What to do in the South of Vietnam during your trip ?

I’ve decided to write 3 separate travel guides on Vietnam to give you as much detail as possible about the country : the centre, the north and the south of Vietnam. Before getting to the heart of the matter, here’s some practical information to help you prepare for your trip to Vietnam.

Visit the south of Vietnam

Ho-Chi-Minh

To kick off my trip to the south of Vietnam, what better way than to visit the country’s largest city, with over 9 million inhabitants. Once known as Saigon, this dynamic city still retains memories of its colonial period, making it a rich and contrasting metropolis. I’d advise you to stay just 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City if you want to see the main sights. There are also temples and museums that I didn’t visit due to lack of time. But if you’re interested, you can easily take 1 or 2 extra days.

What to do in Ho Chi Minh ?

Ben Thanh market :

Located right in the heart of the city, the Ben Thanh market is a must-see. You’ll find plenty of souvenirs, clothes and accessories at rock-bottom prices. Don’t forget that all the prices advertised are negotiable ! Personally, I start negotiating by dividing the advertised price by 3. I recommend stopping at the nut and dried fruit stalls, where you can eat delicious lotus seeds or huge cashew nuts.

The War Museum :

This museum is reputed to be one of the most interesting in the world. But be warned, this visit may offend sensitive souls. You’ll find remnants of American armoured vehicles, as well as real-life reconstructions of prisons and torture facilities, photos of massacres, and so on. This visit can be quite trying, but it truly reflects the reality of the Vietnam War. It is very interesting for understanding the country’s history.

💰 Admission costs 40,000VND (€1.50).

The colonial quarter :

This district reflects Vietnam’s historical and cultural heritage. Today, you’ll mainly find luxury shops here, but I still recommend a visit to admire the old Central Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Opera House.

Where to eat/drink in Ho Chi Minh ?

The specialities of Vietnam are different in the north and the south. However, you can easily find two typical southern Vietnamese dishes in small local restaurants.

• Banh Xeo (or Vietnamese pancakes) : a pancake usually filled with pork and prawns.
• Banh Mi : a tasty sandwich on baguette bread.

I discovered Quan Bui, a restaurant that I particularly liked (I’ve been back 5 times) and for which I insist you try the tofu with mushrooms, even if you think you don’t really like it (which was my case, before I tried this marvel). Of all the dishes I tried, everything was excellent and very reasonably priced (around €5 a dish).

For those who want a change from local dishes, I recommend Pizza 4P. They have several restaurants in Vietnam, particularly in Ho-Chi-Minh. The pizzas are cooked over a wood fire and use quality produce! But be warned, their prices are practically European.

If you’re looking for a nice rooftop with a view of the city and affordable prices, I recommend Café des Stagiaires. It’s a bit out of the way, but the setting is nice and I was even able to enjoy the view of the fireworks to celebrate the New Year thanks to the unobstructed view of the buildings.

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh ?

• If you’re only staying one night in Ho Chi Minh, I’d advise you to sleep in district 1. This will allow you to visit as many sights and restaurants as possible within walking distance. Jan Hostel Central Point offers excellent value for money and is ideally located. You’ll get a 30m2 room, king-size bed and breakfast for around €30.
• If you’re staying a little longer, I’d recommend moving further out to Thao Dien, an expat neighbourhood. It’s much quieter than the city centre, which is great if you want to go for a walk. You’ll also find plenty of restaurants and cafés. I found an apartment-hotel, the SQ Thao Dien, very modern with a rooftop swimming pool and an affordable price in a quiet street, but within walking distance of restaurants.

Travelling in the South of Vietnam : what to do ?

The next stop I’d recommend is Can The. To get there, take a sleeper bus or mini-bus from the centre of Ho Chi Minh. It takes between 3.5 and 4 hours to get there and costs around €8-9 a ticket. I took the Vu Linh Limousine company and the journey went very well, with a stop halfway at a restaurant/grocery shop where you can use the toilets.

What to do in Can Tho ?

The Floating Market :

A visit to the floating market is a must in Can Tho as it is the most famous market in the Mekong Delta. I chose to take the tour via Homestay Song Ngu (see below), whose price was really competitive (around €40 per person) and the reviews excellent.

The meeting point was set for 5am and I set off by boat with my guide, Anne, who is adorable and speaks very good French. We first went to a small local floating market, where we had a typical Vietnamese breakfast (noodle soup) and coffee. Anne explained to me that the large floating market in Can Tho was a wholesale market, intended solely for resellers, in particular the small grocery shops that can be seen along the roads. But Covid has decimated this market and there are fewer and fewer traders…

After this gourmet stopover, we headed for the main market via a small river to enjoy the arms of the Mekong. Once there, I was surprised by the large number of boats. We just ate some small cakes that we picked up there, but there was nothing specific to see.

