Most of the tourist attractions including the Museum of Vietnamese History or the famous Ben Thanh Market are located in District 1. Here you will also find a range of gorgeous temples and architectural buildings, as well as the Museum of Vietnamese History which houses 2,000 years of Vietnam’s history and enables you to truly understand the meaning of the temples and buildings around.

One of the most charming things about Ho Chi Minh City is how the low-cost street food can so often outperform its best restaurants. You’ll find many good ones on Dong Khoi, the lively stretch of shops and bars between the river and cathedral.

Ho Chi Minh City has several markets worth visiting as well as the aforementioned Pham Ngu Lao Street. The two largest are Cho Ben Tanh and Cho Lon. Cho Lon – the Chinese market – has a dazzling array of goods on offer and is the least touristy of the two. Ben Tanh is also fun to visit, and better regulated, with less knock-off merchandise and fewer pickpockets. That said, you should always be wary of both those things.