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A night view of a brightly lit, yellow historical building with a clock tower on the left, contrasted against modern skyscrap
A night view of a brightly lit, yellow building with a clock tower on the left, contrasted against modern skyscrapers with blue lighting on the right. 

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

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We travelled to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam in October 2025. This city is seriously something else. It’s the beating heart of modern Vietnam, and honestly, you feel that energy everywhere you turn. It’s steeped in history, blending these old roots with this incredible modern rush. If you’re wondering what it’s like, it’s never quiet!

The Hustle and Bustle

The sheer life in this place is overwhelming—in the best way possible. At night, the streets are alive, buzzing with people, motorbikes, and vendors going on almost until closing time. It’s this beautiful, unstoppable movement.

I spent time walking Nguyen Hue Walking Street, and it was amazing to see the city from our hotel terrace, watching all the action unfold below. It’s a real slice of modern Vietnamese life in motion.

A high-angle night shot of a dense urban environment, likely a Southeast Asian city such as Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The foreground is dominated by older, lower-rise buildings with weathered concrete and corrugated metal roofs. Two distinct streets converge in the midground, illuminated by streetlights and the colorful lights of street vendors and small shops. The background is filled with modern high-rise buildings, including a tall cylindrical skyscraper on the left and a large commercial building with a blue neon logo on the right. The sky is dark with a visible light pollution haze.
A high-angle night shot of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from the terrace of our hotel
A black and white photograph taken at night on an urban sidewalk. The perspective is from behind a central figure wearing a hat and backpack, walking away from the camera. Several other people are walking in various directions. The background features blurred city lights, vehicle headlights, and indistinct buildings. The sidewalk has a distinct textured pattern of circles and lines.
A black and white photograph taken at night in an urban street setting. A woman is walking across a marked pedestrian crosswalk, moving from left to right. The background features city buildings with various lights, street furniture, and blurred background elements indicating depth. The lighting creates high contrast between the illuminated areas and shadows, particularly noticeable on the subject and the road surface.

People walking the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. City, Vietnam

This photograph captures a dramatic low-angle view of the Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The skyscraper, recognizable by its distinctive helical 'lotus bud' design, pierces through a cloudy night sky.
A male worker wearing a green polo shirt and a dark cap is seated on a small blue stool, engaged in manual labor at a wet, industrial workstation. He is using a yellow sponge or cloth to clean or wipe a dark, textured rectangular object resting on a metal surface. The environment is a factory setting with overhead fluorescent lighting, a water tap on the wall, and metal shelving in the background.
A black and white street photograph captures two men in a casual, relaxed outdoor setting. The man on the left is seated on a plastic chair, facing away from the camera, wearing a dark t-shirt with a large logo on the back, and is barefoot. He is holding a smartphone. The man on the right is reclining in a chair, wearing a dark cap, a dark long-sleeved shirt, and dark pants. He is also barefoot and looking at a smartphone held in his right hand, with his left hand holding a cigarette. Behind the man on the right is a Pepsi-branded refrigerator and a large white cabinet or wall with the text 'VIRTUS' on it. To the far right, the rear of a motorbike is visible with a license plate reading '30-F2 7345'. The setting appears to be a small shop or roadside stall entrance, with plastic chairs and a tiled floor.
A black and white photograph of a two-tiered street food cart, likely in Southeast Asia, displaying various skewered items. The cart is made of wood with glass panels, and the items are organized neatly on each shelf. The top shelf features cylindrical skewers, round meatballs, and what appears to be fish balls. The bottom shelf contains flat round cakes, square tofu blocks, and other skewers. The number '15' is visible on the left side of the cart.

1. A male worker working on creating some local handicraft 2. Men sitting and looking at their phones 3. Friendly Vietnamese folk always willing to let you take photos. Cute dog in the background. 4. Dogs are quite popular as pets 5. There was street food everywhere!

Exploring the City

We visited the Independence Palace, which was really grounding—it touches on the deep roots of the movement for independence that this city played such a crucial role in. But beyond the major landmarks, we dug into some deep history with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, which was definitely a sobering contrast to the city, and a reminder of the incredible resilience of the Vietnamese people during the war.

