Essential Vietnam: Food and Sightseeing Guide to Saigon and Hanoi

Compelling and astonishingly beautiful, few places in the world offer the spectacular (and often overwhelming) splendor that Vietnam does, and this magic is especially apparent in its largest cities. In Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City), you’re met with staggering French architecture dating back to the 18th century, endless stalls selling the famed banh mi sandwich, and meticulously landscaped parks boasting temples and palaces. Hanoi’s streets are alive with the sounds of motorbikes zooming past, the clamor of pots and pans from street vendors slinging noodle soups and sizzling grilled pork, and the glistening sparkle of its picturesque pagodas. Whether you’re going for the first time or the 15th, this guide to Vietnam’s most bustling cities will take you deep into the heart of one of Asia’s most resplendent, resilient, and humbling countries.

Ho Chi Minh CityFormerly known as Saigon (most of the locals still refer to it this way), Ho Chi Minh City is the perfect representation of old meets new. You’ll find colonial French architecture juxtaposed with whizzing motorbikes and crowded markets. Gleaming skyscrapers are flanked by centuries-old temples and pagodas. It’s a city that demands a few days of exploration to truly understand the interesting contrasts.

FoodVietnam’s food differs from north to south, and with Ho Chi Minh City located in the south, the delicacies you’ll find here tend to be more flavorful and spicy than the ones in Hanoi. These are the dishes you have to try when wandering the busy streets.

Banh Cuon: A hearty rice dish that’s steamed to perfection, banh cuon is a thin rice sheet filled with a hearty serving of ground pork, mushrooms, and shallots. It’s served in bite-size pieces and is often enjoyed for breakfast with a drizzle of fish sauce (a necessity in most Vietnamese cuisine), bean sprouts, and cucumber. Tip: If you can, order it from a street vendor so you can watch the locals prepare it on their larger-than-life metal woks. Where to try it: Banh Cuon Hai Nam, 11A Đường Cao Thắng, phường 2, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Banh Xeo: Another dish that’s as fun to watch as it is delicious to eat, banh xeo is basically a large and savory crepe. Named after the sizzle it makes when it’s cooking, this crepe-pancake hybrid is topped with equal parts pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. It’s served for breakfast or lunch with, you guessed it, fish sauce. Where to try it: Banh Xeo 46A, 11A Đường Cao Thắng, phường 2, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Banh Trang Tron: This is one dish you won’t find outside of Ho Chi Minh City. Created by the street food purveyors who set up shop along Van Kiep Street or Su Van Hanh Street, this bite-size snack is a mix of rice paper that’s served like a salad with eggs (usually quail), sliced green mango, squid, beef jerky, basil, mint, sometimes shrimp balls, and peanut, as well as a hearty serving of chilis. Where to try it: Street stalls on Van Kiep Street or Su Van Hanh Street

Banh Mi: Unless you live under a rock, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of, or tried, the famed banh mi sandwich. All cities in the country have their own version, but Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai, a hole-in-the-wall stand on Nguyen Tai, serves up one of the best. The bread is freshly baked and is filled to the brim with grilled sausage, thinly sliced pork, cucumber spears, cilantro, and chili. Where to try it: Banh Mi 37 Nguyen Trai, 37 Nguyễn Trãi, Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Pho: A staple that can’t be left out, pho varietals can be found all throughout the country. However, don’t confuse the ones you enjoy in Saigon with the ones in Hanoi or Halong Bay—or vice versa. The pho in Saigon is slightly sweeter and fishier. Where to try it: Pho Le, 414 413, Nguyen Trai Street P.7,Q5, Ho Chi Minh City

Sights and HighlightsA youthful exuberance is bringing new business and change to the city, but for those seeking a look into the past, the city still has plenty of historic charm and a focus on preserving its heritage. A visit to these main sights will truly illustrate this juxtaposition.

Cu Chi Underground Tunnels: A harrowing look at the warfare that ensued during the Vietnam-American War, the tunnels were dug by the Viet Cong and extend below the entire northwest district of Saigon. More than 45,000 Vietnamese men and women are said to have died defending the tunnels, which is why they’re now preserved as memorials by the Vietnamese government. If you’re up for it, you can crawl through some of the safer tunnels, view booby traps, and even eat a typical soldier’s meal.

Jade Emperor Pagoda: Constructed in 1909 to honor the Jade Emperor, or King of Heaven, this beautiful temple in the center of town is decorated with a staggering array of sculptures and statues. The roof is outfitted with magnificent tile work, the walls are paneled with exquisitely carved wood, and there’s a small pond filled with turtles just outside.

Ben Thanh Street Food Market: Nothing will get you closer to the local experience than a visit to Ben Thanh Street Food Market. Opened in 2015, this massive market brings dozens of street vendors together. Tip: Walk around the entirety of the market before settling on something to order.

Central Post Office: With its striking French architecture and its location next to the Notre Dame Cathedral, it’s impossible to miss Saigon’s Central Post Office. Built by Gustave Eiffel in the late 1800s, the pink-and-white painted building is quite a sight to behold from the outside, but inside, the view is just as spectacular, with a barrel-vaulted hall featuring ornately tiled floors, wrought-iron pillars, and a collection of skylights in the center flanked by tellers and vendors.

