Most people are under the impression that Ho Chi Minh City is a rough-and-tumble sort of place, best experienced with both feet planted firmly on the ground.
That’s one way to see it, sure, but visitors would do well to remember that the city is in a constant state of evolution. Indeed, it is still developing and reinventing itself to cater to all sorts of travelers, and it is doing so in a dizzyingly quick pace.
Life is largely simple in this part of the world, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be left wanting of highbrow experiences here. Live the high life for a weekend by booking a Traveloka Ho Chi Minh City combo tour, and allow us to introduce you to some of the city’s most luxurious experiences:
Check into an amazing hotel
Start your Ho Chi Minh City holiday off in style by checking into The Reverie Saigon, voted one of the Top 20 Hotels in Asia by readers of Condé Nast Traveler in 2018 and #1 in Vietnam in 2017. Located on the topmost floors of the Times Square tower in District 1, The Reverie sets itself apart from other hotels in the city by leaning fully into opulence. The décor is guided by a haute Italian design aesthetic that doesn’t hold back on its use of Murano glass and marble. Down on street level, a fleet of luxury vehicles that include a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce limited edition Phantom Dragon can pick you up from the airport and take you anywhere you’d like to go in the city. Even the in-room toiletries are made by designer brands Acqua di Parma and Hermés.
Aside from the truly excellent spa and the magnificent pool, The Reverie Saigon goes the extra mile for their guests by offering private guided tours of Ho Chi Minh City, depending on what you’d like to see or do during your holiday. Their Sampling Saigon package includes a day out with MasterChef Vietnam’s Chef Luke Nguyen to sample Ho Chi Minh City’s best bites. The Pearls of Saigon package, on the other hand, introduces guests to the city’s eclectic art scene with a visit to the Duc Minh private gallery and a five-course lunch at the exclusive Salon Saigon. Finally, the Cruising Saigon package begins with a sunset picnic cruise on the Saigon River before an exciting four-hour “Saigon After Dark” tour led by leading tour group Vespa Adventures.
Shop premium brands at Dong Khoi
Duong Dong Khoi has been known as Ho Chi Minh City’s most glamorous street since the days of the French occupation, when it was still called rue Catinat. It is home to several well-known colonial landmarks, including the hotels Continental and Majestic, the Saigon Opera House, and the Central Post Office building, which was designed by Gustav Eiffel, the same man who designed Paris’ Eiffel Tower. Today, it is a major shopping destination that caters to both the elite and the masses. Here, Louis Vuitton, Hermés, Bottega Veneta, and Dior shopfronts stand as next door neighbors to budget stores, independent clothing boutiques, and small art galleries.
Have dinner at the city’s best restaurants
The hottest dinner ticket in Ho Chi Minh City as of right now is Vietnam House, presided over by celebrity chef Luke Nguyen, best known for being one of the judges of MasterChef Vietnam. The WMC Group-restaurant is located in the same colonial building that formerly housed the famous Café L’Imperial in the early 1900s, a popular hangout back then among the city’s well-heeled upper class. The esteemed chef serves contemporary Vietnamese dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Make sure to stop by around noon on a weekday to see what’s for lunch (the menu changes every day), or go all out with three of your closest friends for a family-style set dinner banquet.
Equally well-recommended is Jardin des Sens, created by twin chefs with three Michelin stars between them, Jacques and Laurent Pourcel. Housed in a French-colonial era villa, the brothers offer their take on Mediterranean French gastronomy with a focus on playfulness and whimsicality to create dishes that surprise and delight their diners.
There’s also Noir. Dining in The Dark, a unique restaurant concept that encourages patrons to consume their food without the benefit of sight. Its proprietors believe that by taking away one of the five senses sighted people typically rely on, the other four are heightened and diners can better experience their food. Reservations are highly encouraged.
Take in a show at the Saigon Opera House
The historic Saigon Opera House has seen plenty of change since it was opened on New Year’s Day of the year 1900. The 119-year-old theater was first built as a venue to entertain French colonists and was designed in the ostentatious style of the French Third Republic, with ornate reliefs and inscriptions built into a façade inspired by the Petit Palais in Paris. It was damaged during the Second World War and was converted into a refugee center for French civilians pouring into Saigon from the Northern Areas of Vietnam. After the war, restoration efforts brought life back into the Opera House, and it briefly functioned as the seat of the Lower House assembly of the Republic of Vietnam. Finally, after the fall of Saigon in 1975, it returned to its original function as a performance space and theater.
Today, the Opera House is still used for ballet, opera, modern dance, and musical performances. One of the most popular shows is the AO Show by Lune Production, a one-of-a-kind visual and auditory spectacle that portrays village and city life in modern Vietnam—performed by dancers, acrobats, circus artists and theater actors. Tickets for the show can be bought on the Lune Production website.
Go on a private Mekong River cruise
No trip to Ho Chi Minh City is complete without exploring the Mekong Delta. Make sure to bring a bit of flair into the experience by hiring a private longtail sampan to navigate the river delta’s narrow waterways in comfort as you take in the sights and sounds of life as it’s lived along the banks of the Mekong River.
Learn more about the region’s customs, tradition and culture from your local guide as your boat drifts along the gently meandering river while snacking on local tropical fruits and delicacies before heading to a traditional Mekong restaurant for lunch. Moreover, allow yourself to be soothed by the lush greenery of the rural areas before heading back into the city after your journey.
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most dynamic places in Vietnam that offers endless delights for high rollers and budget travelers alike. We hope our suggestions have inspired you to see this beautiful city for yourself!