Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) Activities

Children need never be bored in Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh is a large city with plenty of kid-friendly activities. Of these, the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels are must-do attractions even if you don’t have kids, while in the city centre Dam Sen Water Park, Saigon Zoo and Diamond Superbowl offer great entertainment for kids.

Boat Trips
The Mekong Delta is a short trip south of Ho Chi Minh City, and a boat trip through its myriad rivers and canals is a suitable daytrip for kids. Most operations go from My Tho or Can Tho, both south of Ho Chi Minh City. Many companies also offer river cruises on the Saigon River.

Bowling
There are several good quality computerised bowling alleys in Ho Chi Minh City. The number one place is Diamond Superbowl on the fourth floor of Diamond Plaza shopping centre, which is located in the middle of the city. It has 32 lanes, some of which offer bowling by ultraviolet light, as well as a video arcade and snooker. Phone: +84 8 825 7778.

Cu Chi Tunnels
While offering kids a bit of adventure, the Cu Chi Tunnels to the north of Ho Chi Minh City are also a great educational tool. The network of tunnels was the mainstay of Viet Cong operations during the days of French Indochina and more recently the Vietnam War. Some parts go down three levels deep and include sleeping quarters, kitchens, and command rooms. Website: www.cuchitunnel.org.

Saigon Zoo
Saigon Zoo is Vietnam’s oldest and arguably its best zoo. The zoo has many interesting indigenous creatures and animals from around the world and also features many temples in its extensive grounds. In addition, Saigon Zoo has aquariums and a good museum. Website:www.saigonzoo.com.

Water Parks
Ho Chi Minh City has some excellent water parks. Although the city’s first water park, Saigon Water Park, is now closed, there are some good alternatives. Dam Sen Water Park in District 11 is the best of them with its many water slides and lifelike dinosaurs. The Space Bowl Slide is the newest attraction. Alternatives include Dai Gioi Water Park in District 5, Ocean Water Park in District 7, and Water World in District 9. Website: www.damsenwaterpark.com.vn.

Plenty of culture is on offer in Ho Chi Minh City in the form of bustling markets, insightful museums, fine pagodas and the best of nature. Ben Thanh Market is Ho Chi Minh City’s oldest and best market and a big draw for tourists, while a wander around the Fine Arts Museum, War Crimes Museum, Thien Hau Pagoda and a boat trip on the Mekong Delta are perfect eye-openers.

Ben Thanh Market
The largest old-style market in the centre of Ho Chi Minh City, with its distinctive clock tower, has hundreds of stalls and is popular with tourists and locals alike. As the market has become increasingly popular over the years, it is now split in two, with tourist souvenirs on one side and local foods and clothes on the other side. Prices on the tourist side are higher and visitors will need to haggle to get a good deal.

City Hall
Ho Chi Minh’s City Hall building is a pleasant yellow French colonial building. Although tourists can’t enter the building, it makes for a great photo at night. Found at the end of Nguyen Hue street, it is today officially known as the People's Committee Hall, but was originally the Hôtel de Ville.

Fine Arts Museum
Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum displays works by local and foreign artists on the first two floors and has many fascinating items on the third floor. Exhibits on the third floor include antiques from between the 7^th and 20^th centuries, including Champa and Oc Eo artwork, and a multitude of traditional handicrafts of the many Vietnamese ethnic groups. The museum is located on Pho Duc Chinh street in District 1.

Mekong Delta
The mighty Mekong Delta is perhaps Vietnam’s most enchanting region, complete with hundreds of miles of rivers, canals and dense jungle. Tours of the delta go from Ho Chi Minh City from where you can pick up a boat trip from the nearby towns of My Tho and Can Tho.

Thien Hau Pagoda
If you are lucky enough to be in Ho Chi Minh City in March, try and catch the Thien Hau Festival which is held in Lady Thien Hau’s honour. Apparently, the sea goddess left two giant turtles behind to look after the pagoda’s fine sculptures in the walls of the courtyard. Located on Nguyen Trai street in Cholon, Thien Hau Pagoda is open to the public.

War Crimes Museum
If you only have time for one museum, make sure it’s this one. As its title suggests, the War Crimes Museum details crimes committed during the Vietnam War. Some very explicit scenes are portrayed so the museum is not suited to young ones. Located on Vo Van Tan street, the museum is open daily. Phone: +84 8 829 5587.

