngu Lao” neighbourhood in District 1.

Huy and Bao are sincere and hardworking. I got to know their way of thinking through conversations both on-camera and off-camera. From Day 1, they were there to build Leiden’s brand.

Now, it welcomes guests from all over the world in its premium-style rooms.

Last updated

August 31, 2024
11:16 pm

Garry Ho

Garry was born in Hong Kong but moved to Sydney, Australia at an early age.

Huy from Leiden Homestay

After this section, you will be reading writing from Huy! But first, check-out the interior of one of Leiden Homestay’s family rooms. Their amenities are modern and eye-catching.

I was most impressed with their hospitality towards each of their guests. The photo board is filled with fond memories.

Leiden’s Instagram: link here.

Family room at Leiden Homestay.

Huy's thoughts begin

Note that the photos are only very loosely related to the written content. They were taken by Garry during his stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

Hop into a Saigon coffee shop

Coffee culture in Saigon is massive, it’s practically a way of life. A day doesn’t start right without a cà phê sữa đá which is a Vietnamese coffee mix with condensed milk.

From morning till night, coffee shops are always busy. Students study, freelancers work, and friends catch up. For people around my age (Gen Z), it’s all about snapping pics and enjoying the vibe of each coffee shop they go to every week.

Coffee culture in Saigon

Go to Dim Sum

Dimsum is another huge part of Saigonese life, at least to me it is. Every weekend morning in District 5 which is the Chinatown area, you can’t even find a Chinese restaurant that’s empty. Everywhere is packed with families enjoying their dimsum, spending their quality time with each other and good food. Some of my favorite places to go are:

Family owned restaurant: https://g.co/kgs/daahK3R

Big franchise that was featured in Michelin guide 2023: https://g.co/kgs/A62F4Sr

Unique urban architecture in Ho Chi Minh City

Local businesses in Saigon in 2024.

Visit the cinema

Weekends in Saigon mean family time, and for many, that includes a trip to the movies or theater. Vietnam offers plenty of options, but CGV and BHD are the top picks. If you are looking for a cinema to enjoy movies while you are here, these spots won’t disappoint.

One of my recommended cinema spots: https://g.co/kgs/z21yjd2

CGV Cinema in Crescent Mall District 7 Saigon

CGV cinema in District 7’s Crescent Mall.

Nightlife in Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon’s nightlife is alive and kicking, offering something for everyone. Bui Vien Street is where the action happens, this is one of the walking streets in District 1 but none like the others. It’s known as the party street in my city.

Bui Vien has a little bit of everything for everybody, from bars, acoustic music, clubs to street food stalls you can see along the side of the road . If you want to have a crazy night on your trip to Saigon, you definitely have to check out Bui Vien street.

With markets open in the morning and bars, club open at night, Saigon seems to never sleep to me.

party scene in Bui Vien Ho Chi Minh City

Bui Vien Pedestrian walking street.

Buy groceries

Saigon is well known for its market, from the iconic Ben Thanh market to small markets you can find anywhere in the city. Locals and visitors always visit there for fresh produce, aromatic spices, clothes and unique finds.

While daily grocery shopping is routine, weekends offer a delightful twist. To my family and a lot of other Saigonese, we enjoy escaping the heat by browsing big supermarkets, a cool and relaxing alternative that adds to the city’s charm.

When you’re here, you can’t miss the massive supermarkets like Coopmart, Big C, and Lotte, they’re everywhere. Whether you’re in need of groceries or household essentials, these retail giants have got you covered.

For groceries shopping, this spot is a vibe: https://g.co/kgs/x4bAPRd

Ben Thanh Market, fantastic for shopping and eating.

Walking in the park

In Saigon, early morning workouts are common, especially among elders who frequent the city’s parks, they usually start their work out at 4am. Particularly noteworthy are when you visit parks in the morning you will see groups of 20-30 people dancing and exercising together. This adds a unique charm to Saigon’s parks.

These green spaces, both large and small, will offer you a refreshing escape from the heat of Sai Gon.

Tao dan Park: https://g.co/kgs/pTzYjpU

Le Thi Rieng Cultural Park: https://g.co/kgs/d9b1Jgd

Ho Chi Minh City Opera House and other buildings

Different styles of architecture in Ho Chi Minh City.

Shopping for clothes in Saigon

For me, who’s really into fashion and trendy clothes, on weekends I really love to go to clothing stores or malls with my friends. Sometimes it is just for window shopping but getting to know what’s on trend right now is really fascinating to me.

In Vietnam we have a term called “local brand” which means it’s just local brands for clothing that are made in Vietnam and by Vietnamese , because unlike other countries, we have hundreds to thousands of clothing brands growing from 2017 till now.

There’s a spot called “The new playground” which is a basement that combines different clothing brands into one place. If you are into fashion like i do, The new playground is the place you must visit when you come to Saigon.

The new playground: https://g.co/kgs/yHT5aUS

Travelling around on motor bike is most popular. Statue of Ho Chi Minh.

Spa in the weekend

To me there’s nothing more relaxing than going to the spa on Sunday morning after hours i’ve worked during the week. Especially when there’s a really good spa where I stayed in District 1 that one of my homestay guests recommended to me and since then it’s been my go-to place once every 2 weeks to have a foot or body massage. When you travel so much for weeks, massage must be the one thing that you really want to have. If you want to have one, consider my spot. One more plus point for a massage in Saigon is that not too many Vietnamese locals go to spa and massage, so every spa in the city is usually not that crowded. You can come any time and all of them have good prices. Florist spa that I usually go to: https://g.co/kgs/CVNLP9G

There are massage and spa services almost everywhere in the city.

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My name is Garry Ho, I’m the founder.
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Garry Ho

Huy from Leiden Homestay

Huy's recommendations for weekend activities in Saigon

Huy's thoughts begin