HanoiAt more than 1,000 years old, Hanoi is one of Asia’s oldest cities. Despite the deep-rooted history that shaped the bustling city, Western influence and modernization has taken hold of late. However, much like Saigon, Hanoi clutches tightly to its heritage, and a walk or tuk-tuk ride through the city’s Old Quarter showcases just that. Centuries-old pagodas look gleaming thanks to restoration efforts, and the street food culture is stronger than ever, with hundreds of stalls decorating nearly every main drag.

FoodVietnam’s capital is nothing short of a street food paradise. The labyrinth of bustling alleyways, motorbike-clogged avenues, and streets of the Old Quarter and the Truc Bach area are full of vendors selling bowls of pungent soups, crispy fried meats glazed with spicy sauces, and veggie-laden rice paper rolls. Like Saigon, street food culture reigns supreme here; however, an international influence can be found in some of its most revered bites.

Bun Oc: Snails are savored in Hanoi, which is why you’ll find bun oc, or snail vermicelli soup, on many local menus. The snails are roasted, dumped into a broth, then mixed with thin rice noodles, green bananas, fried tofu, prawns or fish cakes. Like most soups in town, it’s topped with a big serving of herbs, like mint or basil, and chili sauce.
Where to try it: Bun oc Co Them, 6 Hàng Chai, Hàng Mã, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

Cha Ca: As distinctive to Hanoi as bang trang tron is in Saigon, this crispy fried white fish is typically served on a bed of fresh herbs, like dill. The filet itself is seasoned heavily with garlic, ginger, and turmeric, and the fish is served alongside a big bowl of rice noodles, peanuts, spring onions, red chili slices, and a mouthwatering sauce. It’s meant to be mixed together, which is how you’ll see the locals devouring it on Cha Ca Street in the Old Quarter. Where to try it: Cha Ca Thang Long, 21 Đường Thành Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

Bun Rieu: This is comfort food at its best. This creamy soup is much like pho, with big servings of rice vermicelli noodles, crab, and a fresh assortment of herbs, like mint, basil, and dill. The main difference is the broth: Here, it’s tomato-based. You’ll find many renditions of this soup all throughout the city, some with ground pork, minced dried shrimp, and tofu. Where to try it: Bun Rieu Cua, 40 Hàng Tre, Lý Thái Tổ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

Banh Goi: The perfect street snack for when you’re on the go, banh goi is a fluffy deep fried pastry filled with mushrooms, minced pork, steamed quail eggs, and a spicy seasoning. It’s often served alongside sweet-sour dipping sauces made with garlic, chili, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. It also pairs well with a cold Hanoi Beer. Where to try it: Street food carts in the Old Quarter; or for a vegan option, try Banh Goi Chay, 66B Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoan Kiem District

Nem Chua: A delicacy for locals, nem chua can be hard to stomach for foreign visitors. This raw fermented pork dish is made by mixing ground pork, chilies, sliced garlic, white peppercorns, Thai chilies, sugar, and a spicy seasoning. The garlic, chilies, and sugar are placed inside the pork and rolled up like a sausage, or they’re spread out in a large baking sheet and wrapped in plastic. The whole dish is then fermented for up to three days, sliced into small squares and served inside a banana leaf. Where to try it: Street food carts in the Old Quarter

Sights & HighlightsIn the Old Quarter, you’re met with narrow streets and alleys overflowing with street vendors and historic and weathered pagodas, while the stark and modern Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum or the Hoa Lo Prison offer a different perspective into Hanoi’s complex past. Whatever you crave, these sights will give you just a taste of the cultural awakening Hanoi can offer you.

Temple of Literature: Built and founded in 1070, the Temple of Literature is one of Hanoi’s oldest landmarks. The entry is through the two-tiered Van Mieu Gate, which leads through the second courtyard to the Khue Van pavilion, a newer addition that was built in the 1800s. Built on four white-washed stilts and boasting a deep red top with circular windows, a bronze bell hangs in the center and is often rung on special occasions. The fifth courtyard is the most notable, containing altars that are dedicated to Confucius and his disciples, and are filled with bright red and gold statues.

Tay Ho: Located on the northern outskirts of Hanoi in an area that was once sleepy fishing villages, Tay Ho is now one of Hanoi’s hippest districts. It’s home to some of the best restaurants in Asia (including Don’s), trendy lacquerware shops, and small stands selling teas and homemade soaps. A walk around the lake will also take you past villas that now house some of Hanoi’s coolest boutiques.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: The stark Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which is guarded 24/7 by gun-wielding soldiers, is the final resting place of Vietnam’s former leader, Ho Chi Minh. If you don’t feel like queuing to get inside, simply wander along the beautifully landscaped gardens that surround it.

Old Quarter: Arguably the most popular neighborhood in the city, the Old Quarter represents so much of what makes Hanoi unique. A maze of streets dating back to the early 13th century, the streets are never without massive crowds, the endless honks of motorbikes and tuk-tuks, and the bump of locals pushing past with shoulder-poles filled with baskets of produce. It’s an assault on the senses, but a place that’ll grow on you the more you explore.