Fueling Up: The Food Scene

Okay, let's talk about the food. I tried the Saigon Banh Mi, and honestly, it was perfect. Banh-mi's are quite popular here in Adelaide but the main difference I found between the Banh-mi's in Adelaide vs Ho Chi Minh was the baguette. The baguettes are super fresh and just add that extra level of flavour. The Char-siu (roast pork) Banh-mi's are the most popular.

We also tried Banh Trang Nuong, the Vietnamese grilled rice paper rolls—very unique, and so much flavor packed in.

A couple sitting by the street preparing Banh Trang Nuong (Vietnamese grilled rice paper)
A photograph of a busy communal dinner setting, viewed from a high angle looking down at a large wooden table filled with various dishes.
The food that was served to us when we visited the Cu Chi tunnels

The street food culture here is overwhelming, but that’s kind of the point, right? It’s this vibrant melting pot where you eat, observe, and just absorb everything going on around you. I found myself watching the incredible street life unfold, from the hustle of the vendors to the sheer volume of life pulsing through the streets.

The image features a young girl in a yellow shirt standing behind a light-colored wooden table, engaged in the manual processing of cocoa beans. The table is arranged with two large metal trays containing roasted cocoa beans, separated into darker and lighter brown batches. A white, paddle-shaped tray in the foreground holds a pile of beans with a wooden pestle resting on it. The girl is intently picking through the beans in her hands. In the background, a grey corrugated metal wall is visible. To the left, a large stone mortar and grinder suggests further processing is happening nearby.

1. Snehal touching plants at Coconut Village 2. A young girl playing at the Coconut village chocolate factory

A view from behind of a person with a bun hairstyle wearing an orange plastic poncho, sitting in a boat and moving through a narrow mangrove forest waterway. The water is muddy brown, and tall palm-like trees with thick, twisted trunks line the banks closely, creating a canopy overhead. Light filters through the green fronds. Other passengers are visible further ahead in the boat. The scene suggests a boat tour through a mangrove ecosystem.
A woman is seated on a blue wooden bench of a small river boat, surrounded by murky brown water under an overcast sky. She is wearing a bright orange life vest over a plastic poncho and holds a fresh green coconut with a straw inserted. The boat structure is painted blue, with a black tarp providing some overhead cover. In the background, a wide river stretches out with a distant shoreline and another boat visible.

1. We had to wear ponchos - it was raining and very wet! 2. Snehal sipping on some fresh coconut water 3. Dragonfruit, Pineapple and Longan fruit

A river scene framed by lush palm foliage

Tiny Moments, Big Pictures

Amidst all the sensory overload, some of the most striking moments were these small glimpses into daily life. You see it everywhere—the incredible contrast between the ultra-modern glass towers and the older, worn-down structures. People everywhere, chaos all around. It can be overwhelming at times.

A street scene at night in what appears to be Vietnam, featuring a mobile food cart under a red canopy on a sidewalk. The cart is illuminated and displays various food items in metal steamers. A white taxi with green 'Grab' advertising is driving past on the street, while a red motorcycle is partially visible on the far left. Three people are standing on the sidewalk near the cart.
A street scene at night in Vietnam. 'Grab' taxis everywhere

Cu Chi Tunnels

From Wikipedia - The tunnels of Củ Chi (Vietnamese: Địa đạo Củ Chi) are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.

A close-up photograph displaying multiple cylindrical, bell-like musical instruments resting on a wooden slatted surface. The instruments are divided into two groups: six on the left and five on the right, each featuring yellow and greyish-green patinas. Each instrument is encircled by metal wire or clamps, likely holding the shape together. The objects show significant wear, rust, and age, suggesting they are antiques or museum artifacts.
The Cu Chi tunnels are a stark reminder of Vietnam's past. Seen here some old hand grenades on display.

Reflection

Ho Chi Minh City is intense. It’s not a gentle introduction; it throws everything at you all at once—the history, the sounds, the incredible flavors. But that push and pull, that incredible energy, that’s what makes it unforgettable.

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