We then headed off to a traditional rice noodle factory. It was a quick visit, but very interesting. We then headed back to our last stop, a large fruit and vegetable garden where we were able to sample some fruit on the spot. We returned to the Guesthouse at around 10.30-11am.

Where to stay in Can Tho ?

I highly recommend staying at Homestay Song Ngư, as the owner Cindy is really lovely and there are lots of activities on offer. The environment is calm as the hotel is located by the river and therefore far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The restaurant is excellent and Cindy offers a very affordable cooking class.

I recommend spending 2 days in Can Tho, which is more than enough time to visit the surrounding area. It’s important to remember that Can Tho is a large city (1.8 million inhabitants). So if you’re looking for peace and quiet, I’d advise you to stay on the outskirts.

Where to eat in Can Tho ?

For those who like to cook, I recommend Cindy‘s cooking class mentioned above! If ever there was a cooking class to do in Vietnam, this is it. You’ll go shopping at the market (depending on your tastes) with the owners before getting in front of the stove. For my part, we cooked two typical Vietnamese dishes : Banh Xéo and nems. It was really delicious and a lot of fun. The course and meal cost €10 per person.

Phu Quoc in the South of Vietnam

The next stage of my itinerary takes me to the island of Phu Quoc, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Vietnam. Located next to Cambodia, you can get there by plane from Ho Chi Minh (40-minute flight) or by bus and ferry from Can Tho. I really liked the heavenly feel of this island, which is much calmer and more relaxing, with wide beaches and stunning sunsets 🔥 !

What to do in Phu Quoc, the South of Vietnam ?

Starfish beach :

Located in the north of the island, you can see lots of starfish while swimming. I went by scooter to the indicated beach, thinking I’d end up walking, but the path to where all the starfish are located was completely closed. In fact, you have to pay for a boat (100,000 per person) to get to another small beach accessible only by sea. You can still see a few without taking the boat, but there are far more of them on this small, unspoilt beach.

⚠️ Reminder : starfish are living marine creatures, not toys, and must not be taken out of the water.

I really liked the little beach, which was very quiet and unspoilt. Please note, there is no restaurant, just a small snack bar if you want to buy a drink.

Pepper farm :

On the way back from the beach, I stopped at a pepper farm. The visit costs VDN 70,000 per person (€3) with a tasting at the end. It was quick but interesting and the pepper was of great quality. I was also able to try out the farm’s restaurant, which was very good and inexpensive.

Nuoc Mam factory :

I visited the small Huynh Khoa Fish Sauce Factory, which was a very quick but free visit, with a tasting at the end. Even though the explanations only last 5 minutes, it was quite interesting to see how it’s made. Don’t hesitate to buy a small bottle to thank them for the visit 😇.

Suoi Tranh waterfall :

Easily accessible by scooter and VND30,000 (€1.20) the entrance, it will take 20-30 minutes of climbing to reach this waterfall. The path is fairly simple and well signposted. The gardens are well kept and the setting is very pleasant. However, I was disappointed because the water flow was really weak. In fact, in January, I was in the middle of the dry season! No regrets though, it’s a nice change from the beaches and gives you a chance to get some exercise.

Phu Quoc cable car :

In the south of the island, you’ll find the world’s largest cable car (almost 8km), which will take you to the water park on Hon Thom Island. It costs 650,000 VND per person (around €25), takes around 25 minutes and includes entry to the Sun World water park.

Where to eat in Phu Quoc ?

I recommend taking a stroll through the night market, located in the centre of town. You’ll find plenty of street-food stalls, grills and seafood restaurants. Also, Tween’s Kitchen offers succulent dishes at very reasonable prices. Even a bottle of wine is €6 🤪.

If you’re looking for dinner for a special occasion, the OKU restaurant at the Regent is really top notch! The restaurant has won numerous awards. Chef Andy and his team will prepare Japanese-French dishes before your very eyes. I enjoyed it from start to finish. This will also be an opportunity to visit this sublime hotel 🤩.

Where to stay in Phu Quoc ?

For those on a budget, I recommend Sealight Villa and House Phu Quoc. Around €20 a night with breakfast, swimming pool and direct access to the beach. What’s more, the bedding is top-notch, which is quite rare in cheap hotels in Vietnam.

If you’re looking for a more upmarket hotel, I’d recommend the Cassia Cottage. I stayed there for 4 nights and the setting was great as it’s right on the beach. There are 3 swimming pools (one of which is adult only) and happy hour every day in the hotel bar. The restaurant was also really delicious.

For bigger budgets, I recommend the magnificent InterContinental Phu Quoc. It’s located a little further south on the island and the beach is very quiet and almost private ! The various restaurants are delicious and the choice varied. The room was magnificent and I really liked the large bath overlooking the palm trees.

I hope I’ve helped you organise your trip to the South of Vietnam and answered your questions about <strong>what to do in Vietnam. Enjoy your trip ❤️. If you like Asia, take a look at our articles on Thailand or my 10-day itinerary in Laos !

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