Ho Chi Minh City easily has the best choice of food and eateries in Vietnam, with hundreds of delicious dishes available at a snip in the bustling markets as well as international food in a growing number of smart restaurants. Fast food is also widely available in Ho Chi Minh City, although visitors are advised to taste local foods of the region.

Vietnam has three major cuisines including those of North, Central and South regions. All can be tasted in Ho Chi Minh along with a healthy offering of French specialities left over from the colonial days. The latter can be best experienced through eating a fresh Vietnamese-style baguette with a Vietnamese coffee in De Tham street.

For an authentic Vietnamese meal, your best bet is to duck into one of the many markets in the city centre and taste the street food. The din and general activity of these busy places adds to the experience and the food is never dull, with everything from fried meats and noodles to vegetarian dishes and fruits available.

For a step up in choice and establishment, try some of the mid-range restaurants in De Tham street tourist district. There is some great Indian food here and other ethnic niceties as well as plenty of European and US choices. Vietnamese food can also be had here, although expect to pay more than at one of the local markets.

Coffee and baguettes can be had in a multitude of street-side cafés while McDonalds and Starbucks have also found their way here for those Westerners who hanker for familiarity.

Ho Chi Minh City also has a fair amount of top-end dining and new trendy places seem to be popping up all over the place. Prices reflect the quality and service but are still way below what you would pay for similar eating in the West. The main shopping malls and luxury hotels have some of the best fine dining in town, while the nearby city of Binh Quoi has some fabulous restaurants on the Saigon River.

Vegetarians are generally catered for in the markets and there are also a growing number of meat-free places in all areas of town. These restaurants have a yellow exterior and are thus easy to spot.

On the shopping front, Ho Chi Minh City has some great bargains to offer shoppers and quality items for collectors in its markets. The centrally-located Ben Thanh Market is Ho Chi Minh City’s busiest and most popular market, while Chinatown’s Cholon Market is also worth a look.

The iconic Vietnamese conical hats are best had in the handicrafts section of any market, where one can also usually find quality silk, clothing, embroidered mats, mother-of-pearl ornaments and souvenirs-galore very cheaply. As with most areas of Southeast Asia, Vietnam is also into the copied market, with pirated CDs, DVDs and even photocopied books all widely available.

There are also many glitzy air conditioned malls in Ho Chi Minh City which are ideal for cooling off in the hot and humid summer months. Diamond department store is the city’s favourite and comes with some great shopping and a range of leisure options that include bowling. Saigon Centre also has some good shopping, while Dong Khoi street is great for local handicrafts if you find the markets a bit overwhelming.

Most activities in and around Ho Chi Minh City are to do with the water. Loads of boating operations provide trips out to the Mekong Delta from the city centre, while several water parks and swimming pools are located within the city limits for those less interested in adventure but like fun nonetheless.

Beaches
The best beaches within reach of Ho Chi Minh City are a fair way out, but public transport provides easy access. Vung Tau is the closest beach at two hours away by bus, although travelling here on a boat along the Saigon River is a better choice. A farther out alternative is the popular beach resort of Mui Ne.

Boating
The Mekong Delta is a big draw for visitors to Ho Chi Minh City with many tourists using the big city as a base for visiting this amazing region. Rivers and nature reserves are ubiquitous and many agencies can arrange boating tours from Ho Chi Minh City as well as from the towns and cities amid the delta proper. My Tho and the many islands around Ben Tre are popular spots for a boat trip.

Swimming
If you’re not staying in a fancy hotel with a decent swimming pool, there are several inexpensive public pools in town that charge by the hour. Failing that, most major hotels have a pool where non-residents can gain usage upon payment of an admission fee. Of these, the Omni, Metropole, and Renaissance Riverside are among the best in town.

Water Parks
There are several water parks in Ho Chi Minh which offer fun and respite for kids during the hot summer months. Dam Sen Water Park in District 11 is the main park and has the most fun slides. It is updated regularly and features the recent Space Bowl Slide as well as a nice restaurant. Saigon Water Park - Ho Chi Minh’s first water park - is now closed, but there are alternatives in districts 5, 7, and 9.